OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE: Girls as Youth Members, All Programs

[NJCubScouter]

I'd hate to be the guy that walks up to the female athletes and says "you will now be known as the Cows." He will soon become the Steer.

 

At best. 

[Back Pack]

Will existing scout masters be expected to run the girl troop as well as the boy troop?

Be expected? How can you volunteer a volunteer to run something not part of their charter?

[NJCubScouter]

Will existing scout masters be expected to run the girl troop as well as the boy troop?

 

With the understanding that this is a wild guess, I would say no, probably not.  Invited, perhaps, but not expected.  Now, if it were to come to pass that my troop's CO were to also become the CO of a troop of Girl Guides (I think I am going to stick with that placeholder for the time being), I might consider suggesting that the COMMITTEE be the same for both troops.  (Assuming that the BSA did not try to get two registration fees out of the committee members.)  

[cocomax]

Currently, can one person be the scout master of two troops? Does BSA allow that?

 

 

Can one person be the scout master and be a pack master at the same time?

[qwazse]

Currently, can one person be the scout master of two troops? Does BSA allow that?

 

 

Can one person be the scout master and be a pack master at the same time?

Short answer: Yes!

Long answer: It takes a special kind of crazy, but yes!

Edited October 26, 2017 by qwazse

[cocomax]

We cant use the term "Girl Guides", the name "Girl Guides" belongs to the Girl Scouts and the WAGGGS.

[Hawkwin]

Look here:

 

http://scoutingwire.org/commitment-values-make-scouting-accessible-families/?utm_source=Volunteers&utm_campaign=94ffa056dc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_10_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9777d746fe-94ffa056dc-204165641

 

People in the comments ...

 

Considering the very small percentage but vocal group of diehards that actually post comments on message boards (including this one and including me), I am not sure how much weight I would give to what is going to happen based on those comments. I certainly would not get worked up over it regardless if they were for it (on that message board) or against it (what appears to be the majority of this message board).

[NJCubScouter]

We cant use the term "Girl Guides", the name "Girl Guides" belongs to the Girl Scouts and the WAGGGS.

 

I hope I was clear that I was not actually suggesting it, and I have no expectation that it will even be considered, I am just using it as a placeholder, tongue-in-cheek-like.  (Though I do realize that what I find humorous, many other people might not.)

 

But when you suggest that the WAGGGS and Girl Scouts (GSUSA?) have ownership of that name - in the United States - you have piqued my lawyerly interest. Do you have a source for that?

[HelpfulTracks]

Yes. I have said something like this before. I don't think it is helpful in this context, especially because historically "separate but equal" was really code for "separate and unequal." If the "black schools" of Topeka, Kansas had actually provided an education that was "equal" (or anywhere near equal) to the "white" schools, Brown v. Board of Education might have been decided differently. I am pretty sure that formalized publicly-mandated racial segregation still would have been struck down, but at a later time, in a different case and using different terminology.

Absolutely. I think there are some that are using the phrase because they oppose the policy change and want to make the connection. I prefer a discussion based on merit rather than creating a bias by attempting to connect the two very different issues.

[cocomax]

I hope I was clear that I was not actually suggesting it, and I have no expectation that it will even be considered, I am just using it as a placeholder, tongue-in-cheek-like.  (Though I do realize that what I find humorous, many other people might not.)

 

But when you suggest that the WAGGGS and Girl Scouts (GSUSA?) have ownership of that name - in the United States - you have piqued my lawyerly interest. Do you have a source for that?

 

Here is a list:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Association_of_Girl_Guides_and_Girl_Scouts_members

 

GSUSA is a member of WAGGGS

 

Calling the Girl Boy Scouts           Girl Guides would be all sorts of problems with the GSUSA.

 

 

Personally, I think the Boy Scouts should be extra brave and call the new program   GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA  ( GSA )   That would be a BOLD move.

Edited October 26, 2017 by cocomax

[qwazse]

The program name Boy Scouts regardless of who the members are. It's distinctive features are

1. a chartered sponsor of one or more divisions of units which may persist over generations,
2. units that span age/grade ranges within divisions of Cubs, Boys, and Venturers (or Sea Scouts/Explorers/STEM Scouts).
3. membership extends to as many youth as can safely occupy the sponsors facilities.

We can go on about

• aims and methods. That's not a distinctive feature. Other programs have aims and methods by some other name.
• awards. Other programs have those too.
• sex segregation or lack therof. That's not a distinctive feature. Other programs have that.
• mavericks who push boundaries. Again, not distinctive. Welcome to America.

Those three features and the "room for more" attitude create the crucible for units that are successful with a minimum of national oversight. This seems especially true for Cubs, Boys, and Sea Scouts. (It also creates a membership who questions if National is worth the fees. )

 

If those features remain. It's Boy Scouts, no matter which sex participates in it. That's what these odd young ladies are looking for as opposed to the organization that supposedly socially engineered the "perfect troop" for them.

 

So I'm calling it "Cub Scout Pack for Girls"/"Den for Girls" and "Boy Scout Troop for Girls."

File it under BSA4G.

(No worse than EDGE.)

Edited October 26, 2017 by qwazse

[HelpfulTracks]

Here is a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Association_of_Girl_Guides_and_Girl_Scouts_members

 

GSUSA is a member of WAGGGS

 

Calling the Girl Boy Scouts Girl Guides would be all sorts of problems with the GSUSA.

 

 

Personally, I think the Boy Scouts should be extra brave and call the new program GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA ( GSA ) That would be a BOLD move.

Did a quick trademark search and it does not look like GSUSA has any claim legally to Girl Guides. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be continuous. Edited October 26, 2017 by HelpfulTracks

[CalicoPenn]

 

On the Cub side most packs have enough challenge to effectively staff dens, much less double up the dens for co-ed operations.

 

If you double up on dens, you potentially double up on recruits to lead those dens.

 

Would you make the argument that a all-boy Pack shouldn't try to recruit and double the size of their pack because they won't be able to find enough leaders?

 

Utter nonsense.

[CalicoPenn]

Will existing scout masters be expected to run the girl troop as well as the boy troop?

 

Why should they?  Why can't the "girl troop" recruit their own Scoutmaster?  

[walk in the woods]

If you double up on dens, you potentially double up on recruits to lead those dens.

 

Would you make the argument that a all-boy Pack shouldn't try to recruit and double the size of their pack because they won't be able to find enough leaders?

 

Utter nonsense.

Maybe.  One of the packs I UC for doubled in size over the last two years.  It's been a bugbear to recruit den leaders and they still don't have a functioning committee.  I would absolutely tell them to reconsider trying to double again.