OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE: Girls as Youth Members, All Programs

[Jameson76]

Some of these comments assume that the BSA's intentions have changed from single-gender units at ages 11-17 to coed troops.  That assumption seems to begin with Gwaihir's interpretation of the CSE's statement at cnn.com.  I don't think that interpretation is correct.  I think that when the CSE used the term "similar" he was talking about how each CO will get to decide what kind of units to have, within the options that will be offered by the BSA - not that there will mixed-gender troops.  Mixed-gender packs, yes, if that's what the CO wants, but not mixed-gender troops.  Based on Gwaihir's more recent post, he at least seems to agree with me that it is a matter of interpretation.  So we can fault the BSA for several aspects of how this whole thing has been handled, but not for switching from single-gender troops to coed troops in the past month.  I see no reason to believe they have done that.

 

This is the statement.  Not out of context, the whole sentence:

 

It will be up to local Cub Scout Packs, parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family packs or only serve boys or girls; we anticipate a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level.

 

Clearly the intention (similar) is to have "family" and / or co-ed troops

 

This was the statement on 10/20 (a clarifying statement from the Big 3 junta) 

 

While our curriculum is relevant both to boys and girls, our commitment to single-gender offerings remains the same. Our decision does not make our programs co-ed. 

 

It is apparently going to be co-ed.  There will be separate but equal troops no doubt AND (my editorial license)  parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family troops

 

Challenge will be that right now we go to market (basically) with 2 versions CUB and SCOUTS. 

 

Soon there will be: (one would presume)

1)CUBS - Boys

2) CUBS - Girls

3) CUBS - Boys and Girls (separate dens)

4) CUBS - Family packs

5) SCOUTS - Boys

6) SCOUTS - Girls

7) SCOUTS - Boys and Girls (separate patrols ??)

8) SCOUTS - Family troops

 

Good luck to the huddles masses yearning to joining Scouts finding the unit in the derivation they desire

[Tampa Turtle]

What the heck is (8) a 'Family Troop'?

[NJCubScouter]

What the heck is (8) a 'Family Troop'?

 

There isn't such a thing, and I have not read or heard of any plans to create one.  I think some people are taking pieces of information from here and there and adding them together to create a future which is different from the one the BSA intends to create.

[Col. Flagg]

The BSA is not a democracy, so the powers that be are just that. Opinions of the members may be asked or not, considered or ignored, followed or forgotten.

 

Your analogy is wrong, it should be Why would you trust anyone who has damaged his car three times not to damage his car a fourth time.

 

Weeeeell...then our CSE should be a bit less disingenuous when making statements like this:

 

"First thing's first: We did it because our members requested it. For years, they've been asking us to bring our unique approach to character and leadership development to all members of their families."

 

Did members request it? Sure. Did MORE members NOT request it? Absolutely!!! Using this statement is implying that a large number of members "requested" the change. It's disingenuous at best.

 

A bit later he says, "But the policy change isn't as dramatic as many people seem to think. We've had girls participating in Scouting for generations." Allowing girls in Explorers (one of the least used programs) and Venturing (the second least used program) is night and day to allowing girls in to what has been an all boy program for over 100 years.

 

The rest of the CNN piece talks about how they "surveyed" so many people, when we all know that those surveys -- if you could find them -- were sent to people hand-picked to give them the political cover they were looking for.

 

The irony of this whole piece is that if Donald Trump were to have done or said ANY of this, the press and many folks here would have their pitch forks and torches out and would be 3/4 of the way to Washington for a good old tar and feathering. But here at scouter.com we white-wash it instead of calling it was it is: a contrived piece of social engineering designed to stave off a failing program, decades of mismanagement and ever-declining membership numbers.

Edited November 14, 2017 by Col. Flagg

[NJCubScouter]

Soon there will be: (one would presume)

1)CUBS - Boys

2) CUBS - Girls

3) CUBS - Boys and Girls (separate dens)

4) CUBS - Family packs

5) SCOUTS - Boys

6) SCOUTS - Girls

7) SCOUTS - Boys and Girls (separate patrols ??)

8) SCOUTS - Family troops

 

The BSA says the options will be 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 (though the program does not have a name yet.)  They have not said there will be a 7, and I don't think that any recent statement suggests there will be.  They haven't even mentioned 4 and 8, I think those were invented by some members of this forum.

[Tampa Turtle]

4) CUBS - Family Packs

 

[NJCubScouter]

This is me in my role as a fellow forum member and Scouter, not as a moderator:  Could we please keep the president out of this, unless he actually says something about the subject?  Discussions of this subject have great difficulty staying anywhere near the topic as it is.  If you want to discuss the president, pro or con, please start a different thread.

[Col. Flagg]

This is me in my role as a fellow forum member and Scouter, not as a moderator:  Could we please keep the president out of this, unless he actually says something about the subject?  Discussions of this subject have great difficulty staying anywhere near the topic as it is.  If you want to discuss the president, pro or con, please start a different thread.

 

It was germane to the point I was making. And it's in I&P, so it's not like we don't bring up other political stuff here, right? Just tool through the I&P area and have a look. Or get rid of I&P altogether.

[RememberSchiff]

Weeeeell...then our CSE should be a bit less disingenuous when making statements like this:

 

"First thing's first: We did it because our members requested it. For years, they've been asking us to bring our unique approach to character and leadership development to all members of their families."

 

 

Say I have a wall to sell you.

[NJCubScouter]

It was germane to the point I was making. And it's in I&P, so it's not like we don't bring up other political stuff here, right? Just tool through the I&P area and have a look. Or get rid of I&P altogether.

 

Or start another thread.

[Col. Flagg]

Say I have a wall to sell you.

 

That's about how it feels when that CSE speaks. I am not sure which face to look at.

[Col. Flagg]

Or start another thread.

 

You missed the part where it was germane to my point in this thread.

[RememberSchiff]

Okay we should all get back on topic.

 

A local pack is planning a Parent & Daughter invitation to their Pine Wood Derby as a possible January recruitment.

[Jameson76]

There isn't such a thing, and I have not read or heard of any plans to create one.  I think some people are taking pieces of information from here and there and adding them together to create a future which is different from the one the BSA intends to create.

 

It will be up to local Cub Scout Packs, parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family packs or only serve boys or girls; we anticipate a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level.

 

Using logic, if there is a family pack and there will be a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level (CSE words) then there will / could be family troops

 

 

What the heck is (8) a 'Family Troop'?

 

If there is a family pack and there will be a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level (CSE words) then there will / could be family troops

 

 

The BSA says the options will be 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 (though the program does not have a name yet.)  They have not said there will be a 7, and I don't think that any recent statement suggests there will be.  They haven't even mentioned 4 and 8, I think those were invented by some members of this forum.

 

It will be up to local Cub Scout Packs, parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family packs or only serve boys or girls; we anticipate a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level.

 

Using logic, if there is a family pack and there will be a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level (CSE words) then there will / could be family troops

 

[Stosh]

I wonder why YMCA and the YWCA became The Family Y and now just the Y 

 

It's a day late and a a dollar short coming on scene, but it's a bit of the same old, same old.  And yet there seems to be a number of people who can't figure out "where this whole thing is going."    If I were to take a wild guess, I'm thinking BSA is using the YMCA's business plan from ages ago and trying to duplicate it.

 

Let's see Boy Scouts, then Family Scouts and finally just Scouts - Oh, how original......

Edited November 15, 2017 by Stosh