How will you talk about girls troops and packs?

[Tampa Turtle]

11 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

You have obviously not drunk of the "all are equal" kool aid. 

 

[WisconsinMomma]

Yes, I'm just trying to wrap my head around how this will work in advance.

What I am potentially envisioning:

1.  Girls Troop with separate troop number

2.  Same Chartered Organization

3.  Perhaps same meeting night and time, different room in the building for troop and PLC meetings

4.  Perhaps same committee members and resources for merit badge counselors,  Eagle Coaches, EBOR help, etc.

5.  Separate checking accounts and fundraisers, but perhaps the same treasurer managing both accounts.

6.  Separate outings and events.

7.  Same Committee Chair, but different Scoutmasters, ASMs, etc. 

Edited May 1, 2018 by WisconsinMomma

[sst3rd]

Our pack and troop have talked about this. Unfortunately we've just lost our very involved CC  (both pack and troop) to a stroke. Both pack and troop leadership are in it for their sons and simply will continue as is. Although it would be easier to accommodate girls in the pack, I don't know what they would do. I'm currently mentoring the SM of the troop. She and her leadership have no desire to start a girl's troop. I don't see the church demanding a girl's troop as it takes a completely different leadership team. We wouldn't care if a completely separate leadership team started a girls troop, but this current troop would not be involved. Our priority is the current boy's troop. Nothing more. Our plate is full, and yes we have a growing program.

 

And I have talked with our scouts about girl members. They do NOT want them involved. All of the guys are friends from two schools and like it just the way it is. We assured them that it will stay that way, as it is their program. No surprises.

 

sst3rd

[5thGenTexan]

Our CO is ok with girls.  However we don't have the space or leadership.  If we have an interest and adults to volunteer we will go from there appropriately.  However we are not going to actively recruit girls.

[T2Eagle]

We've had some discussions with our IH/COR, who is pastor of our Catholic parish, and some preliminary discussions among the troop committee.  IF, we end up with a troop for girls, we'll likely be looking at the linked troop model.  We'll have the same CO, one troop committee and two troops.  Because we want to maintain the single gender model we would have the troops meat on different nights, separate PLCs (to the extent a likely small troop needs a PLC), etc.

Given that all of our equipment and funds belongs to the parish we would be of course be sharing that with the new troop.

We're going to survey the parish to see what interest there is for girls at both the pack and the troop level. The decision to turn the key on a new troop will likely depend first and foremost on the willingness of someone to step up to be the scoutmaster.

Edited May 1, 2018 by T2Eagle

[NJCubScouter]

In my troop we have been completely ignoring this whole thing.

If and when someone (and it probably won't be any of us) approaches our CO about starting a girls' troop, I guess we'll see what happens.

[FireStone]

This is currently being discussed in my Pack in relation to recruiting. The question currently is: Do we try to actively recruit girls? No decisions yet, just discussion. 

As far as our CO is concerned, they don't really care what we do. They barely take any interest in the Pack and Troop as it is, we could probably tell them we want to start a new Scout group consisting of llamas and hedgehogs and they'd just say, "Sure, whatever." 

My draft recruitment flyer that will go out to schools says "... open to boys & girls in 1st - 5th grade..." We'll have to wait and see if it stays that way, should know after this week's committee meeting. 

My personal feeling is that if we don't talk about girls, don't recruit girls, don't put photos of girls in uniform in our recruiting materials, etc., we're not going to get enough girls to meaningfully do anything. We're not a big Pack, last year we recruited 5 Tiger boys. The chances we will get the requisite number of girls to start a Den are not great. If we don't actively promote the fact that we're open to girls, I suspect it won't happen here. And even then, it will still be a challenge to get enough girls involved. Our CO certainly isn't going to be helpful in spreading the word that we welcome girls. 

[Jameson76]

59 minutes ago, FireStone said:

As far as our CO is concerned, they don't really care what we do. They barely take any interest in the Pack and Troop as it is, we could probably tell them we want to start a new Scout group consisting of llamas and hedgehogs and they'd just say, "Sure, whatever." 

If BSA National could get folks to pony up $33 per llama and hedgehog they would be all in

I would assume there would be a llama troop and a hedgehog troop, they could share the same CO and same committee, different Zoo keepers, and they would be "linked" units.  These would fall under BSA (Barnyard Scouts of America) and the new program effort that all mammals can become an Eagle.  Not a literal Eagle, not like that NBC show manimal.  Honestly being an Eagle may scare the hedgehogs as Eagles no doubt see them as lunch.

[RememberSchiff]

In our two troop town,  my guess is the other troop will become COED and our troop will continue to be SPED.

 

[John-in-KC]

And  they'll all be "Scouts BSA" troops.

https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/scout-me-in/

[WisconsinMomma]

The name change isn't a big deal to me.  That's minor. 

 

For the Pack I'm more concerned with whether the Pack should have one Pack and separate boy/girl dens, or a separate Pack number for the girls.   I don't know.  Like would the girls want their own pinewood derby or is it easier and cleaner just to have one mixed gender one?  All the den stuff would be separate of course. 

[Eagle94-A1]

1 hour ago, WisconsinMomma said:

All the den stuff would be separate of course. 

We already have reports from early adopters that some "Girls' den" and the "Boys' den" ideas is not working and that the two dens are doing "joint" activities.

[Jameson76]

4 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

We already have reports from early adopters that some "Girls' den" and the "Boys' den" ideas is not working and that the two dens are doing "joint" activities.

[WisconsinMomma]

59 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

We already have reports from early adopters that some "Girls' den" and the "Boys' den" ideas is not working and that the two dens are doing "joint" activities.

Yeah, but just because that's what some Packs are doing doesn't mean that's what our Pack has to do.   

[walk in the woods]

Apparently our CSE is going to tell girls that separate units is in their best interests:

Surbaugh said that having separate units for boys and girls should alleviate concerns that girls joining the BSA for the first time might be at a disadvantage in seeking leadership opportunities.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-boy-scouts-name-change-20180502-story.html