Scouting Magazine - betting the farm on girls

[gblotter]

While I firmly oppose BSA's girl decision, I strongly support kindness and sensitivity in personal interactions. Even though their Cub Scout Pack is at fault for breaking fundamental rules about mixed-gender Dens, a kind approach is still merited as the situation gets resolved. A Scout is friendly, courteous, and kind, and nobody should be made to feel like an outcast.

First, I'd explain in the friendliest way possible to the girl and her parents that we are excited for her interest in Scouting. Then I'd also explain in the friendliest way possible that because we are a boy-only troop, we are not structured with the right organization and leadership to provide her the Scouting experience that BSA has designed for girls (providing as many or as few supporting details as they like). Finally, I'd offer assistance to help her find a girl-only troop or a linked troop in the area that *is* structured with the right organization and leadership to provide her that great Scouting experience (with an explanation about the rollout beginning in February 2019).

If these good-faith gestures made in friendliness are rejected, it would seem clear to me that this girl and her family are not looking for a solution - they are looking for a fight.

[malraux]

fwiw, just got the new boys life. It appears to be back to the normal articles. 

[gblotter]

4 hours ago, malraux said:

fwiw, just got the new boys life. It appears to be back to the normal articles. 

The magazine in question is Scouting Magazine - not Boys Life.

[packsaddle]

Two grandsons new in a cub pack. There are (horrors!) girls. No one seems to notice. They do stuff together. It's almost as if it's not unnatural. 

[fred johnson]

11 minutes ago, packsaddle said:

Two grandsons new in a cub pack. There are (horrors!) girls. No one seems to notice. They do stuff together. It's almost as if it's not unnatural. 

My experience with cub scouts was that the youngest (1st and 2nd) grades did not initially know it was boy only.  They had to "learn" that. 

[malraux]

On 9/27/2018 at 7:37 PM, gblotter said:

The magazine in question is Scouting Magazine - not Boys Life.

The september edition of BL (cub edition) had the same theme of girls are coming to mirror the content in the scouter magazine. I haven't received scouter yet, but assuming it follows the same pattern it'll be more or less back to normal.

[packsaddle]

Fred, one is indeed in that age group. The other is in 4th grade. He hasn't seemed to notice yet. 

Then there are two more not old enough yet and one of those is going to be really interesting.

[LVAllen]

3 hours ago, fred johnson said:

My experience with cub scouts was that the youngest (1st and 2nd) grades did not initially know it was boy only.  They had to "learn" that. 

Clarke Green over at scoutmastercg.com recently posted a podcast in which he discussed his troop's reaction to female scouts during a trip to the International Scout Center in Switzerland. It took his troop maybe ten minutes to grasp the concept that the females they saw weren't Girl Scouts, they were just Scouts. 

[Setonfan]

Wonder how long it will take our BSA culture to transition from “wow, girl cub scouts”, to “wow, cub scouts”?  

[malraux]

8 minutes ago, Setonfan said:

Wonder how long it will take our BSA culture to transition from “wow, girl cub scouts”, to “wow, cub scouts”?  

I do propose moving to the language of “Cubbing” and “scouting” to refer to the different programs. 

[ianwilkins]

10 hours ago, Setonfan said:

Wonder how long it will take our BSA culture to transition from “wow, girl cub scouts”, to “wow, cub scouts”?  

Internally, 4-5 years maybe. Externally, decades.

[NJCubScouter]

On 10/1/2018 at 2:13 PM, LVAllen said:

Clarke Green over at scoutmastercg.com recently posted a podcast in which he discussed his troop's reaction to female scouts during a trip to the International Scout Center in Switzerland. It took his troop maybe ten minutes to grasp the concept that the females they saw weren't Girl Scouts, they were just Scouts. 

I suspect those first 10 minutes were spent thinking, "Hey, girls!"  If it only takes 10 minutes for the "girls" to become "just Scouts," that bodes well for this thing being successful.

[gblotter]

The boys who are ok with BSA's girl decision will stick around.

The boys who are not ok with BSA's girl decision will leave the movement.

Either way, BSA will end up with a membership pool who is happy with this new model of co-ed Scouting.

Whether the enrollment of new girls will outpace the drain of disaffected boys is a complete unknown at this early date.

I'd let about five years elapse so the dust can settle on the LDS exit before declaring girls in BSA to be a success.

Even though I am quite ignorant about the Cub program in general, I don't doubt that girls in Cub Scouting will yield a net increase in overall membership. My comments about relate specifically to Boy Scouting.

[packsaddle]

Gblotter, I am aware that 'overall membership' is and has been a concern for 'top brass' in this organization for quite a while. But at the unit level, I am not sure why overall membership should be a great concern. It seems like at that level, the well-being of the unit and its members and families should be the top priority. Sort of an 'all Scouting is local' approach.

[malraux]

1 minute ago, packsaddle said:

Gblotter, I am aware that 'overall membership' is and has been a concern for 'top brass' in this organization for quite a while. But at the unit level, I am not sure why overall membership should be a great concern. It seems like at that level, the well-being of the unit and its members and families should be the top priority. Sort of an 'all Scouting is local' approach.

It’s not everything, but more overall numbers means more ability to afford summer camps, high adventure camps, better materials, etc.