Scouting America

[nolesrule]

7 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

Also, I do expect BSA may look to update their charter. The boy club officially updated their charter to the boys and girls club when they added girls.

Sure. Seems likely. But that'll take more effort than registering a DBA and filing a federal trademark application (I've done both before, it's easier than people think) and isn't even required to put the name change into effect.

 

 

Edited May 8 by nolesrule

[BinTharDunThat]

3 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

Also, I do expect BSA may look to update their charter. The boy club officially updated their charter to the boys and girls club when they added girls.

This may be more difficult now.  You're looking for amendment of a statute in a divided congress where this change could well be a campaign speech item for those on the right. 
The corporate name and charter for the BSA are found at Title 36, US Code, Section 30901(a)  "Boy Scouts of America (in this chapter, the "corporation") is a body corporate and politic of the District of Columbia."
 

[DannyG]

1 hour ago, RememberSchiff said:

Here are some scouting organizations in the US that unlike the BSA serve all youth, even atheists.

Navigators USA - "The Navigators USA alternative scouting program was created to include everyone, and to help each person develop their fullest potential without discrimination. We aim to establish a world without prejudice or ignorance, and to treat every person with respect, no matter their race, creed, lifestyle, or ability. Navigators USA Is A Welcoming & Secular Scouting Program"

https://www.navigatorsusa.org

Outdoor Service Guides (OSG) - Formerly Baden-Powell Service Organization. they changed their name too in 2021.  "OSG believes that all people and all families should have an equal place in the scouting movement. We welcome scouts and their families as they come to us, and we will do our best to make scouting and its activities accessible to every child or adult who wishes to join.  We welcome everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion (or no religion), or other differentiating factors.  We believe that scouting is for everybody. We welcome those who have scouted a long time and those who have never tried scouting before joining us."

https://outdoorserviceguides.org/

Spiral Scouts

https://www.spiralscouts.org/about_us

Another $0.01,

I never heard of them.

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

40 minutes ago, DannyG said:

2 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

Here are some scouting organizations in the US that unlike the BSA serve all youth, even atheists.

Navigators USA - "The Navigators USA alternative scouting program was created to include everyone, and to help each person develop their fullest potential without discrimination. We aim to establish a world without prejudice or ignorance, and to treat every person with respect, no matter their race, creed, lifestyle, or ability. Navigators USA Is A Welcoming & Secular Scouting Program"

https://www.navigatorsusa.org

Outdoor Service Guides (OSG) - Formerly Baden-Powell Service Organization. they changed their name too in 2021.  "OSG believes that all people and all families should have an equal place in the scouting movement. We welcome scouts and their families as they come to us, and we will do our best to make scouting and its activities accessible to every child or adult who wishes to join.  We welcome everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion (or no religion), or other differentiating factors.  We believe that scouting is for everybody. We welcome those who have scouted a long time and those who have never tried scouting before joining us."

https://outdoorserviceguides.org/

Spiral Scouts

https://www.spiralscouts.org/about_us

Another $0.01,

Expand  

I never heard of them.

I have, because I was trying to find just a regular scouting experience for my child with no semi-official Christian affiliation, no gender segregation, and applying the Scout Law and Oath to everyone all the time (no discrimination). They don't have the lineage, but I was willing to just fill my child in on BP and scouting myself, as a stopgap until US scouting got things sorted out.

I tried contacting several listed chapters close to us but never got a response. I don't think they are as much of an option as it seems.

[Roadkill Patrol]

My thoughts are how are they going to spend money they don't have to rebrand everything.  I expect dues to go up even higher next year.  Will the ring that goes around the World Scouting Crest, which currently says "Boy Scouts of America Since 1910", now say "Boy Scouts of America, from 1910 to 2025"?  Also, besides the obvious change to the Eagle rank patch, what about the Eagle medal that shows BSA across the Eagle?  What will Scouts BSA members now be called?  I hope and pray they don't use the SA abbreviation at all, as this has major ties to old Nazi party, who were often called brownshirts.

[HashTagScouts]

28 minutes ago, Roadkill Patrol said:

What will Scouts BSA members now be called? 

Scouts Canada and Scouts UK, they are just called Scouts. Scouts BSA felt redundant to me anyway.

I'm not concerned with a name change, nor any administrative hoopla fixes as to whether a girl unit is a troop or if it is just a patrol (or even if mixed patrols are allowed). I am concerned with long-term viability of program, and none of these changes to me are going to solve this. I'd love to share the optimism others are expressing here, but to be quite blunt, we heard all of that when girls were allowed to all programs, and what are the results? My council follows what national has directed, and that is to focus messaging on "positives", so the girl membership numbers are shared in comms but radio silence on the overall numbers. Yes, female youth numbers have had small increase each year for our council, but the male numbers have continued to drop. It's time for the organization, by whatever name they want to be known as, to stop reporting membership numbers on gender- the ship has sailed on this- and get back to talking turkey on the overall membership number. We aren't talking about breaking out the adult volunteer numbers between male and female, stop doing it with the youth already. 

[SSScout]

What's in a name?  That which we call a Scout after the camp by any other name would smell as sweet....

[DannyG]

8 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

And then you join and realize 90% of BSA activities are meetings and merit badge clinics where you have to write reports while adult leaders argue if googling information for your report was sufficient or if you should have used an Encyclopedia written in 1982.

You must be doing it wrong. 75% of scouting is outing.

[Eagle1993]

12 minutes ago, DannyG said:

You must be doing it wrong. 75% of scouting is outing.

18 Eagle required MBs can be done fully/nearly fully indoor while 4 (cooking, camping, hiking and cycling) have substantial outdoor requirements.  BSA lost me on "scouting is outdoors" when they added Citizenship in Society merit badge. Most of my Eagle Scouts have said Wilderness Survival should be Eagle Required but yet BSA went with another discuss/research/report type badge.

In addition, my Troop was the only one to camp outdoors during our recent district's Klondike.  In the past the Patrols camping outdoors would be awarded more points...not this year.  In fact, the Patrols who did cabin camping were able to work on sled decorations (earning trail points) and eat in the dining hall while my patrols cooked their own their own meals outside.  They were happy to campout but clearly the pressure and awards are emphasizing indoor cabin camping.

Heck, look at summer camps and the near complete loss of patrol cooking options.  We struggle to find camps that support outdoor patrol cooking.

BSA may say outdoors but their program, district and councils are all pushing more activities indoors (and in some cases away from the patrol method).  Their advertising looks great but not aligned with 90% of what BSA has become.

[DannyG]

3 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

18 Eagle required MBs can be done fully/nearly fully indoor while 4 (cooking, camping, hiking and cycling) have substantial outdoor requirements.  BSA lost me on "scouting is outdoors" when they added Citizenship in Society merit badge. Most of my Eagle Scouts have said Wilderness Survival should be Eagle Required but yet BSA went with another discuss/research/report type badge.

In addition, my Troop was the only one to camp outdoors during our recent district's Klondike.  In the past the Patrols camping outdoors would be awarded more points...not this year.  In fact, the Patrols who did cabin camping were able to work on sled decorations (earning trail points) and eat in the dining hall while my patrols cooked their own their own meals outside.  They were happy to campout but clearly the pressure and awards are emphasizing indoor cabin camping.

Heck, look at summer camps and the near complete loss of patrol cooking options.  We struggle to find camps that support outdoor patrol cooking.

BSA may say outdoors but their program, district and councils are all pushing more activities indoors (and in some cases away from the patrol method).  Their advertising looks great but not aligned with 90% of what BSA has become.

All I can say is keep up the good work. What do you and your scouts want to get out of the program? Awards?  Ranks? Badges? Or is it about learning life skills? Encourage them to pursue Wilderness Survival in addition to Eagle requirements (7 MBs are elective). If your scouts don't like your district Klondike stop going. Find another one. Keep building skills, ranks and awards will come. 

[Eagledad]

Scouting is local. While scouting is marketed as outdoor, there is room for local leaders to push the gray area that fits more to their level of comfort.

A lot of adults are living their scouting dream through their youths’ program and don’t even realize it.

Even Woodbadge can suffer from different interpretations of the syllabus. 
 

Barry

[Armymutt]

Well, I just resigned my commissioner position.  Could no longer justify spending the time I'm in that area to myself.  I can't get motivated to do the things I need to do for Cub Scout Day Camp at this point.  Tossing a 114 year old name on the trash heap has really destroyed my dedication.  

[Eagle94-A1]

18 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

Scouting is local. While scouting is marketed as outdoor, there is room for local leaders to push the gray area that fits more to their level of comfort.

A lot of adults are living their scouting dream through their youths’ program and don’t even realize it.

Even Woodbadge can suffer from different interpretations of the syllabus. 
 

Barry

I would say my troop is pretty outdoorsy. We camp 10/12 months, with a lock in IF possible in December and 2 weekends of Scouting For Food in February, being the 2 months we do not camp. Even during COVID, we continued to meet, virtually and outside, had monthly day trips in the outdoors, and even did our own summer camp. Yes we car camp, but we also backpack, cycle, and do canoeing and whitewater activities. And the Scouts pick Summer Camps with the program they want, with the only caveat being it has to be within an 8 hour drive.

The last 2 batches of Webelos that visited, the activities scared the parents.

[InquisitiveScouter]

4 hours ago, Armymutt said:

Well, I just resigned my commissioner position.  Could no longer justify spending the time I'm in that area to myself.  I can't get motivated to do the things I need to do for Cub Scout Day Camp at this point.  Tossing a 114 year old name on the trash heap has really destroyed my dedication.  

Just had a conversation with someone connected... his explanation was to this effect:  The corporation named the "Boy Scouts of America" will Do Business As "Scouting America", and there is ongoing discussion as to what the various program names will be.

Cub Scouts, Scouting America

Scouts, Scouting America

Venturing, Scouting America

etc.

[InquisitiveScouter]

Also unveiled was new Distinguished Conservation Service Award.  Procurement order for National Supply is already in.

Guess no one told that committee about the brand change...

Or will they play this rebranding like Scouting/USA? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting/USA

 

Edited May 9 by InquisitiveScouter