There’s enthusiasm for the launch of Scouts BSA everywhere you look.
You see it on social media, where young people are saying, #ScoutMeIn. You see it on the news as reporters highlight the BSA’s commitment to the whole family. And you see it in all 50 states, with new Scouts BSA troops for girls forming from coast to coast.
There’s enthusiasm for the launch of Scouts BSA everywhere you look.
You see it on social media, where young people are saying, #ScoutMeIn. You see it on the news as reporters highlight the BSA’s commitment to the whole family. And you see it in all 50 states, with new Scouts BSA troops for girls forming from coast to coast.
As with anything new, there’s bound to be some questions. The BSA has covered almost all of them on the Family Scouting page (look for the link marked “FAQ”).
But today I thought I’d extract the top 10 questions I’ve seen from parents and volunteers. Here we go.
While it’s true that all BSA programs now welcome both boys/young men and girls/young women, it’s not accurate to call every program co-ed.
Let’s review the structure of each program:
Simply put, because girls and their parents asked.
We heard anecdotes of girls wanting to go camping, earn merit badges and become Eagle Scouts like their brothers, dads or grandfathers.
Those stories were then confirmed by national surveys. The BSA asked girls ages 11 to 17 whether they’re interested in joining BSA programs. Some 90 percent said yes.
The BSA then asked parents whether they’re interested in a program like Boy Scouts for their daughter. Yes, 87 percent said.
Convenience likely plays a big factor in that response from parents. Families are pulled in a million directions these days, so the BSA designed its programs to better fit into busy lives.
Linked troops are two troops — one for boys and one for girls — that share a chartered organization and may share some or all of the troop committee.
The approach preserves the single-gender troop model while making things more convenient for families.
Linked troops could meet in the same location on the same night. The troop for boys might meet in one room, while the troop for girls meets in another.
Linked troops can share troop numbers, too. Councils have the ability to differentiate an all-boy troop from an all-girl troop in their records.
The organization is still called the Boy Scouts of America.
The BSA is composed of several programs, including Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA (formerly known as Boy Scouts), Venturing, Sea Scouts, Exploring and STEM Scouts.
We’ll call them Scouts, just like today. The term “Scouts BSA members” works fine, too.
Some examples:
Yes, the requirements in all programs are the same for boys and girls.
The BSA, after consulting with Scout volunteers and education experts, confirmed that its existing programs are relevant for young men and young women.
Think about the 12 core elements of Scouting enshrined in the Scout Law. Those are things young men and young women should aspire to be: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
As a result, every requirement in Scouting — from Lion to Arrow of Light, Scout to Eagle Scout, the Venturing Award to the Summit Award — is the same for everyone.
Different program names might lead someone to believe there are different requirements for each program.
Because all single-gender troops will run the same Scouting program, earn the same merit badges and achieve the same ranks, one program name made the most sense.
The volunteer-led board of directors wanted to ensure Scouts can see themselves represented accurately in the pages, and having two handbooks was the most effective way to do that.
The photos reflect the troop of which the Scout is a member. In other words, boys will see images of other boys in the Scouts BSA Handbook for Boys; girls will see images of other girls in the Scouts BSA Handbook for Girls.
When comparing the two, you’ll see the content, requirements and page numbers are exactly the same. All that’s different is the photos.
When you go to your favorite department store to buy a T-shirt or jeans, you find separate fits, styles and sizes for men/boys and women/girls.
The Scouts BSA uniform is no different.
While the fit and styling may be different, the uniforms will remain fundamentally the same.
The Scouts BSA shirt is tan and features a BSA fleur-de-lis emblem and the letters “BSA” in red over the right pocket. It’s available in sizes for girls and women now and will be available for boys and men once the existing inventory of tan shirts, with “BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA” in red over the right pocket, is sold out.
Both are approved for wear in perpetuity.
Effective, Oct. 1, 2018, two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings. This is a change from the previous policy where one leader could be 21 years of age or older with a second leader who could be 18 years of age or older.
For Scouts BSA troops for girls, these are the leadership rules:
For Scouts BSA troops for boys, these are the leadership rules: