A "traditional institution" that had over 2,000 reported cases of sexual abuse prior to 1994, including paying out $18.5 million dollars to one scout who had endured horrific abuse at the hands of a scout leader? That traditional institution?

 

Boy Scout enrollment has been dropping consistently for many, many years, and sadly, the BSA has become more of a punchline than anything else these days.

 

Adding girls to the mix won't change the likelihood of abuse occurring.

 

It seems to me this is

 

a) an attempt by the BSA to get more members since they have been in decline.

 

and possibly...

 

b) a further step to eliminate perceived advantages for males or perceived slights to females.

Obviously girls are no longer interested in earning badges by sewing, selling cookies, cooking, selling cookies, gardening or sockhops but mostly for selling cookies. A better idea would be to change the format of the Girl Scouts to include interests that are more in line with today's culture.

 

I hate to be a pain in the butt, but you are the one who linked to the GSA site earlier. But you apparently didn't read about the full program. GSA today is nothing like the GSA of old. There are hundreds of badges to earn.

*sigh* Yes, you're reading that wrong.

 

So then why even bring it up?

The Boy Scouts built a great program as did the Girl Scouts. If there were problems or discontent within the Girl Scouts, then change the Girl Scouts. Don't take over the boys program.

 

As a woman, I find this embarrassing for my gender.

 

There is something to be said for same gender clubs that build strength, self esteem, self worth, and friendships.

 

Anytime boys and girls are mixed together, it changes the focus entirely.

 

This! All day long, this!!!

I hate to be a pain in the butt, but you are the one who linked to the GSA site earlier. But you apparently didn't read about the full program. GSA today is nothing like the GSA of old. There are hundreds of badges to earn.

 

True but most people only think of cookies when they think Girl Scouts. That’s an image problem.

 

When is searched for Girl Scout badges on the web, most of the links took me to pages that only showed cookie badges and pins. I had to search further for others.

So then why even bring it up?

Okay, let's look at my original post so that I may try and clarify my points for you:

 

A "traditional institution" that had over 2,000 reported cases of sexual abuse prior to 1994, including paying out $18.5 million dollars to one scout who had endured horrific abuse at the hands of a scout leader? That traditional institution?

 

The gentlemen that I quoted referred to BSA as a traditional institution, this above comment is made to refute that really, the BSA has failed to live up to that lofty standard and has become more and more irrelevant over the years. Like many other entities, namely the Rotary Club (by the way, closed to female membership until the 1980's), the Lions Club, and the Kiwanis Club, they are slowing fading away, losing influence and enrollment quickly, and in the case of the BSA, they sped up their insignificance with all of the sexual abuse cases (again, 2,000+) that were uncovered.

Boy Scout enrollment has been dropping consistently for many, many years, and sadly, the BSA has become more of a punchline than anything else these days.

 

The Boy Scouts need to stay relevant, parents who lived through the 80's and 90's and all of those stories aren't rushing to put their boys in the scouts, and children, and I have a son of the scouting age, would much rather be playing sports three seasons a year than learning to tie knots and going to Jamborees. With both parents working, and youth sports booming, and with the BSA slowing fading (faded) into the background, they (BSA) either need to adapt or they will die. Given what they have become, both perceptually, as well as their literal size, if they don't adapt to stay relevant, and maybe that means adding females like countless other single-gender clubs before them, they will go the way of the rotary phone and the VCR.

True but most people only think of cookies when they think Girl Scouts. That’s an image problem.

 

When is searched for Girl Scout badges on the web, most of the links took me to pages that only showed cookie badges and pins. I had to search further for others.

 

I brought that up too, got ignored.

Okay, let's look at my original post so that I may try and clarify my points for you:

 

A "traditional institution" that had over 2,000 reported cases of sexual abuse prior to 1994, including paying out $18.5 million dollars to one scout who had endured horrific abuse at the hands of a scout leader? That traditional institution?

 

The gentlemen that I quoted referred to BSA as a traditional institution, this above comment is made to refute that really, the BSA has failed to live up to that lofty standard and has become more and more irrelevant over the years. Like many other entities, namely the Rotary Club (by the way, closed to female membership until the 1980's), the Lions Club, and the Kiwanis Club, they are slowing fading away, losing influence and enrollment quickly, and in the case of the BSA, they sped up their insignificance with all of the sexual abuse cases (again, 2,000+) that were uncovered.

Boy Scout enrollment has been dropping consistently for many, many years, and sadly, the BSA has become more of a punchline than anything else these days.

 

The Boy Scouts need to stay relevant, parents who lived through the 80's and 90's and all of those stories aren't rushing to put their boys in the scouts, and children, and I have a son of the scouting age, would much rather be playing sports three seasons a year than learning to tie knots and going to Jamborees. With both parents working, and youth sports booming, and with the BSA slowing fading (faded) into the background, they (BSA) either need to adapt or they will die. Given what they have become, both perceptually, as well as their literal size, if they don't adapt to stay relevant, and maybe that means adding females like countless other single-gender clubs before them, they will go the way of the rotary phone and the VCR.

 

I still dont see what it had to do with the topic at hand. After all one could argue the Catholic Church as a traditional institution and they have had the same issues.

I brought that up too, got ignored.

 

That's because you are usually a Negative Nelly so people probably breeze right past anything of substance you might actually contribute. Just sayin'

I still dont see what it had to do with the topic at hand. After all one could argue the Catholic Church as a traditional institution and they have had the same issues.

How can you have a conversation about the present and future of BSA while ignoring one of the key factors that has contributed to its steep decline over the last 20 years?

 

I'm a Catholic and I think your latter point is completely analogous. The Catholic Church is going to need a Vatican IV and is going to have to adapt or it is going to face MAJOR challenges in the years to come. Catholic churches are losing attendees in droves (on average, Catholic parishes average 38% of their parishoners attending mass weekly [number drops considerably in the summer]), and as the Baby Boomers age and pass on, the Catholic Church is going to face real issues with staying relevant. Many Catholic schools are facing major enrollment issues already, here and around the country. I certainly believe, and you can find reams of articles on the topic if you're interested, that the scandals around sexual abuse pushed many Catholics into the Crossroads' and Vineyard's of the world. Without question.

How can you have a conversation about the present and future of BSA while ignoring one of the key factors that has contributed to its steep decline over the last 20 years?

 

I'm a Catholic and I think your latter point is completely analogous. The Catholic Church is going to need a Vatican IV and is going to have to adapt or it is going to face MAJOR challenges in the years to come. Catholic churches are losing attendees in droves (on average, Catholic parishes average 38% of their parishoners attending mass weekly [number drops considerably in the summer]), and as the Baby Boomers age and pass on, the Catholic Church is going to face real issues with staying relevant. Many Catholic schools are facing major enrollment issues already, here and around the country. I certainly believe, and you can find reams of articles on the topic if you're interested, that the scandals around sexual abuse pushed many Catholics into the Crossroads' and Vineyard's of the world. Without question.

 

So you are saying everything that has a past, should be its hindrance to the future?

So you are saying everything that has a past, should be its hindrance to the future?

Yep, PMKY, you perfectly summarized my thoughts in this thread into one sentence. Brilliant!!

 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go bang my head into a door frame for about an hour straight.

How can you have a conversation about the present and future of BSA while ignoring one of the key factors that has contributed to its steep decline over the last 20 years?

 

I'm a Catholic and I think your latter point is completely analogous. The Catholic Church is going to need a Vatican IV and is going to have to adapt or it is going to face MAJOR challenges in the years to come. Catholic churches are losing attendees in droves (on average, Catholic parishes average 38% of their parishoners attending mass weekly [number drops considerably in the summer]), and as the Baby Boomers age and pass on, the Catholic Church is going to face real issues with staying relevant. Many Catholic schools are facing major enrollment issues already, here and around the country. I certainly believe, and you can find reams of articles on the topic if you're interested, that the scandals around sexual abuse pushed many Catholics into the Crossroads' and Vineyard's of the world. Without question.

 

While I don't disagree that sexual abuse scandals are part of the reason (likely a large part) for the decline in attendance at mass, I think another reason (possibly equally as large) is the fact that this younger generation wants everything tailored to their liking. They want to be entertained, even in church.