Boy Scouts of America will change its name to Scouting America in an effort to be more inclusive

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News/AP

May 7, 2024, 11:54 AM EDT / Source: The Associated Press


IRVING, Texas — The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It’s a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.

The organization steeped in tradition has made seismic changes after decades of turmoil, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls throughout its ranks. With an eye on increasing flagging membership numbers, the Irving, Texas-based organization announced the name change Tuesday at its annual meeting in Florida.

“In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,” Roger Krone, who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer, said in an interview before the announcement.

The organization began allowing gay youth in 2013 and ended a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2017, it made the historic announcement that girls would be accepted as Cub Scouts as of 2018 and into the flagship Boy Scout program — renamed Scouts BSA — in 2019.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/boy-scouts-america-change-name-scouting-america-rcna151063

[hlthe2b]

1. Right wing isn't going to like that...

I think it is good for them to do, but honestly, I still hope the Girl Scouts remain as they are for those girls who prefer to be together in that vulnerable age range. For many, this is really important.

[Freethinker65]

2. No more badges for intolerance nor misogyny?

Honestly, I would have probably enjoyed it a lot more than Girl Scouts, my troop lead by parents interested in promoting their daughter's popularities. I, along with two of my friends were ostracized and then removed from our troop and placed in a troop consisting of all members a grade younger. We all quit.
Horrible experience.

[ret5hd]

3. wow! an equal opportunity molester!

[et tu]

4. idk

new name sounds even more predatory- yikes~

[NNadir]

5. I kept my sons away from this organization when they were young. (There was pressure to sign them up.)

I have avoided them like the plague, particular because I remember my own adventures in "Scouting," when I was young.

[NanaCat]

17. My ex was an Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow

After BSA went full on christ-culters, he was fit to be tied. ANd then he called me and said not no but hell no would our son join the same organization.

I was shocked at this, because his whole family had been seriously into scouting. What pushed him over the edge, besides the delusional cult stupidity, was how they yanked his mom from being a troop leader because she was an atheist. She had been a Cub den leader since her eldest of four sons was eligible to join (1966 or so). 30 years of giving them her time, and they boot her out like she's trash, for such a stupid reason? Even had the nerve to tell her she wasn't 'of the right kind of morals' to be a troop leader while other leaders were raping children? Seriously?

When she called my ex in tears to tell him what had happened, that was his last straw with something he had once lauded to the skies. Bloody f'n hell. I can't begin to describe how furious we both were at BSA for breaking her heart that way.

Our son never joined. Not for one second. We now know it was one of the best things we ever did for him.

[NNadir]

21. I was in the Order of the Arrow, and a Senior Patrol Leader.

I was "trained" at Schiff Scout Ranch for "leadership."

On reflection, the "Counselor" there was clearly a pedophile; and while nothing happened to me, I'm sure something happened to someone in his purview. I was young and really didn't want to believe it, but when I think back on it, it's as clear as day.

Enough said.

[Torchlight]

6. I had a blast in scouts.

If nothing else, it gave a suburban kid from the seventies my first chance to get out into the "wilderness" (sure, a national parkland, but wild and untamed enough to an eleven year old kid) for the first time, and learned about the basic survival stuff I probably should have known already.

Whatever else may or may not have been going on in Troop 1066 I confess absolute ignorance of, that kind of stuff was far outside my experience or imagination (thankfully), and my memories of it are camping trips, baseball games, and learning foosball along with my circle of closest friends.

I guess that, much like my time in public school or adult employment, I was just damned lucky and without even trying, avoided the less savory aspects many others were forced to deal with.

[area51]

7. Cue the poutrage on Faux. n/t

[Archae]

8. Aren't they still facing judgements from the courts on molesters?

As in they covered it up?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. There was a setlement that the SCOTUS allowed to proceed (from back in February)

US Supreme Court lets $2.46 billion Boy Scouts sex abuse settlement proceed


By Dietrich Knauth
February 22, 20243:34 PM EST Updated 2 months ago


Feb 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Boy Scouts of America's $2.46 billion settlement with sexual abuse victims to move forward, lifting a temporary pause imposed in response to an appeal by 144 former scouts who opposed the agreement. The order supersedes one issued by Justice Samuel Alito on Feb. 16 that froze the settlement to give the full court more time to consider a Feb. 9 request by abuse claimants who sought to stop the settlement from moving forward while they pursue appeals.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) filed for bankruptcy in 2020 after several U.S. states enacted laws letting accusers sue over decades-old abuse allegations. The organization ultimately reached a settlement, approved in court in 2022, that would pay abuse victims amounts ranging from $3,500 to $2.7 million.

The settlement involves more than 82,000 men who have said they were abused as children by troop leaders while in the Boy Scouts. More than 86% of abuse survivors voted to support the agreement in bankruptcy court.

The 144 abuse claimants contend the settlement unlawfully stops them from pursuing lawsuits against organizations that are not bankrupt, such as churches that ran scouting programs, local Boy Scouts councils and insurers that provided coverage to the Boy Scouts organization. Adam Slater, a lawyer representing claimants who supported the settlement, expressed gratitude that the Supreme Court did not further delay the Boy Scouts organization's efforts to pay abuse victims.

(snip)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-lets-246-billion-boy-scouts-sex-abuse-settlement-proceed-2024-02-22/

[Demovictory9]

9. Isnt this group very popular with Mormons

[PortTack]

11. Yes...it's very popular with MORONS!

Good heavens…. why don’t they just say, young white boys only!

[Zeitghost]

25. The LDS Church left Scouting

Over the inclusion of gays and girls.

I think you might be surprised at the diversity in Scouting and the steps it has taken to become more inclusive in the last 30 years.

Diversity and inclusion initiatives have mandated that all leadership training programs for youth and adults include diversity components and all Scouts must earn a new merit badge that explores diversity in their community to earn the rank of Eagle.

[KatyaR]

13. Actually, not so much anymore.

They didn't like gay leaders....

From 2018:

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/09/609697466/mormon-church-will-sever-ties-with-boy-scouts-create-own-youth-program

"The Mormon church and the Boy Scouts of America have announced that they are ending their relationship, after more than 100 years of close ties.

In a joint statement, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Boy Scouts said that as the church's membership is increasingly living outside the United States, it "felt the need to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. In so doing, it will be necessary for the Church to discontinue its role as a chartered partner."

The church said its new youth development program for both girls and boys will begin in 2020. Until then, "the intention of the Church is to remain a fully engaged partner in Scouting for boys and young men ages 8-13 and encourages all youth, families, and leaders to continue their active participation and financial support.

The move is important because Mormons make up a major part of the Boy Scouts membership. The church has been the single biggest sponsor of Boy Scout troops in the U.S. The Associated Press reports that "Mormon boys who will be leaving represent about 18.5 percent of the 2.3 million youth in the organization."""

[NanaCat]

18. They outright banned atheists from being troop leaders

Or their kids from joining up. 'Not moral enough.' That was what they declared my ex-MIL who had been a troop leader for 30 years or so (see above).

They were that kind of bigoted filth.

[Demovictory9]

22. Ah..the reason the boy scouts lost membership

[Zeitghost]

24. No

They left after gays and girls were allowed to join.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Sounds like a reconnaissance mission to me

Little spies, everywhere.

[willamette]

14. I think they still prohibit atheists.

[NanaCat]

19. They did that, a long time ago

See my posts above.

[willamette]

23. They acquiesced to women leaders, and then cut them off at the knees.

As I recall, women were allowed to be cub scout pack leaders, but not boy scout den leaders. Then they changed the rules a few decades ago, to allow women to be den leaders, but Not Webelo leaders. Webelo's was the transition year between the packs and the dens. So, women could bring the little boys along, but couldn't continue or train with the transition year, so they couldn't get the contiguous training, or guide their own children away from the indoctrinating patriarchic themes introduced at that critical time in the boys' lives. It was a real let-down. Just as we were getting into woodcraft and camping, the edict was, "Not so fast, you."

[CRK7376]

15. I understand the name change but I sure don't like it!

I'm an Eagle Scout Class of '73, my little brother is Eagle Class of '77, both of my sons are Eagles and my daughter most likely would have been had BSA allowed girls in the Scouting program. I have been a Scoutmaster in Germany, Korea, and Army Posts across the Nation. Boy Scouting made me who I am with lots of support, encouragement and participation from my parents and the adult leaders in the Troop I grew up in. My youngest son and I were coming back from Philmont Scout Ranch 10-15 years ago when news started to break that BSA had problems with adult leadership and sexual assaults and harassment of young men and young women in the Scouting program. It breaks my heart to see and hear about this. Scouting is an awesome program. The actions of a few will not destroy the good that BSA has created for young men and young women of America..

[NanaCat]

20. So you were okay with them being bigoted filth

To atheists. Banning my ex-MIL from being a troop leader because she wouldn't bow down to the torture-and-death cult, despite her 30 years of being a Cub Scout den leader with a flawless record. Told her she wasn't moral enough. While that same organization was turning a blind eye to child rape from leaders they considered 'more moral.'

That's what you support.

Are you proud of that, too?

[Scrivener7]

26. So you dodged the bullets. Many boys didn't.

And that made THEM what they are today. And they shouldn't have had to live with that.

[Polybius]

16. Wow

People are going to have a field day with this, and it won't be just the right-wing.

[Scrivener7]

27. So what does this do to the Girl Scouts?