Re: Co-ed Scouting
Norman J. MacLeod (gaelwolf@MARLIN.SSNET.COM)
Fri, 3 Mar 1995 06:35:38 EST
Rodger -
After reading your post and several others, I am wondering why so many
people appear to think that the only way to have co-ed Scouting in all
sections is to merge the Scouts and Guides (Girl Scouts) into a single
Association? While this has happened in several countries, it has not come
to pass in many others.
Just look north of the border, for instance...
Scouts Canada became a co-ed organisation in all of its section some time
back. However, the Guide Assocation in Canada remains alive and well. There
are Scout Groups who have decided to accept girls as members, there are
Scout Groups that still accept only boys as members.
As practiced, there is a great deal more flexibility in a programme that
offers each Group the option of being a co-ed Group while retaining the
option to remain boys-only for those Groups who would prefer not to have
girls as members.
I do NOT think that merging the BSA and the GSUSA would be a good option.
Not only would that limit the wide range of opportunity that already exists,
but a ;ot of diversity would wither away.
As I understand the last round of "proposed merger" discussions between the
GSUSA and the BSA fell apart once it became apparent to the GSUSA folks that
there was a hidden agenda akin to what would be called an unfriendly
take-over bid on the BSA's part. This information came to me from a GSUSA
professional who is quite well-versed on how things went - or failed to go...
Norman
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
