The Boy Scouts of America has announced that it’s rebranding to Scouting America in the name of diversity and inclusion, as it emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims.
While the rebrand announcement comes on the fifth anniversary of allowing girls into its flagship boys-only program, the name change won’t go into effect until Feb. 8, 2025, the organization’s 115th anniversary.
Boy Scouts of America said in a May 7 press release that the change reflects its “ongoing commitment to welcome every youth and family in America to experience the benefits of Scouting.”
For 108 years, girls weren’t allowed into the organization’s flagship Boy Scouts program for 11- to 17-year-olds. That changed in 2019, when it renamed the program to Scouts BSA and started letting in girls. At the time, the organization decided to keep the Boy Scouts of America name—until today.
“Though our name will be new, our mission remains unchanged: we are committed to teaching young people to be Prepared. For Life,” Roger A. Krone, president and chief executive officer of Scouting America, said in a May 7 statement. “This will be a simple but very important evolution as we seek to ensure that everyone feels welcome in Scouting.”
Earlier in 2018, the organization started admitting girls into the Cub Scouts program for children aged 8–10. Before that, Boy Scouts of America opened its ranks to openly homosexual boys and in 2015 ended a blanket ban on homosexual adult leaders. In 2017, the organization began to admit transgender girls who identify as boys into its programs, with admission based on “gender identity indicated on the application” rather than information on birth certificates.
The organization faced criticism for leaning into the “woke” phenomenon when in 2022 it started to require participants to get the Citizenship in Society merit badge in order to achieve the highest Eagle Scout rank, which Boy Scouts of America said reflects its “commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
The organization, which has experienced flagging membership numbers in recent years, says its aim is to provide young people with a safe space where they can learn life skills and have fun.
“Scouting America provides a welcoming, safe environment where youth can become the best version of themselves by learning from and respecting each other,” Mr. Krone said. “I encourage everyone to join us and experience the benefits of Scouting.”
Currently, Boy Scouts of America services more than 1 million youth, about half of the 2 million peak membership it boasted in 2018.
Bankruptcy and Other Turmoil
Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy in 2020 amid a wave of sexual abuse claims.
Court testimony in 2019 showed that 7,819 scoutmasters or other volunteers had been accused of sexually abusing 12,254 children from 1944 through 2016.
Ultimately, over 80,000 men filed claims alleging sexual abuse by people affiliated with Boy Scouts of America.
In 2022, a judge rejected key parts of a reorganization plan for Boy Scouts of America and its underlying sex abuse settlement, which would have established a $2.7 billion trust to compensate victims.
In 2023, a federal judge upheld a revised $2.4 billion bankruptcy plan that allowed the organization to keep operating while it compensated the men who alleged they were sexually abused while in scouting.
Meanwhile, amid the turmoil related to the sexual abuse claims and the bankruptcy proceedings, as well as the progressive leanings of Boy Scouts of America, a number of conservative youth character development organizations have benefited.
One of these is Trail Life USA, which was launched in 2013 in response to changes in the membership standards of the Boy Scouts of America to allow openly gay leadership following years of political pressure.
Another is American Heritage Girls. The group’s founder, Patti Garibay, told The Epoch Times in an earlier interview that the organization’s establishment came in response to the progressive changes at Girl Scouts of the USA.
Ms. Garibay also helped launch Trail Life USA and said that both conservative youth organizations have risen in popularity amid an exodus from co-ed scouting organizations that accommodate “gender identity”-based admissions.
“We believe it needs to be a single-sex organization for kids to feel comfortable to grow,” Ms. Garibay said.
“We’re continuing to break records regularly almost every week,” he told The Epoch Times in September 2022. “We have hundreds of members joining daily.”
Allan Stein contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times
