If you’re on one of your council’s committees, you might have seen the announcement from Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh last week summarizing the discussions held at the Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting over the Memorial Day weekend. One of the topics of discussion was about broadening the constituency of our traditional programs in Scouting. Essentially, they’re considering the topic of bringing girls in, particularly to Cub Scouts.
There are many arguments for and against, of course. Many will hold that boys need to interact with other boys with similar interests; that single-sex programs have been the traditional hallmark of our Scouting programs in the United States since their inception; and that many activities meant for boys just don’t apply to girls.
However, the realities of today’s busy families, especially non-traditional ones, mean that parents are spread thin trying to accommodate their children’s activities and interests. Continue reading “Co-ed Cub Scouting: Not yet, but how soon?”