For the first time in its 114-year history, the Boy Scouts of America will change its name to a more inclusive one: Scouting America. This was announced Tuesday by the Irving, Texas-based organization during its annual meeting in Florida.
The tradition-steeped organization has made sweeping changes after decades of upheaval, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls into its entire ranks. In addition, he is emerging from a bankruptcy scandal and an avalanche of sexual abuse allegations.
“Over the next 100 years we want any young person in America to feel very, very welcome to participate in our programs,” Roger Krone, who took over last fall as president and CEO, said in an interview before the announcement that was quoted as saying by The Associate Press.
The organization began allowing gay youth to join in 2013 and ended a blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. In 2017, he made the historic announcement that girls would be accepted as Cub Scouts beginning in 2018 and into the Boy Scouts flagship program, renamed Scouts BSA. in 2019.
Like other organizations, the scouts lost members during the pandemic, when participation was difficult. After reaching at one point more than 2 million members in 2018, the organization currently serves just over 1 million young people, including more than 176,000 girls and young women. Membership peaked in 1972 at nearly 5 million.
The Boy Scouts’ decision to accept girls into all its ranks strained ties with the Girl Scouts of the USA, which sued, saying it created confusion in the marketplace and harmed its recruiting efforts. They reached a settlement agreement after a judge rejected those claims, saying both groups are free to use words like “explorers” and “explorers.”
While camping remains an integral activity for the Boy Scouts, the organization offers something for everyone today, from great adventures to merit badges in robotics and digital technology, Krone said: “Anything kids want to do today, they can do it in a structured way.” within the exploration program.”
The Boy Scouts’ $2.4 billion bankruptcy reorganization plan went into effect last year. allowing the organization to continue operating while also compensating the more than 80,000 men who say they were sexually abused as children while they were scouts.
The organization will not officially become Scouting America until February 8, 2025, when it will turn 115 years old. But Krone said he hopes people will start using the name immediately.
“It sends this really strong message to everyone in America that you can come to this show, you can bring your authentic self, you can be who you are and you will be welcome here,” he said.
Keep reading:
– The Boys Scouts will provide monetary compensation to thousands of victims of sexual abuse.
– Boy scout leader accused of abusing a minor for several months in New York.