Girl Scout Rant

A year ago, I became a Girl Scout leader.  I loved scouts as a kid, so it seemed logical that I would one day share the fun that I had growing up with the next generation.  They were also desperate because the previous leader was getting ready to have a new baby in October and wisely recognized her limitations with a newborn prior to the new school year starting. 


I began my scouting leadership journey by getting the books out of the file bin that had been used for the previous few years and all the Try-It badges and other paraphernalia that were stuffed in there.  With my crafty background, I made a list with the girls of a bunch of activities that we could do at the meeting location until I could get all the training I needed for field trips.  Nine hours of training later, I could finally take the girls out for a three hour field trip.  By then it was May.


We had a lot of fun, earned a bunch of badges and I was just starting to get my footing with leadership when it was announced that there were big changes coming set in motion by the CEO and other big-wigs of Girl Scouts.  They were doing away with most of the badges for Juniors, which my girls were bridging into.  While there used to be the traditional badges you could get for cooking, sewing, hiking, biking,  horsemanship, camping, games, and many, many other activities, now they're only able to earn 7 badges in two years in the very specific areas of artistry, Girl Scout ways, citizenship, cooking, first aid, athletics, and environmentalism.  They can earn two additional badges per year in cookie selling and financial management (selling cookies).  Clearly the focus is all about selling cookies and not so much about adventure and learning skills that make them a stronger, more independent girl.  Oh, also there are three "Journey" books for each age level that have 3 badges each that can be earned, but it's a very scripted book of exercises that take all the "girl led" aspects out of Girl Scouts.  It's more like Corporate Scouts.


Doing a little research, I found a web site that said that the Girl Scouts that I knew in the mid-1970s was based off the changes made in 1963.  The book included 47 badges that could be earned, including one "troop created" badge, so the girls could actually make their own badge!  Anything they wanted!  Wow!  A girl-led badge! 


The Vintage Girl Scout site reads:

Technically, they were called Proficiency  Badges.  Girl Scout Proficiency Badges have long been a mark of a Girl Scout who tested herself and passed. It was expected that a Girl Scout in uniform and wearing badges proudly on her sleeve, be able to answer any question or perform any skill that she learned in the effort to earn that badge at any time.

It included modern ideas like "Community Safety", "Active Citizen", and "World Neighbor"; arts such as "Dancer", "Musician" and "Writer"; and the outlandish idea of Traditional Women's Work, which the feminists despise, like "Sewing", "Cooking", "Needlecrafts" and "Hospitality".  All of these things make any PERSON a more rounded and remarkable individual, which is why Boy Scouts do it, too.  Their programs are virtually unchanged since its inception in 1910 or 1911--they recently celebrated their 100th anniversary--and haven't taken away almost 90% of the badges, but have added to them as they have become more prominent (computers, heritage), and phased out ones that are no longer useful in today's society.


The site goes on to say:

 Over 200 badge designs have been used since the beginning of Girl Scouting, always updating the skills to meet the needs of a Girl Scout in a changing world.

So clearly, the most important parts of the Girl Scout Legacy for Juniors is "Drawing", "Practice with Purpose" (whatever that means), "Flowers" (I have no green thumb--I don't know what to tell them about this), "Inside Government" (just what 10 year olds want to talk about is politics), "First Aid" (finally, something I know a little about!), and "Simple Meals".  Then there are the "Financial Literacy" and "Cookie Business" badges. 

I found another web site that voices concerns from other leaders--some having been in scouting for decades--that are similar to mine.  That the focus of scouting is moving away from the old fun and friendship of Girl Scouts and moving more toward salesmanship and activism; cookies and the environment.Then they come out with the newsletter from late in the last school year saying that the new guide books for Girls and Leaders will be available in Sept. 2011.  I thought that was poor planning since I would not have the summer to plan for the new year.  Now they're saying November.  But they've already discontinued the "old" badges and won't have the teaching materials until NOVEMBER?  What are we supposed to do for three months?  These are now Juniors, I have no teaching materials except the Journey book that I might teach from to help them earn whatever badges are available.


I'm so ticked off, I'm thinking about celebrating the 100th anniversary by going Retro with the GS program and finding a friend to machine embroider old badges for us.  We're also going to spend the year of "Forever Green" talking about conservation, clean water and air, and making our world a better place by "leaving no trace".

2012 marks the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts.  The theme for this year is "Forever Green" which is all about reducing energy waste (caulking cracks, adding insulation to attics, turning thermostat down), using public transit or biking to school or *work*, and buying Energy Star appliances.  Remember, this is a group of young GIRLS who don't own homes, have jobs or cars, and are likely not allowed to ride public transit alone.  Who are they selling this program to?