COLFAX, N. C. — Amanda Wyckoff says it came as a shock Wednesday when the Boy Scouts of America announced it was letting girls join. “It took us back a little just because we weren’t brought to the table for that option,”…
COLFAX, N. C. — Amanda Wyckoff says it came as a shock Wednesday when the Boy Scouts of America announced it was letting girls join.
“It took us back a little just because we weren’t brought to the table for that option,” said Wyckoff, outside recruitment manager for Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont in Guilford County.
It’s an organization she says that still plans to be around and serve girls despite the Boy Scouts opening its doors to both genders.
“We will continue to have our camping trips that serve girls,” Wyckoff said. “We’re going to continue to have our programming which serves girls.”
“I don’t see from the standpoint of Girl Scouts how it’s going to challenge anything that we’ve been doing,” she said.
A statement on the Boy Scouts website says girls can join Cub Scouts starting next year.
The group will also come up with a program for older girls, allowing them to earn the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
“That’s not going to deter us from what our main mission has been from the beginning,” Wyckoff said.
Wycoff says, if anything, she thinks the changes will help bring more girls to their troops.
“By no means are we saying that Boy Scouts doesn’t have something great to offer,” she said. “But, we know and have the research that shows that girl-led programming is what they really need to flourish in our society.”
Some parents say they have a lot of questions on why the change is needed.
“I understand the equality and girls can do anything a boy can do but just confused as to what the purpose is behind it,” Cathie Roberts said.
“There’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts,” Kevin Stewart said. “It’s called Girl Scouts for a reason and it’s called Boy Scouts for a reason. What are they gonna change it to just Scouts now?” he said.
Filed in: News
Topics: Boy Scouts, girl scouts
