Girl Scouts

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FWIW:

I was a Girl Scout as a child, I am a Girl Scout leader now and I have a daughter who is a Girl Scout.

In all those years, Planned Parenthood or anything remotely connected with such a topic has never, ever come up in any context.

In training, Girl Scout volunteers are given guidelines to follow in working with children. Chief among them (after safety issues) is that parents would need to sign off before any sort of discussion could happen regarding ANY sensitive issue.

The badgework that GSUSA offers is truly about developing courage, character and confidence. It is perfectly possible to be a good Catholic and a Girl Scout. They do aspire to the same goals:

“To serve God, my country and to help people at all times.”

That said, every troop does have it’s own charism. Get to know the leaders. What the troop does/doesn’t do is largely determined by what the Girl Scouts’ families espouse. And as it is in every other parenting situation, if you want to know more/control more…get involved.
🙂
 
FWIW:

I was a Girl Scout as a child, I am a Girl Scout leader now and I have a daughter who is a Girl Scout.

In all those years, Planned Parenthood or anything remotely connected with such a topic has never, ever come up in any context.

In training, Girl Scout volunteers are given guidelines to follow in working with children. Chief among them (after safety issues) is that parents would need to sign off before any sort of discussion could happen regarding ANY sensitive issue.

The badgework that GSUSA offers is truly about developing courage, character and confidence. It is perfectly possible to be a good Catholic and a Girl Scout. They do aspire to the same goals:

“To serve God, my country and to help people at all times.”

That said, every troop does have it’s own charism. Get to know the leaders. What the troop does/doesn’t do is largely determined by what the Girl Scouts’ families espouse. And as it is in every other parenting situation, if you want to know more/control more…get involved.
🙂
My daughter too was a Girl Scout from Kindergarten to ninth grade. I was a leader. I didn’t see anything amiss in our troop. But, the woman at the following link has spoken to me several times. At first, I didn’t take anything she said to heart. She kept talking. She finally got my attention enough to listen and then start researching for myself. Bottom line, I think it would be wise for parents to consider American Heritage Girls as an option for their daughters, or at the very least to be very vigilant if they choose Girl Scouts instead, though I personally would go with American Heritage Girls if I had it to do again.

100questionsforthegirlscouts.org/fwi/documents/GSJane_Petry_letter_000.pdf
 
My daughter too was a Girl Scout from Kindergarten to ninth grade and received the Silver Award before she quit. I was a leader. I didn’t see anything amiss in our troop. But, the woman at the following link has spoken to me several times. At first, I didn’t take anything she said to heart. She kept talking. She finally got my attention enough to listen and then start researching for myself.

Bottom line, I think it would be wise for parents to consider American Heritage Girls as an option for their daughters, or at the very least to be very vigilant if they choose Girl Scouts instead, though I personally would go with American Heritage Girls if I had it to do again. Girl Scouts has changed. Radical feminism has no place in it, or shouldn’t have a place in it.

100questionsforthegirlscouts.org/fwi/documents/GSJane_Petry_letter_000.pdf
 
My daughter too was a Girl Scout from Kindergarten to ninth grade and received the Silver Award before she quit. I was a leader. I didn’t see anything amiss in our troop. But, the woman at the following link has spoken to me several times. At first, I didn’t take anything she said to heart. She kept talking. She finally got my attention enough to listen and then start researching for myself.

Bottom line, I think it would be wise for parents to consider American Heritage Girls as an option for their daughters, or at the very least to be very vigilant if they choose Girl Scouts instead, though I personally would go with American Heritage Girls if I had it to do again. Girl Scouts has changed. Radical feminism has no place in it, or shouldn’t have a place in it.

100questionsforthegirlscouts.org/fwi/documents/GSJane_Petry_letter_000.pdf
 
Pure smear campaign using guilt by association.

“The Girl Scouts have used a book that praises a particular person for acting good for girls, and that person once praised a website, and that website once raised money for Planned Parenthood …”

It’s worse than UFO nuts. On top of that, it’s clearly biased.

Here’s a question similar to one that we keep asking Protestants making weird claims about the Catholic Church:

If the Girl Scouts are out there, right now, encouraging girls to join Planned Parenthood, become lesbians, and get abortions . . . .

Why isn’t there any proof?
If they do support Planned Parenthood, you’d think they’d say so proudly. But they’re denying it – suggesting that they do not, in fact support Planned Parenthood.

If you have a beef with a particular Girl Scout badge or resource or whatever, fine; checking this stuff is your job as a parent.

But reposting the hack jobs of internet whackos is just downright weird.
 
Pure smear campaign using guilt by association.
…
If they do support Planned Parenthood, you’d think they’d say so proudly. But they’re denying it – suggesting that they do not, in fact support Planned Parenthood.
…
They did say so. Is this CEO of the GS on a smear campaign when she says the Girl Scouts partner with Planned Parenthood in this interview?

Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood
youtube.com/watch?v=ppX6oXCmHF4&feature=related
 
They did say so. Is this CEO of the GS on a smear campaign when she says the Girl Scouts partner with Planned Parenthood in this interview?

Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood
youtube.com/watch?v=ppX6oXCmHF4&feature=related
I have to correct myself, in that “partner” is not the correct word. I did not watch the video again when I posted it, but I just did and I need to clarify that CEO Kathy Cloninger said that the GSs have a “relationship” with Planned Parenthood.
 
Last night I was listening to Catholic radio. Patrick Coffin was on. A caller asked about the Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood. Patrick Coffin directed listeners to a website, Life Decision International. I did a search on that site and found this Press release dated 2-2-12, relevant item bolded and underlined:

"Press Room

Komen To Stop Funding Planned Parenthood, But . . .
2.2.2012

FRONT ROYAL, VA – “We could not be happier,” said Douglas R. Scott, Jr., president of Life Decisions International (LDI), a Planned Parenthood watchdog group. Scott was speaking about the recently announced decision by The Susan G. Komen Foundation to end support of the world’s most vociferous pro-abortion goliath.

LDI has tracked corporate support of Planned Parenthood for 20 years. One element of its chief project is a boycott against corporate supporters of the abortion-committing enterprise. The Boycott List, which is published twice per year, identifies those entities that have refused to stop supporting Planned Parenthood despite their having received several requests that they do so, along with educational material about Planned Parenthood and the validity of economic boycotts. To date, at least 282 corporations have agreed to make Planned Parenthood ineligible for future support.

One section of The Boycott List, called “Dishonorable Mention,” identifies nonprofit organizations that have ties to Planned Parenthood and/or its agenda. Komen appears in the section, along with groups such as AARP, American Cancer Society, Amnesty International, Boys & Girls Clubs, Camp Fire, Dr. Phil Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, Easter Seals, Girl Scouts, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Education Association, Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rotary Clubs, Salvation Army, Save the Children, YMCA, and YWCA."…

Blue excerpted from: fightpp.org/show.cfm?page=press&action=display&ID=161
 
Last night I was listening to Catholic radio. Patrick Coffin was on. A caller asked about the Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood. Patrick Coffin directed listeners to a website, Life Decision International. I did a search on that site and found this Press release dated 2-2-12, relevant item bolded and underlined:

"Press Room

Komen To Stop Funding Planned Parenthood, But . . .
2.2.2012

FRONT ROYAL, VA – “We could not be happier,” said Douglas R. Scott, Jr., president of Life Decisions International (LDI), a Planned Parenthood watchdog group. Scott was speaking about the recently announced decision by The Susan G. Komen Foundation to end support of the world’s most vociferous pro-abortion goliath.

LDI has tracked corporate support of Planned Parenthood for 20 years. One element of its chief project is a boycott against corporate supporters of the abortion-committing enterprise. The Boycott List, which is published twice per year, identifies those entities that have refused to stop supporting Planned Parenthood despite their having received several requests that they do so, along with educational material about Planned Parenthood and the validity of economic boycotts. To date, at least 282 corporations have agreed to make Planned Parenthood ineligible for future support.

One section of The Boycott List, called “Dishonorable Mention,” identifies nonprofit organizations that have ties to Planned Parenthood and/or its agenda. Komen appears in the section, along with groups such as AARP, American Cancer Society, Amnesty International, Boys & Girls Clubs, Camp Fire, Dr. Phil Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, Easter Seals, Girl Scouts, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Education Association, Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rotary Clubs, Salvation Army, Save the Children, YMCA, and YWCA."…

Blue excerpted from: fightpp.org/show.cfm?page=press&action=display&ID=161
Wow, 😦 so sad to see the list.
 
Just saw this article today posted by a friend on Facebook. Thought that it would further the conversation here about this subject.

catholicnewsagency.com/cw/post.php?id=621#.TzGO0uI-YWM.facebook
I found many parts of that article to be at best, stretching the truth. I have no desire to go over the whole thing, but here is a selected quote:
But the GSUSA refuses to allow pro-life advocacy to count towards badge work or program requirements, even within faith-based religious recognition programs. It’s “not an option,” they say. Yet their leadership program objectives consider advocacy for “reproductive health” in school or neighborhood as a sign that a Scout has mastered the desired advocacy skills.
On the first statement that pro-life advocacy can’t count towards badge work, the like they provided says no such thing. Here is the relevant quote:
To develop a national religious recognitions program focused on ‘pro-life’ issues. Status: GSUSA confirms that this is not an option for the organization, but NFCYM can develop a patch program similar to our Religious Recognitions Programs and address this concern via troops and other pathways.
So really all it is saying is that GSUSA isn’t going to make a pro-life badge. I don’t see the big deal here, it isn’t like there is a pro-choice badge either. 🤷

As for the advocacy for reproductive health comment, first a bit of explanation. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience revolves around Discover(ing themselves), Connect(ing with others), and Take Action (to make the world a better place). These are then broken down into more specific objectives. The badges and Journeys then revolve around these goals. What they are referencing is is a Take Action outcome saying “Girls advocate for themselves and others, locally and globally.” It says that seniors (9th-10th grades) “use advocacy skills and knowledge to be more active on behalf of a cause, issue, or person, locally or globally.” The example that they give is “give examples of advocating for an issue in their school or neighborhood (e.g., more healthful cafeteria food, increased awareness of eating disorders, reproductive health, effects of poverty).” So there is really nothing in there about pro-choice advocacy. “Reproductive health” is a rather nebulous term and could refer to something as begin as advocating for annual breast cancer checks. And even if they are intending to refer to something like birth control, it isn’t as if it is a requirement, it is simply a choice among many others.

As for my views on Girl Scouts in general, I grew up in GS, have friends and family who are still involved in GS, and actually worked for them for a short while, so I have lots of personal knowledge to go by. I do agree that GS as a whole tend to lean toward the liberal side and more so in the past 10 years or so. But, I have found this is HIGHLY influenced by the local area and individual troop leaders. In areas where the general population is more liberal, the GS seem to be also, in more conservative areas of the country GS seems to also be more conservative. The same goes for local leaders, if the troop leader is extremely liberal, one is much more likely to run into something “off”, while if the leader is a local Catholic school parent, there will probably never be a problem.

As for all of the “news” about the Girl Scouts, I find much of it to be extremely biased and full of inaccuracies and stretching of the truth. Much of it seems to be self supporting, relying on the same unsupported rumors. A lot of complaints seem to be built on GSUSA having a “relationship” with Planned Parenthood. Problem is relationship is a rather nebulous term that could mean anything from one troop talked to them once all the way to GSUSA donates large amounts of money to PP and PP runs many events for GS. Before I would condemn GSUSA I would like to know much more about what kind of relationship they actually have.
 
Just my two cents, but as a current leader, looking into next years “journey” books, I just don’t feel comfortable with the direction scouting is going. It isn’t character based. It’s advocacy based, and you should be an advocate for what we want to promote. Re: GSUSA and Planned Parenthood, the relationships are at local levels where some PP material is distributed regarding sex. I haven’t been able to find out where the middle Tennessee council fits into all this yet.

While i’m on my soApbox, It’s also little things like in the new Brownie Journey books, out of the around twenty badges you can earn, you have to pay for about half of the chapters to get the requirements to earn the badge. And no, you don’t have to earn that badge, but why should you have to pay for even the requirements? And some of those badge requirements haven’t even been distributed yet to councils. It was like they wanted to roll out the Journey books in time for the 100th anniversary without actually having it complete. A lot of the badges are already things they cover in school like Internet safety, good food choices and recycling.

Each troop takes on the character and decisions of the troop leaders. So each one can be run very individually. And run really well. In the long run, I don’t want to sell myself out for .55 a box. I’m just not comfortable with the direction GSUSA takes in the later Journey books.
 
I won’t buy anymore cookies, after watching Women of Grace on EWTN last night.
Its a shame really, as girlscouts have so much to offer.
 
Last night I was listening to Catholic radio. Patrick Coffin was on. A caller asked about the Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood. Patrick Coffin directed listeners to a website, Life Decision International. I did a search on that site and found this Press release dated 2-2-12, relevant item bolded and underlined:

"Press Room

Komen To Stop Funding Planned Parenthood, But . . .
2.2.2012

FRONT ROYAL, VA – “We could not be happier,” said Douglas R. Scott, Jr., president of Life Decisions International (LDI), a Planned Parenthood watchdog group. Scott was speaking about the recently announced decision by The Susan G. Komen Foundation to end support of the world’s most vociferous pro-abortion goliath.

LDI has tracked corporate support of Planned Parenthood for 20 years. One element of its chief project is a boycott against corporate supporters of the abortion-committing enterprise. The Boycott List, which is published twice per year, identifies those entities that have refused to stop supporting Planned Parenthood despite their having received several requests that they do so, along with educational material about Planned Parenthood and the validity of economic boycotts. To date, at least 282 corporations have agreed to make Planned Parenthood ineligible for future support.

One section of The Boycott List, called “Dishonorable Mention,” identifies nonprofit organizations that have ties to Planned Parenthood and/or its agenda. Komen appears in the section, along with groups such as AARP, American Cancer Society, Amnesty International, Boys & Girls Clubs, Camp Fire, Dr. Phil Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, Easter Seals, Girl Scouts, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Education Association, Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rotary Clubs, Salvation Army, Save the Children, YMCA, and YWCA."…

Blue excerpted from: fightpp.org/show.cfm?page=press&action=display&ID=161
I believe any organization publishing a list like that has an ethical and moral obligation to identify just what the alleged “ties” are. In the absence of that information, I don’t think anyone should feel morally compromised by involvement with such organizations. I, for one, would LOVE to know just what AARP’s “ties” may be to Planned Parenthood. Seems kind of strange. And last I knew, Ronald McDonald House was in the business of housing families of severely ill children, not distributing condoms or promoting abortions. Lists like this seem to me to be so much McCarthyism and attempted guilt-by-some-unspecified-and-alleged association.
 
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