Monday, July 10, 2006
Some Thoughts on Boy Scouts
Last Saturday my youngest son returned home from Boy Scout camp. This is the third consecutive year he has attended and he loves it. He earned merit badges in swimming, environmental science and camping. Learning to appreciate and respect nature ranks as one of the top values of Scouting. Scouts, hunters, fishermen, and other outdoors people were champions of conservation and preservation of natural habitats long before environmentalism became a cause celebre.
Better than the knowledge and experience acquired are the relationships formed. Scouts from 11 years old to 17 years old learn to interact and work together cooperatively. The boys form positive relationships with the adult staff who provide positive role models. Many of these relationships continue for years, nurtured through camp and other Scouting experiences.
Many may not be aware that there is a place in Boy Scouts for females. Presently there are many women involved in Boy Scout leadership positions. Additionally, Venturing Crews enable girls to participate in Scouting. Each year my son has gone to Boy Scout camp there has been girls in Venturing Crews present.
While I like the idea of facilitating girls having Scouting experiences, I worry that Scouts may lose its focus on boys. When I was growing up the YMCA was very much a male oriented organization. The only activity I remember in which girls participated was the swim team. Nowadays, YMCA's are family oriented and may even offer more activities geared towards females than males, cheerleader camps, dance aerobics, spin cycling, gymnastics, etc. Most of the activities that males typically enjoy are coed. The YMCA where I live is dominated by female staff. I suspect the only full-time male staff member is the maintenance man.
Interestingly, Girls Scouts and the YWCA seem to have made little effort, if any, to include males within its organization and activities. Once again, it seems boys are getting short changed in order to benefit girls. I hope the Boy Scouts continues to focus strongly in boys.
Better than the knowledge and experience acquired are the relationships formed. Scouts from 11 years old to 17 years old learn to interact and work together cooperatively. The boys form positive relationships with the adult staff who provide positive role models. Many of these relationships continue for years, nurtured through camp and other Scouting experiences.
Many may not be aware that there is a place in Boy Scouts for females. Presently there are many women involved in Boy Scout leadership positions. Additionally, Venturing Crews enable girls to participate in Scouting. Each year my son has gone to Boy Scout camp there has been girls in Venturing Crews present.
While I like the idea of facilitating girls having Scouting experiences, I worry that Scouts may lose its focus on boys. When I was growing up the YMCA was very much a male oriented organization. The only activity I remember in which girls participated was the swim team. Nowadays, YMCA's are family oriented and may even offer more activities geared towards females than males, cheerleader camps, dance aerobics, spin cycling, gymnastics, etc. Most of the activities that males typically enjoy are coed. The YMCA where I live is dominated by female staff. I suspect the only full-time male staff member is the maintenance man.
Interestingly, Girls Scouts and the YWCA seem to have made little effort, if any, to include males within its organization and activities. Once again, it seems boys are getting short changed in order to benefit girls. I hope the Boy Scouts continues to focus strongly in boys.
Comments:
<< Home
What does it matter if scouting is coed? From my experience as a Boy Scout I can't think of a single thing that we did that couldn't easily be coed. As long as the they don't do anything foolish like altering the merit badge system to cater specifically to females or anything else that would specifically turn males off to the experience, what's the harm? And given that there is already a Girl Scouts organization, I really don't see the pansification of merit badges occuring in the Boy Scouts.
I believe that boys need experiences where it's just about them. In my experiences adults almost always give deferential treatment to girls because they are cuter, nicer, more frail, better behaved, etc. Behavioral expectations are different when girls are present.
Boys need a place where they can be boys and not be concerned about girls, etc. I've yet to hear a Scout make a single comment wishing that girls could participate with them.
Post a Comment
Boys need a place where they can be boys and not be concerned about girls, etc. I've yet to hear a Scout make a single comment wishing that girls could participate with them.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
