The Boy Scouts of America is considering declaring bankruptcy, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The Wednesday report comes in the wake of sinking membership and multiple controversies surrounding the 108-year-old organization, including sex abuse allegations and its controversial decision to change its program name from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA and allow girls into that program.

Chicago law firm Sidley Austin has reportedly been hired to assist in what would be a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

As the organization has made decisions deemed to be more inclusive, such as allowing openly gay scouts in 2013 and scoutmasters in 2015 as well as the 2018 decision to allow girls, membership has continued to decline sharply, from over 4 million members at its peak to a claimed 2.3 million members at present.

Those numbers will likely continue to decline. Earlier this year, the Mormon church announced the end of a long-standing partnership with the Boy Scouts and the formation of its own program for boys beginning in 2020, a move that could cost the organization almost a third of its members. The church was reportedly “deeply troubled” by the group’s decision to allow openly gay leaders.

Additionally, the Boy Scouts have come under criticism of late for keeping records of sex abuse perpetrated by scoutmasters — called the “perversion files” — under wraps for decades instead of revealing them to the public.

Mike Roe wrote in May of the “death of the Boy Scouts of America.”

In my opinion, this kind of attrition can only explained by an increasing lack of relevance, or, the perception of irrelevance. Right now, there’s a perception that The Boy Scouts have gone soft. That’s the real tragedy, Sharon, because I can’t think of anything more needed in our country today, than a youth organization that offers kids the same experience I underwent in the basement of Kenwood Church. Why? Because our country’s current obsession with ‘safe spaces’ is destroying character faster than the Boy Scouts of today can build it.


https://dailycaller.com/2018/1...ts-verge-bankruptcy/

Good.

Some really nice camps are going to go up for sale before too long.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Good.

Not good.

I have read of some of the craziness going on with the changes to the Boy Scouts. While I was never one, I see a need for a organization like this more than ever. Maybe it's not BSA, but something to teach kids how to exist outdoors, work and learn skills, have goals, and be upstanding citizens.

While they may be going downhill, I want for something like this for my hopefully eventual kids.

Hmmm.... All the PC, SJW buttons have been pushed by BSA and shockingly, many folks want nothing to do with it.
Now, who could have seen that coming?

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Good.

Not good.

I have read of some of the craziness going on with the changes to the Boy Scouts. While I was never one, I see a need for a organization like this more than ever. Maybe it's not BSA, but something to teach kids how to exist outdoors, work and learn skills, have goals, and be upstanding citizens.

While they may be going downhill, I want for something like this for my hopefully eventual kids.

The BSA of today is not the BSA of yesterday. So, good that they will die. Don't give a shit. Whatever organization(s) that need to pick up the slack should have their moral principles carved in stone and not crumble due to corruption and political correctness.

There are no companies too big to fail, or organizations too important to fold, imo.

The Boy Scouts have over a 1600 acre Reservation not for from me. It's a beautiful area.
My ham club is supposed to go help them get their radio system figured out. Their future doesn't sound good now.

Political correctness claims another victim. Those inflected by PC will learn all the wrong lessons from this.

12131 - as a former Boy Scout, thanks for saving me the time to type up my response - summed it up perfectly.

As with many organizations, try to be everything to everyone, lose sight of their core values and what made them what they are then wonder why their numbers are down.

As a former Boy Scout I'm thinking- Actions have consequences.

quote:

the same experience I underwent in the basement of Kenwood Church

And I in the basement of Colonial Heights Presbyterian. I learned canoeing, how to tie knots & shot 22's at Camp Tom Howard. I hiked & camped on the Appalachian trail with the oldest being 16. Many fond memories that new generations will never have!

I was a scout. My boys were scouts. One got his eagle. I was a scoutmaster twice.

I'm not a big fan of the scouting program. In particular, one thing that really burned me was the financials; a lot of boys and a lot of parents have little money, and that should never be an object is an organization which is supposed to be 100% altruistic.

When a kid can go to the store and buy a swiss army knife for half, or a third of what the BSA is charging scouts for the same knife (only with the BSA logo on it), that's a sad statement. When the kids are supposed to wear a uniform, but it's cheap, cheesy uniform that costs an arm and a leg for something they'll wear once a week if that...it doesn't speak well for the scouts.

For many years I used to collect scout uniforms, often scouring second hand shops like good will and other places and would buy them to have on hand for the boys that couldn't afford them. Maybe it was insurgent, ignorant practices like mine that bankrupted the BSA, because we weren't buying their pricey official gear.

When my son did his Eagle, it wasn't a positive experience. It was drawn out and felt more like a series of military tribunals; they sucked every ounce of value out of the program. The other boys saw what he went through and didn't want anything to do with it, and that's very unfortunate. It used to be that having achieved the Eagle was worth something, and now all it means is that one stuck it out while others have moved on with their lives. It shouldn't be that way.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

.... I want for something like this for my hopefully eventual kids.

https://www.traillifeusa.com



.

I had a very positive experience in Royal Rangers and the Frontiersmen Camping Fraternity. Perhaps those organizations can step up and fill the gap left by BSA.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Good.

Not good.

I have read of some of the craziness going on with the changes to the Boy Scouts. While I was never one, I see a need for a organization like this more than ever. Maybe it's not BSA, but something to teach kids how to exist outdoors, work and learn skills, have goals, and be upstanding citizens.

While they may be going downhill, I want for something like this for my hopefully eventual kids.

The idea of a boys-only association would be / is totally unacceptable in today's bizzaro world. Some form of sanity would have to return first, and I don't see that happening in my lifetime.

The Boy Scouts lost 1/3 of their your men and a mass amount of money when the LDS Church pulled out.

They have lost their way. They will soon be on memory lane along with many other organizations.

This is what happens when you go from standing for something to standing for everything.

You end up standing for nothing.


I worked at Resica Falls for the summer when I was 15. It was a great experience.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
I had a very positive experience in Royal Rangers and the Frontiersmen Camping Fraternity. Perhaps those organizations can step up and fill the gap left by BSA.

Same here with RR! Great experiences and memories from when I was a kid!