[email protected]

In a message dated 6/17/2003 4:55:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

> On Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at 07:03 AM, KathrynJB@... wrote:
>
> >Plain old Girl Scouts for older girls is NOT going away...those
> >choices are
> >still there. And girls can do both, if they like.
>
> Only for the next couple of years during the pilot period. Then the
> program materials that are less frequently utilized will be phased out.
> They've already SAID that the cadette and senior program materials are
> used by only a fraction of current members - so they are clearly
> already sitting on the chopping block.
>
> The focus books are well-intentioned - but look at what's out there -
> the first focus books for girls 11 to 17 years old.
> Take Charge - talks about date rape and self-defense
> Uniquely Me - Inside and Out -- it is about style and self-esteem
> Uniquely Me - The Real Deal -- it is about having a PMA (positive
> mental attitude) to deal with peer pressure
> Looking In, Reaching Out -- it is about journaling and thinking about
> one's own feelings
>
> There are now a few other focus books - one on writing, one on track
> and field, and one on traveling.
>
> Contrast this to the Boy Scouts merit badges - on horseriding,
> ceramics, camping, backpacking, carpentry, beekeeping, archery, drama,
> engineering, and so on - dozens of them --- all REAL stuff to learn and
> do and THEIR booklets have actual information in them to help the kids
> learn.
>
> The girl scout focus books take the place of earning any kind of merit
> badges - the girls buy the booklets ($5 to $6 each) and read them and
> do the activities (answer some questions, mostly) and then set their
> own goals. When they've achieved their own goals, they can buy
> themselves a little charm - for another $4 or $5.
>
> (I LIKE the setting their own goals aspect, by the way.)
>
> But - I have absolutely NO interest in my 12 yo daughter being treated
> to such obtrusive pop psychology by somebody who volunteers to be her
> girl scout leader. We don't share the same religion nor values in many
> areas and certainly not at ALL the same kind of approach to discussing
> these kinds of things. And - much of the material is very very
> anti-family. Even the most innocuous focus book - the one about writing
> - there is a section about how to write a persuasive essay to convince
> your parents to let you go to an all-night party. I found it very
> offensive. The attitude that parents and kids are adversaries is
> pervasive in the materials. It is assumed that all teenage girls will
> have hostility toward their parents. There is a section in one of them
> where it suggests that it IS possible that they could EVEN have fun
> with their family. The message is clear - normal teenage girls don't
> like their families.
>
> There's more - but I'll stop ranting for now <G>.
> I was a girl scout for all of my childhood and have been involved as an
> adult for 14 years. I've won council-level awards honoring my work for
> the organization. I'm sickened by the direction the older girls'
> program is moving - I was hoping to see MORE real content, not this
> pandering to the worst of society's view of teenage girls. I've got
> THREE teenage girls (well - two plus one almost there) and this program
> is so unsuitable for them and their friends that, just reading about
> it, they were very very insulted and offended.
>
> I have no idea if teenagers who go to school will now flock to it or
> not - although I'd be very surprised if they'll bother. I cannot
> imagine it appealing to girls with real lives and real senses of
> themselves. At best, it is fluff.
>
> -pam
>
>

Okay, I talked to Beth, my partner, who works for a GS council. What she said
is that different councils are working on how to implement this, but that the
intention is not to have regular GS go away. They did market research,
apparently, and found that among older girls that GS was not "cool", and that's why
they left the program.

Therefore, the new program was designed so that it will not even mention that
it's a GS program. To me it also doesn't sound that thrilling. I dunno.

She's going to get me more info. I'll pass it along if anyone cares.

Kathryn


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[email protected]

In a message dated 6/18/2003 1:37:24 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:

> >On the other hand, once this starts to be implemented there may be
> >backlash.
>
> Remember "New Coke" ?
>

HA! I should read everything before I respond!
Kathryn


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