I stepped down after 15 years as an adult leader once the BSA announced their decision.
As the old saying goes, “Follow the money.” During the fight, one of the overriding concerns in the BSA upper echelons was the maintenance of corporate donations which largely support the scouting bureaucracy and some of the upkeep of the properties owned by the BSA (e.g., High Adventure Bases). Very little of that money ever reaches the local councils or troops as they are too far down in the organizational structure. With an increasing number of coporations falling into the “diversity” snare, the BSA was essentially given a choice: Follow the guidelines of the donors or say good-bye to the cash. As we know, the bureaucrats elected to sacrifice scouting to save their jobs.
At the time, I predicted that the impact of the decision would first be felt at the council level as businesses and individuals who disagreed with the change would stop making donations. It appears I was right—I’ve received several calls from my old council during the last quarter of 2013 literally begging for money (I suggested that they contact GLAAD); and just last week I read a story about how the Tampa area council is facing a $75,000 shortfall.
Hopefully, this new organization will steer clear of the temptation to seek corporate support (and the strings that come with it).
Unfortunately, they lost their way and it is about the money and not the kids. Sad.
Yes, companies I worked for made it mandatory to donate to the United Way which in turn funded the Boy Scouts. Border line extortion and definitely a “money machine.”