Boy Scouts Will Require Diversity Merit Badge to Become Eagle Scout
The Boy Scouts of America is making diversity education mandatory for its highest rank. Starting soon Scouts pursuing Eagle Scout status will need to earn a new Citizenship in Society merit badge that covers topics like unconscious bias discrimination and cultural competency.
This is either long overdue or woke indoctrination depending on who you ask. Welcome to America in 2021.
The BSA which has been navigating controversy after controversy for years announced the new requirement as part of ongoing efforts to become more inclusive. The organization has already opened membership to girls and dropped bans on gay scouts and leaders. The diversity badge is the latest step in what leadership describes as evolving with the times.
Heres what the badge actually requires. Scouts have to learn about diversity and inclusion understand different types of discrimination examine their own biases and complete a project that promotes diversity in their community. Its curriculum developed with input from civil rights organizations and diversity professionals.
Critics from the right see this as political correctness invading one of Americas oldest youth organizations. The Scout Oath and Law already cover being kind and helpful they argue – why add explicit diversity training? Some parents have expressed concern about the specific content being taught to their children.
Critics from the left point out that BSA resisted these changes for decades. They dragged their feet on accepting gay members. They only started admitting girls a few years ago. One merit badge doesnt erase that history or the ongoing lawsuit settlements related to sexual abuse scandals.
The organization is clearly trying to thread a needle. Keep traditional Scouting values while adapting to a society that looks very different from when BSA was founded in 1910. Community responses to racial justice issues vary widely and BSA has members across the political spectrum.
What I think gets lost in the culture war framing is that this is actually just… education. Learning about how bias works. Understanding that people from different backgrounds have different experiences. Practicing empathy. These are life skills that serve young people regardless of their politics.
Eagle Scouts are supposed to be leaders. Leaders in 2021 and beyond are going to be working with diverse teams navigating multicultural environments and making decisions that affect people who dont look like them. Having some vocabulary and framework for thinking about these issues seems useful.
The badge wont be required immediately. There’s a transition period so Scouts currently working toward Eagle have time to complete it. The BSA has also published resources for Scoutmasters who may be unfamiliar with teaching this material.
Membership in Scouting has been declining for years. The bankruptcy related to abuse lawsuits didnt help. Neither did the pandemic which made in-person activities difficult. Whether changes like this attract new members or drive existing ones away remains to be seen.
What I can say is that organizations either evolve or they die. BSA is choosing to evolve. The specific direction of that evolution will be debated but standing still wasnt really an option.
The Citizenship in Society merit badge requirements are available on the BSA website.
