Topline
The Boy Scouts of America announced Tuesday it will change its official name to “Scouting America,” its first name change since forming more than a century ago as part of the organization’s stated commitment to inclusivity, following years of turmoil amid allegations of sex abuse and inappropriate behavior.
The Boy Scouts of America will be known as Scouting America starting next February.
Key Facts
The organization announced the name change in a statement Tuesday morning, saying the new name reflects its “ongoing commitment to welcome every youth and family in America to experience the benefits of scouting.”
The new name will take effect next February to mark the group’s 115th anniversary, though CEO Roger Krone remarked that despite the new name, “our mission remains unchanged.”
The change also comes just five years after the Boy Scouts of America first welcomed girls into its scouting program, and six years after it welcomed girls to its children’s Cub Scouting program.
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Contra
The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy in 2020, following hundreds of lawsuits over sexual abuse against the organization, and after the organization spent over $150 million to settle those suits. Last April, the Boy Scouts created a nearly $2.5 billion fund earmarked for victims of sexual abuse, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the settlement to move forward. In a statement at the time, the organization said it plans to allocate that funding to “equitably compensate survivors and preserve the mission of Scouting.” Those funds will support 82,500 victims who filed claims against the organization.
Big Number
Over 1 million. That’s how many young boys and girls are involved in Boy Scouts programs nationwide, including more than 176,000 girls, according to the organization.
