Sunday, August 26, 2007
Scouting or Similar
I've been thinking a lot lately about finding some kind of Scouting group for Parker, since he's getting to an age that it seems appropriate. Growing up, I was a Girl Scout, and Jeff was a Boy Scout. And yet, nowadays, I don't think I like the concept of Boy Scouts, considering their well-publicized stance on exclusion based on religion or sexual orientation. Girl Scouts still has the motto: For Every Girl, Everywhere with the only limitation being one of gender.
And so, I've been investigating alternatives out there, though none seem as well established, at least not here in Florida. The ones we've come across are: Camp Fire USA, Earth Scouts, Navigators, Roots & Shoots, and Spiral Scouts. All of these are co-ed, which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing. Of course, none of them are established here in Gainesville, which means if we want an alternative, we'll have to start it. Of the options, I'm leaning towards Earth Scouts, using Roots & Shoots within it.
I guess the next step is to talk to Jeff about them all, and then see if there is any interest in local families. I'm hopeful to find something great, but hesitant because I know it is a lot of work.
The easiest thing to do would be to just suck it up and join the Boy Scouts regardless of our reservations, but when have we done the easiest thing?
Labels: community, homeschooling, Parker
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