SAN ANTONIO – It's a new day in the Boy Scouts of America organization.
Founded over a century ago to teach boys life skills, on Wednesday, the BSA website announced that girls will be welcomed from Cub Scout to the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
Boy Scouts of America Alamo Area Council public relations director Angel Martinez released this statement about the announcement:
"We welcome the new chapter in our history with BSA's unanimous vote in giving families the choice for their sons and daughters to take advantage of scouting."
But not all San Antonians who took the Scouts' oath share those sentiments. One former Boy Scout said he feels girls should not be included in the organization.
"I think that's what they have Girl Scouts for," said 26-year-old Mark Crump, who became a Cub Scout in kindergarten.
Crump attributes the organization to helping him become the man he is today.
"Especially for boys like me who grew up in single-parent household, going to Cub Scouts, I was able to talk to my leader about stuff that I may not have been able to talk to my mom about. But now if I have girls in there, I may not be comfortable to talk to my leader about that," Crump said.
The Boys Scout's website said the decision offers families an important additional choice in meeting the character development needs of all their children.
Starting in 2018, families can choose to sign their sons and daughters up for Cub Scouts. Existing packs may choose to form a new girl pack, one that consists of girls and boys, or have only boys.
New inclusive Boys Scout programs are expected to be available as early as 2019.