An archive of Camps, Cookies and Council Governance
in Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, 2007-2014
in Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, 2007-2014
The problem in Girl Scouts of North East Ohio ( GSNEO ) was NOT that the board closed some camps. The problem is that the board disregarded national and council mandates for democratic process during the camp decision.
The board misrepresented key facts, ignored their own membership survey, blocked communication between elected delegates, manipulated board elections, and finally refused to accept a landslide vote of their own General Assembly calling for a realistic re-evaluation of camp properties.
This puts GSNEO in the paradoxical position of being a girls’ leadership organization in which the girls’ opinions don’t count.
The board misrepresented key facts, ignored their own membership survey, blocked communication between elected delegates, manipulated board elections, and finally refused to accept a landslide vote of their own General Assembly calling for a realistic re-evaluation of camp properties.
This puts GSNEO in the paradoxical position of being a girls’ leadership organization in which the girls’ opinions don’t count.
Girl Scouts: Where are we going? And who picks the direction?
Girl Scouting is searching for an identity. The GS corporate office wants to be recognized as the preeminent authority on all things relating to girls. The GSUSA Core Business Strategy implies that membership in Girl Scouting is a product: the more sold, the better. “ Greenbloods” want to preserve values and tradition along with camps. |
How GSNEO redefined what it means to be a Girl Scout
“The ultimate responsibility for the Girl Scout Movement rests with its members. We govern by an efficient and effective democratic process that demonstrates our leadership in a fast-changing world.” -- from the preamble to the GSUSA constitution
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What About the Cookies?Historically, the GS cookie sale was openly acknowledged to be a council fund-raiser. Most of a council's operating budget came from cookie sales. As it still does, in most cases.
Now the emphasis is on cookies as a "financial literacy program for girls". Girls selling cookies are praised as "entreprenuers" who "own their own cookie business". |
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