Editing Scouting America (section)

==Controversies==
On February 1, 2019, the Boy Scouts of America renamed its flagship program, Boy Scouts, to Scouts BSA to reflect its policy change, allowing girls to join separate, gender-specific troops. On February 18, 2020, the National BSA filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] bankruptcy protection and is currently restructuring its financial situation. On November 16, 2020, the National BSA disclosed in their bankruptcy filings that over 92,000 former Scouts had reported sexual abuse by members of the organization. In December 2021, the insurer for the Boy Scouts of America agreed to pay $800 million into the fund for survivors.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chase|first=Randall|title=Boy Scouts bankruptcy case reaches settlement, insurer agrees to pay $800M into fund for victims|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/12/13/boy-scouts-bankruptcy-case-800-million-dollars-fund-victims/6504441001/|access-date=2021-12-16|website=USA Today|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2022, the Boy Scouts of America agreed to pay an additional $2.4 billion into the fund as part of a [[Boy Scouts of America sexual abuse settlement (2022)|bankruptcy settlement]] with payments beginning in September 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knauth |first=Dietrich |date=2023-09-19 |title=Boy Scouts victims begin receiving settlement payouts as appeals continue |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/boy-scouts-victims-begin-receiving-settlement-payouts-appeals-continue-2023-09-19/ |access-date=2023-09-24}}</ref>

===Sexual abuse cases===
{{Main|Boy Scouts of America sex abuse cases|Leadership training (Scouting America)}}

Scouting sexual abuse cases are situations where youth involved in Scouting programs have been sexually abused by someone who is also involved in the Scouting program. J.L. Tarr, a US Chief Scout Executive in the 1980s, was quoted in an article regarding sexual assault cases against Scout leaders across all 50 states: "That's been an issue since the Boy Scouts began."{{r|ScoutsHonor}} Several reports have surfaced over the years regarding incidents of sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America, including incidents of repeat offenders.{{r|therecord.com|latimes.com}} There have also been several high-profile court cases that resulted in convictions and settlements involving such incidents.{{r|therecord.com|latimes.com}} On October 19, 2012, the Boy Scouts of America were forced by court order to release over 20,000 pages of documentation on 1200 alleged [[child sexual abuse]] cases within the organization from between 1965 and 1985.{{r|Goodale}} Legal claims against Scouting America for such matters continue to the present day.{{r|USAToday2019}}{{r|NBCNews2019}} Following its bankruptcy in February 2020, over 92,000 sexual abuse claims were filed with the bankruptcy court before the November 16, 2020 deadline to receive claims.{{r|AbuseClaims|NYT95SexAbuseClaims}}

In the 1980s, Scouting America developed its Youth Protection program to educate youth, leaders, and parents about the problem and to introduce barriers to sexual abuse of children using the Scout program to reach victims. "Two deep" leadership dictates that no adult member can be alone with any youth member (other than their child). Shortly after joining, youth must discuss with their parents a pamphlet on sexual abuse. Prior to joining, adults must take a youth protection training course, which must be renewed every two years. Since 2003, new adult members must pass a criminal background check (adults who were already members had to pass a background check by 2008). The Youth Protection Plan from the organization is linked to in a CDC report on such programs.{{r|CDC2}}

===Financial problems===
In recent decades, membership in Scouting America and income have declined.{{r|ldsmay2018}}

In addition, the organization spent millions of dollars to contest and settle lawsuits arising from sexual misconduct by BSA volunteers and employees dating back to the 1960s. From 2015 to 2017, it paid nearly $12&nbsp;million to the law firm Ogletree Deakins for litigation counsel.{{r|The Wall Street Journal}} In its 2018 annual report, BSA officials said that the organization's future financial situation would depend on the outcome of various litigation and its costs. The annual report said that the BSA may have "to pay damages out of its own funds to the extent the claims are not covered by insurance or if the insurance carriers are unable or unwilling to honor the claims."{{r|IJR RED}}

Accordingly, the BSA hired a law firm in December 2018 to investigate filing for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] bankruptcy.{{r|Fox News}} Such a bankruptcy could stop litigation of at least 140 lawsuits and prevent further lawsuits.{{r|Education News}} In October 2019, the BSA raised membership rates to cover its increased operational expenses, particularly insurance costs.{{r|RateIncrease}}

On February 18, 2020, the organization filed for bankruptcy in the [[United States bankruptcy court|Bankruptcy court]] of the [[United States District Court for the District of Delaware|U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware]], listing liabilities of between $100 million and $500 million and assets of $1 billion to $10 billion. The bankruptcy filing came as the organization faced hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits. As a result of the filing, all civil litigation against the organization was suspended.{{r|CNN}}{{r|Chap11}}{{r|Siemaszko}}{{r|Goodwyn}} Local Councils and units remained largely unaffected as they are standalone units.{{r|BankrPress}} BSA contends that it alone should be financially responsible for any settlements in the sex abuse case lawsuits.{{r|BSABankruptcy1}} Plaintiffs have complained that BSA is hiding its assets through its affiliates.{{r|BSABankruptcy2|BSABankruptcy3}} Critics of the filing derisively described the organization and its move as "bankrupt, but not because it's broke."{{r|notbroke}}

===Anti-bullying movement===
Due to reports surfacing in the 1970s and 1980s regarding a high level of [[bullying]] in the Boy Scouts, efforts were made to develop a no-tolerance bullying policy within the Boy Scouts of America.{{r|WendelR}} In the 1990s, the Boy Scouts acknowledged that the organization had a problem with bullying, in particular, due to a "boys will be boys" attitude within Scouting before the 1970s, when adult leaders tended to overlook younger or weaker Scouts who were "picked on" by older boys, such adult leaders feeling that bullying "toughened someone up", labeling boys as "snitches" and "tattletales" should bullying be reported to the adult leadership.{{r|TownleyA}}

One of the more widely published accounts of Boy Scout bullying occurred in July 1987 when a Boy Scout at the [[Goshen Scout Reservation]] was severely beaten in his sleep by several other Scouts. The incident resulted in the Goshen staff changing the layout of its campsites, to prevent having sites in extremely isolated areas, as well as assigning camp staff members to each visiting troop as "advisors" and also to watch for fights or other trouble resulting from conflicts developing at the various campsites.{{r|IntressR}}

In the 21st century, the Boy Scouts have adopted a "Bullying Awareness Program" which trains adults to recognize the signs of bullying, especially in isolated environments such as extended campouts in the wilderness or at summer camp. Parents are also advised on what to do and whom to contact should a Scout state other Scouts are bullying them. Dealing with the bullies themselves is also addressed, in particular, those bullies who "game the system", pretending to be compassionate and apologetic for bullying victims when adults confront them, only to return to such behaviors when the adults are no longer present.{{r|BullyAware}}

===LDS departure===
In 2018, [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]{{emdash}}the largest charter organization supporting BSA{{emdash}}cut ties with the BSA, substantially contributing to a net loss of nearly a million scouts and leaders. The decision was made partly in response to BSA membership policy changes, such as allowing girls, openly gay, and transgender people to participate in the organization. However, a joint statement released by the First Presidency of the LDS Church on May 8, 2018, reflects the LDS Church's official stance on the departure and states, in the last paragraph "While the Church will no longer be a chartered partner of BSA or sponsor Scouting units after December 31, 2019, it continues to support the goals and values reflected in the Scout Oath and Scout Law and expresses its profound desire for Scouting's continuing and growing success in the years ahead."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/youth/childrenandyouth/joint-church-bsa-statement?lang=eng | title=Joint Statement: Church and Boy Scouts of America }}</ref><ref name = SaltLakeTribune>{{cite web | url=https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/11/15/lds-church-leader-we/ | title=We didn't leave Boy Scouts, they left us, says Latter-day Saint apostle }}</ref>{{clear}}