From the CEO: Guidance for Girl Scouts regarding Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling
June 24, 2022
A Message from the CEO:
Earlier today, the Supreme Court published its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion and overturning its ruling in Roe v. Wade. We recognize that this decision is polarizing for our nation and our Girl Scout members, who are diverse in their personal and religious beliefs concerning reproductive rights.
Our policy as a Girl Scout movement has always been that decisions on reproductive rights are highly personal in nature and best handled within families, and this continues to be our position following today’s ruling. We ask that you continue to apply the principles of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, acting with consideration, caring, and respect for those whose views on reproductive issues differ from your own.
We also recognize that girls and adults within our movement may wish to make their voices heard with respect to this ruling. Because our movement does not take a position on reproductive rights issues, I wanted to review some rules of engagement for how Girl Scout members may represent themselves if they choose to attend protests, marches, rallies or other public events.
Girls, troops, and adult members generally should not wear Girl Scout uniforms or branded attire when attending events that support one side of an issue on which the Girl Scout movement does not take a position, including reproductive rights. Members may wear uniforms or branded items only if their participation is linked to a specific Take Action project in pursuit of a Girl Scout Journey or Highest Award.
We ask parents, guardians, and troop leaders to be mindful of the possibility of violence at marches and rallies as they consider the appropriateness of the experience for girl members. We respect the rights of each individual member of our movement to make their own decision about participating in and we encourage thoughtful discussion of any event.
If your Girl Scout is interested in learning more about the 'freedom to assemble,’ other ways our government works, and how she can participate in it, you may want to explore our Citizenship badges. Badges such as Inside Government, Finding Common Ground, and Behind the Ballot inspire, prepare, and mobilize girls to lead positive change through civic action. Encouraging girls to be engaged citizens isn't new. Even before women had the right to vote, Girl Scouts could earn Citizenship badges.
Thank you for your continued investment in girls and Girl Scouting.
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Amy S. Dosik
CEO, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta
