Dear Scouting Family,
You may have recently seen or heard about a Netflix documentary titled Scouts Honor about the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), which was released on September 6, 2023. The documentary covers abuse in the BSA, youth protection, and the future of Scouting.
I’m reaching out because of your significance to the mission of Scouting. Scouting is safer than ever before. We want our parents, volunteers, donors, employees, and all those we serve to feel prepared for the attention this documentary could receive. We expect that this documentary will raise questions about Scouting and prompt some scrutiny of the BSA.
While there are aspects of the film Scouts’ Honor that mischaracterize the BSA’s policies and actions, rather than challenge any inaccuracies, our focus is on supporting survivors and moving the mission of Scouting forward.
Please know that the Occoneechee Council’s focus remains on the safety and future of Scouting. Thank you for all you do to make the BSA our nation’s foremost program of character-building and values-based leadership training.
If you receive inquiries about Scouting or the film, here are some thoughts:
- Don’t get defensive or put yourself in a place to defend the Boy Scouts of America. Instead, share what you enjoy about the program and its positive impact on youth and communities.
- Direct interested parties to the www.Scouting.org/youthsafety website.
Thank you for all you do to making Scouting viable and available to the twelve counties we serve.
Sincerely,
Charles L. Flowers
Scout Executive