The Boy Scouts have long been synonymous with innocent youth, wholesome fun, and wilderness adventure. Now condoms may shatter that idyllic image... The Boy Scouts World Scout Jamboree, held every four years and will next take place in West Virginia in 2019, is requiring condoms be available at the event.
The Jamboree is governed in accordance with World Scout Committee’s handbook which lays out guidelines for the event. The handbook states, "The Host Organization must ensure that condoms are readily and easily accessible for all participants and IST (International Service Team) at a number of locations on the site. … When making this information available onsite, consideration shall be given to the various cultures and beliefs present.”
Of course this has raised so eyebrows, John Stemberger President of the Florida Family Policy Council said:
In light of the mandatory condom policy, it is not clear how far down the rabbit hole the Boy Scouts will continue to fall. With the addition of condoms and alcohol, the World Jamboree is starting to sound more like a 1960s Woodstock festival rather than a campout that parents would want to send their children to! All of this should be deeply disturbing to the churches that are chartering Boy Scout Troops. These policies present a clear youth protection problem that the BSA absolutely refuses to recognize. The fact that they are requiring that condoms be “readily accessible” and are communicating this to everyone—including youth participants—shows that the BSA is both anticipating and facilitating sexual conduct between minors at this event. These policies are both outrageous and completely irresponsible.