šØ Another āFaith-Basedā Flyer Makes Its Way Into Public Schools
Yesterday, a parent in Findlay, Ohio shared this brochure that her 4th grader brought home from school ā promoting an American Heritage Girls troop.
At first glance, it might look like an ordinary scouting program. But a closer read tells a different story.
Phrases like āfaith-based badges,ā ābiological girls only,ā ābuilding women of integrity,ā and even the name āAmerican Heritageā reveal what this really is: a Christian nationalist alternative to Girl Scouts, built around exclusionary, gender-essentialist, and religiously-driven messaging.
American Heritage Girls (AHG) was founded in reaction to the Girl Scoutsā inclusive policies. Itās explicitly Christian and requires participants to affirm a ābiblical worldview.ā In many areas, it partners directly with churches ā and sometimes, with other religious instruction programs that target public school families.
š Public schools are not recruitment grounds for religious youth groups.
Families should be aware that materials like this often slip into take-home folders or appear on ācommunity tablesā without full review of the groupās religious affiliation or messaging.
If your child brings home something similar:
ā¢ Ask how the materials were approved for distribution.
ā¢ Request to see the schoolās policy on outside flyers and ensure equal access standards are being followed.
ā¢ Report any violations of neutrality to your district administration ā or to SEA if you need help navigating it.
Public education must remain inclusive, secular, and free from religious promotion ā no matter how itās packaged.
š§” SEA will keep tracking and exposing these quiet encroachments so parents can make informed decisions.
What people are saying:
- Secular Education Association: š
- Facebook User: No. Stop brainwashing kids into your religion. Unless you’re cool with mine in public education as well.
- Facebook User: Just as an aside, a Christian organization should also know and understand the importance of capitalizing Christ in their written messaging, both grammatically and religiously. Maybe proofread for typos before bringing something into a literal educational institution
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User THIS
- Facebook User: Keep your religious beliefs at home, NOT in schools.
- Facebook User: Im from the Findlay(ish) area originally – not surprised to see this pop up in nw ohio.
- Facebook User: For anyone interested in an outdoor type of extracurricular, look into Scouting (previously Boy Scouts) (yes I know but there are strict rules in place now and there are avenues to report broken rules even before anything terrible can happen and itās taken seriously now)
There are so many career opportunities available to Eagle Scouts that (due to historical systemic sexism) just arenāt available to the highest level Girl Scouts. All my love and respect to Girl Scouts, but that is unfortunately how it is. And now that Scouting accepts girls, all of those opportunities are available to them too.
Scouting has a religious component but it explicitly encourages kids to explore their religion or spirituality with their family and to respect all religions. And I firmly believe that one of the many ways we can fight Christian nationalism is to give our kids a solid foundation of whatever it is we believe and opportunities to learn about other faiths and instill respect for all early on.
- Facebook User: Facebook User plus its not during school!
- Facebook User: Facebook User exactly! Plus parent led! I donāt know the folks pushing for Lifewise in my town, but the folks signing their kids up for the Pack Iām the Cubmaster of have known me most of their lives in many cases!
- Facebook User: Facebook User I was weary of scouts when my daughter wanted to do in Kindergarten because of the religious aspect but as you said its for everyone to do with their parents which I was fine with.
- Facebook User: If this aināt Christian nationalism I donāt know what is. Wowwwww.
- Facebook User: Is this Girl Scouts for religious freaks?
Leave a Reply