Boy Scouts membership falls seven percent in decade-long decline
The Boy Scouts of America’s youth membership fell 7.4 percent last year, continuing a decade-long decline for one of the nation’s oldest youth organizations.
The Texas-based organization says more than 2.4 million youth participated in its programs in 2014, along with just fewer than 1 million adults.
Spokesman Deron Smith said Friday the organization faces several challenges, including “limited amount of discretionary time of parents and their kids.”
The Boy Scouts has tried to boost membership through technology-based programs and new camping opportunities to attract youth. It also enlisted former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as its president, a volunteer post.
A new policy of welcoming openly gay youth angered conservatives in the organization, and some left to form a new group. The Boy Scouts still excludes openly gay adults.
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