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THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Sydney and Tess Volanski might be teenagers but they’re currently embroiled in a battle with a major national organization on at least one touchy subject: abortion.
The two Woodlands girls are now former members of the Girl Scouts of America and have started a website, Speak Now Girl Scouts, about what they claim is the hidden agenda of the Brownies. Namely, a pro-abortion slant and the praising of feminist leaders who they claim have dabbled with everything from Planned Parenthood to communism.
“I would like to see them be honest,” Sydney Volanksi said. “They promise to be neutral on sensitive family issues...but they’re definitely not neutral.”
Sydney and Tess first became aware, they said, that something was amiss in March 2010. They heard that the Girl Scouts were involved in the Girls Only workshop at the United Nations that included a pamphlet from the London-based International Planned Parenthood Federation on teens with HIV and how they can still lead sexual lives, including tips on how to have sex and safe abortions.
A similar post on the website of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts advocated “affordable, accessible abortions,” Sydney said.
At least one other girl in their Woodlands-based troop has left the Scouts, as well as Christy Volanski, the girls’ mother, who was a group leader.
“We had no idea that Girl Scouts would promote something like this,” Syndey Volanski said Wednesday. “We were sad that they would do this.”
The Girl Scouts however don’t feel that way. In fact, they say there is no support for Planned Parenthood on their part.
“Girl Scouts does not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood, locally or nationally, nor do we provide any support to the organization,” the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council said in a prepared statement. “As a whole, sexuality education is not part of the Girl Scout program. We believe such issues are best left to families to discuss with their daughters.”
In addition to online posts and pamphlets, the Volankskis claim Girl Scouts has other connections to Planned Parenthood, she said, and women praised by the Girl Scouts in mandatory books, including Betty Friedan, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Luisa Moreno, among others, have ties to socialist parties, communist circles, pro-gay agendas and pro-abortion movements.
A recent incident where a 7-year-old transgender boy in Denver was allowed in the Girl Scouts gave the Volanskis more food for thought.
“I think if Girl Scouts is going down that path where they let in boys, that’s dangerous to people’s daughters because of sleepovers,” Sydney said.
There’s no local policy on the issue however, according to the San Jacinto Council, as it’s “uncharted territory.”
“Because we have not previously faced this question, we do not have a definitive position on this issue,” a prepared statement said. “If such a request is made, we are committed to evaluating it, as we do all special requests for accommodations, with responsibility and careful consideration for the individual youth’s needs as well as the needs of all girls and adults involved.”
But the girls’ website is not a smear campaign, Sydney said.
“The whole point is, we’re not trying to attack anyone,” she said. “We’re trying to protect other girls and families, so they don’t have go through the heartbreak we did.”
The two Woodlands girls are now former members of the Girl Scouts of America and have started a website, Speak Now Girl Scouts, about what they claim is the hidden agenda of the Brownies. Namely, a pro-abortion slant and the praising of feminist leaders who they claim have dabbled with everything from Planned Parenthood to communism.
“I would like to see them be honest,” Sydney Volanksi said. “They promise to be neutral on sensitive family issues...but they’re definitely not neutral.”
Sydney and Tess first became aware, they said, that something was amiss in March 2010. They heard that the Girl Scouts were involved in the Girls Only workshop at the United Nations that included a pamphlet from the London-based International Planned Parenthood Federation on teens with HIV and how they can still lead sexual lives, including tips on how to have sex and safe abortions.
A similar post on the website of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts advocated “affordable, accessible abortions,” Sydney said.
At least one other girl in their Woodlands-based troop has left the Scouts, as well as Christy Volanski, the girls’ mother, who was a group leader.
“We had no idea that Girl Scouts would promote something like this,” Syndey Volanski said Wednesday. “We were sad that they would do this.”
The Girl Scouts however don’t feel that way. In fact, they say there is no support for Planned Parenthood on their part.
“Girl Scouts does not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood, locally or nationally, nor do we provide any support to the organization,” the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council said in a prepared statement. “As a whole, sexuality education is not part of the Girl Scout program. We believe such issues are best left to families to discuss with their daughters.”
In addition to online posts and pamphlets, the Volankskis claim Girl Scouts has other connections to Planned Parenthood, she said, and women praised by the Girl Scouts in mandatory books, including Betty Friedan, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Luisa Moreno, among others, have ties to socialist parties, communist circles, pro-gay agendas and pro-abortion movements.
A recent incident where a 7-year-old transgender boy in Denver was allowed in the Girl Scouts gave the Volanskis more food for thought.
“I think if Girl Scouts is going down that path where they let in boys, that’s dangerous to people’s daughters because of sleepovers,” Sydney said.
There’s no local policy on the issue however, according to the San Jacinto Council, as it’s “uncharted territory.”
“Because we have not previously faced this question, we do not have a definitive position on this issue,” a prepared statement said. “If such a request is made, we are committed to evaluating it, as we do all special requests for accommodations, with responsibility and careful consideration for the individual youth’s needs as well as the needs of all girls and adults involved.”
But the girls’ website is not a smear campaign, Sydney said.
“The whole point is, we’re not trying to attack anyone,” she said. “We’re trying to protect other girls and families, so they don’t have go through the heartbreak we did.”
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