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[quote=Anonymous]OP,

I have been having this policy disagreement with my SU -- one that is hell-bent on forcing multi-grade troops.  There is merit to the idea that olders and youngers can learn from or teach each other.  I get that.  And if there are not enough girls in each grade to make a troop, then of course they should be combined.  But, IMO, it is ideal to have single grade troops both for the girls and for the leaders.  As previously mentioned, if you have a leader of a 4th grader and you also have a couple of 5th graders, the latter will be orphanned when they move up to Cadettes.  The leader is naturally going to be more aware of her own daughter's grade level (b/c that's what she knows).  Also, parents get to know other parents b/c their daughters are in the same class/grade.  When parents getogether, they tend to take leadership roles b/c they say "I'll do it if you will..."  So, you tend to get leadership teams who are parents of the same grade-level girls.

If you have mixed grades, you have situations where the 4th graders want to earn X badge, and the 5th graders don't b/c they already did that the year before.  Or the 5th graders want to do the bronze b/c they've earned some badges already --- but the 4th graders don't have enough experience and would rather earn some badges.  If you have just one grade level, your planning as a leader is smoother and the girls' experience is more progressive and cohesive b/c every girl is moving through that level from square one to the end.

I also think that the "bullying" or friction is more likely when you have kids at different social speeds -- the older girls being socially faster and more likely to shun or mock the younger girls who are not as sophistocated.

The most important reason, however, goes to the heart of why girls join/stay in GS.... they want to be with their FRIENDS (girls they already know)!  If there are enough 4th and 5th grade girls to have two troops, you can be sure that any 4th graders joining GS want to be with the 4th graders they know... and the 5th graders want to be with the other 5th graders.  They usually have the same school concerns/classes/teachers and they want to share.

I feel like my Service Unit has made a high-and-mighty policy decision about girls needing to mix up and they want to socially engineer how girls relate.  They aren't taking into consideration the reason girls stay in scouts -- to be with their friends.  I have a troop that is all one grade but I've been told on numerous occassions that this is not going to be allowed, etc.

IMO, if you have enough girls for two troops per GS level, the nature of relationships (both leaders and girls) pulls troops toward having one grade level in a troop.  Forcing girls into troops away from their friends/grade level peers is too much "big brother" for me.  Let the girls be with their friends and save the social engineering for someone else![/quote]

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