The Girl Scouts of the USA pushed back against criticism this week after social media posts about faith-based Islamic badge programs sparked online controversy. The backlash followed posts by White House correspondent and War Room co-host Natalie Winters claiming the Girl Scouts offered "Muslim badges" that could be earned by learning about Islamic practices, including the pillars of Islam and visits to mosques. "Mosque-based programs operate in Sacramento, Naperville, Long Island, Virginia, Maryland, Brooklyn, San Diego, and more—embedding prayer, hijab rules, Ramadan, Islamic education and mosque outreach into Girl Scouting," Winters posted Monday on X.
The programs are tied to religious recognition awards administered by outside organizations and have existed for years, the Girl Scouts said in a statement posted to social media. "There's misinformation circulating online today about Girl Scouts and religion," the statement from the organization read. "Here are the facts: Girl Scouts is not a religious organization and does not teach religion.
For more than a century, we've welcomed girls of every faith and background. Our national My Promise, My Faith pin invites girls to connect the Girl Scout Law with their own faith. Any other faith-based patches are developed by independent faith organizations, not Girl Scouts of the USA," the statement continued, adding, "Girl Scouts is proudly for every girl." Newsweek reached out to Winters and the Council on American-Islamic Relations for comment via email.
The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of how schools, youth organizations and nonprofit groups handle religious programming in the United States. Critics on social media argued that the badges amounted to religious instruction, while supporters said the programs are voluntary and similar to religious recognitions available to members of other faiths. The controversy centered on programs identified as "Girl Scouts of the Islamic Faith" religious recognition awards and faith-related patches connected to Islamic organizations.
The Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting offers religious recognition awards, including medals, for Muslim Girl Scouts. The programs cited on social media include patches and activities related to Ramadan, Hajj, Jumaa and other aspects of Islamic faith and culture. Some badge requirements involve learning about the pillars of Islam, visiting mosques or studying Muslim prayer practices.
In response to the online criticism, the Girl Scouts said the organization does not create or administer the religious recognition programs itself. The organization said the awards highlighted in social media posts are offered through independent faith groups, while GSUSA's role is to recognize that members may choose to participate in such programs. GSUSA emphasized that Girl Scouts serves members from a wide range of religious backgrounds and that faith-based recognitions exist for multiple religions, not just Islam.
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