Girl Scouts denies teaching religion amid scrutiny of Muslim faith awards, mosque visits
Girls Scouts of the USA pushed back Wednesday on reports that mosque-based troops incorporated Islamic prayer, hijab lessons and faith-specific patches into scouting activities across several states, saying outside faith organizations independently run the optional programs.
"Girl Scouts is proudly for every girl. Contrary to misinformation circulating online, 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," a GSUSA spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"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 GSUSA, and participation in these programs is always optional."
GSUSA’s own materials state that the organization has approved religious-recognition programs created by faith groups and permits their insignia on official uniforms. A chart currently hosted on its national website says each religious organization develops and administers its own curriculum.
The chart lists four Islamic recognitions — Bismillah, In the Name of Allah, Quratula’in and Muslimeen — alongside programs for Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Baha’i and other faith communities. It directs Muslim families to the Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting.
A 2025 Girl Scouts of Orange County, California, faith toolkit says the Islamic Committee on Girl Scouting provides Muslim Girl Scouts with activity booklets and medals. The toolkit also lists churches, mosques and temples as possible venues for faith events.
A separate All About Islam Patch website aimed at Girls Scouts requires every age level to complete sections on all Five Pillars of Islam and at least three activities. Options include attempting a partial fast, donating to charity and completing a Five Pillars worksheet. The program is hosted separately from GSUSA's national website.
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Moms for Liberty New Jersey Ambassador Alexandra Bougher criticized the religious recognition programs in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday, arguing that faith-specific badges could exclude girls who do not share the beliefs required to earn them.
"No Girl Scout chapter should push one faith over another by incentivizing it with badges some girls, because of their own faith, will not be able to earn," Bougher said. "Girl Scouts should rededicate itself to its true mission instead of getting involved in ideological battles that exist to endorse a particular faith or exclude young scouts of another faith from earning merit badges."
The scrutiny followed a report Saturday by White House correspondent Natalie Winters alleging that mosque-based troops had incorporated Quran study, Islamic prayer, Ramadan observances and hijab activities into Girl Scout programming. The report cited programs in California, Illinois, New York and Virginia.
The cited examples involved local troops, councils and faith organizations rather than a compulsory national curriculum. GSUSA’s website has also highlighted Orange County Muslim troops that organized an Open Mosque Day for Girl Scout families.
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American Heritage Girls (AHG), a Christian scouting organization founded in 1995 as an alternative to Girl Scouts, emphasized its upfront disclosure of religious programming in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"American Heritage Girls is unapologetically Christ-centered, and we lead with that identity rather than obscure it. Every family is told upfront, before they ever join a troop, that our programming — including our curriculum, activities, or any other facet of the ministry — is built around a relationship with Jesus," an AHG spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said AHG discloses what girls will learn from the outset and vets outside materials for consistency with its Christian mission.
"We welcome girls from all faith backgrounds, but we don't soften or hide our core beliefs and values," the spokesperson continued.
"Faith formation shouldn't be a surprise for a parent to discover. For us, it’s something we’re intentional about, transparent about, and proud of. And parents appreciate that."