Girl Scouts Banned from Virginia Church for Alleged Planned Parenthood Ties

A Virginia church has banned Girl Scout troops because the international organization is affiliated with Planned Parenthood.

Girl Scouts won't be able to meet nor wear their uniforms at St. Timothy Catholic Church or its neighboring elementary and middle school in Chantilly as long as their parent group, the World Association of Girl Guides & Girls Scouts, continues its partnership with the birth control organization, the church said.

According to NBC Washington, a spokesman for the diocese said the decision was made in accordance with the church's values and teachings.

Every pastor in the diocese has the responsibility to determine how best to use their parish facilities, consider the requests of outside groups, and reconcile such requests with the needs and mission of their parish community, the spokesman said in a statement published this weekend.

The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital said its parent organization is not WAGGGS but Girl Scouts of the USA, which does not partner with Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions at its clinics among other services.

In a statement, the regional Girl Scouts council said they would find another home for the banned troops.

We are committed to ensuring that Girl Scouting is available to all girls from St. Timothy's Catholic School, in Chantilly, Va. This location change presents us with an opportunity to serve not only the girls from St. Timothy's, but to invited more girls from the area to join Girl Scouts, wrote the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital. After all, this is our 100th anniversary year and a great time to be a part of Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts was embroiled in more controversy this past month when a California teen named Taylor called for a boycott against Girl Scout cookies. In a YouTube video, Taylor protested against the national organization because it allowed transgender children to be members.

The video links to a Web site called HonestGirlScouts.com, run by anonymous users who believe Girl Scouts are threatening traditional values by working with Planned Parenthood and allowing boys who identify as girls participate.

It is currently Girl Scout Cookie season. Girl Scouts of the USA released a new flavor, Savannah Smiles, in honor of its 100th anniversary.