Girl Scouts Stick Together, Including through Homelessness

Through Thick (Samoas) or Thin (Mints)

Maybe it’s because I have a long history of being involved in Girl Scouts. Or maybe it’s because of the way New York Times former religion/education writer Samuel G. Freedman wrote about Nikita Stewart’s new book, Troop 6000, the story of an inspiring Girl Scout Troop at a New York City homeless shelter. Or maybe he and many others need enlightenment about the struggles of single parents.

I came out of my blog-fog to respond.

Mr. Freedman started out patronizing Giselle Burgess, “She is a loving and devoted mother, and nothing short of a brilliant crisis manager in navigating the family’s journey through the homelessness bureaucracy.”

Then he did the clueless guy thing. “The nearly fatal flaw is Burgess’s choice of men. She has five children by three fathers. One has vanished entirely and another lands in jail after Burgess breaks off with him because of his violent outbursts.”

My first reaction to his assessment was frothing at the mouth. I’ve calmed down enough to point out a few realities to Mr. Freedman and others who fault (income-challenged, Black) mothers for, gasp!, having children, and living disorderly lives.