Perth Amboy, NJ – The Center for Garden State Families issued a strongly worded statement this week condemning the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey after a Park Ridge mother was removed from her volunteer troop leader role, allegedly for expressing opposition to Pride Month events on social media.
Alexandra Bougher, a long-time leader of a Bergen County Girl Scout troop and chair of Moms for Liberty in the area, says she was dismissed without warning following a post in which she stated her troop would not take part in Pride Month activities. According to Bougher, the Girl Scouts provided no specific violation—only citing their “code of conduct.” She also claims her daughter was removed from the organization following the decision.
The Center for Garden State Families labeled the Girl Scouts’ actions as part of a broader ideological shift, criticizing what it describes as a departure from the organization’s historic mission of character-building and practical skill development. The group, which advocates for Judeo-Christian family values, claims this is not an isolated incident and points to the Girl Scouts’ support of social justice causes and LGBTQ+ inclusion in recent years.
The controversy has also drawn attention to the First Congregational Church of Park Ridge, a United Church of Christ parish that hosts local Girl Scout meetings. During Pride Month, the church reportedly hosted a teen-led GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) event without adult supervision—something that further fueled concerns among some parents. Bougher condemned any threats that may have emerged online in response to the event but maintains that her dismissal was retaliatory and unjust.
The Girl Scouts organization has not publicly responded to the specific incident.
The Center for Garden State Families is now calling for what it describes as a return to the Girl Scouts’ founding principles and is urging families across New Jersey to speak out against what it views as political and cultural overreach. The group further asserts that the current direction of the organization amounts to the promotion of ideology it considers dangerous and scientifically unsupported.
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Key Points
- A New Jersey mother says she was removed from her Girl Scout leader role over a social media post rejecting Pride Month participation
- The Center for Garden State Families criticized the Girl Scouts for promoting what it calls ideological activism
- The organization says families should have the right to guide their children’s values without fear of expulsion or censorship
A parent’s post about Pride Month has reignited debate over politics in youth organizations and who gets to set the rules for children’s moral upbringing.