Parents of a California Cub Scout troop were enraged when their children were taken to a nude beach during a hike.
Troop 766 was on a nature hike through Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego on Jan. 24, according to CBS-8, and the trail went through Black's Beach.
This location happens to be clothing optional, so the group of fourth-grade boys along with some parents were greeted by scores of naked people.
Diane Lekven, who was on the hike with her son and husband, immediately asked pack master Desmond Wheatley why he had brought them to such an inappropriate setting.
She was livid to learn that Wheatley didn't see what the problem was.
Lekven told CBS-8,
When I got up there I said 'Hey what are you doing? We're in the middle of a nudist beach.' He said 'This is a naturalist beach, and my family and I go through here all the time it's not a big deal.' And I got really angry.
The troop had gone too far to turn back, she said, so they continued down the trail.
Lekven added that the beach-goers seemed just as stunned by the children being there as the parents were.
She said,
It's not anything against the nudists. They were in their environment and they were looking at us like what the heck are we doing there. I don't think it's OK for somebody to not disclose that they're going to put other people's children in an environment like this. I think it's wrong.
The Lekvens filed a complaint, but the Boy Scouts said no rules had been violated in presenting the kids to a mob of naked men and women.
Cub Scout leaders met with parents to discuss whether Wheatley should be disciplined.
They decided against it after concluding he did what any other Scout leader should do in a similar situation.
The Boy Scouts released this statement to CBS-8 in response to the controversy.
It read,
During a planned hiking trip at Torrey Pines State Beach, a local Cub Scout Pack encountered some individuals who were inappropriately dressed. This outing, involving both parents and adult volunteer leaders, was quickly rerouted to protect the youth. Following the trip, both San Diego-Imperial Council and Pack leadership met with parents to discuss the events and determine if further action was needed. Together we concluded that proper protocol had been observed and appropriate steps were taken in this matter.
That part about the hike being "quickly rerouted," however, doesn't appear to be true.
Citations: Parents outraged at Cub Scout trip to Blacks Beach (CBS 8)
