By CHARLES PUTNAM

Each year, American Legion officials vote for a highly debated issue: whether or not to merge Girls’ State with Boys’ State.

Advocates for this merger claim that it would introduce a new sense of equality in a nation built on liberties and freedoms. However, this notion itself serves as a detriment to the Boys’ State and the Girls’ State systems along with the purpose of the week itself.

Bringing together male and female participants into one week would diminish the civic literacy and disciplinary values that both Boys’ and Girls’ State provide as their own separate entities. When combining two camps, each with such intrinsic values, it opens the door to the possibility that one group may unintentionally dominate the other in elections, discussions, and physical activities. Separating the groups ensures each citizen has a fair chance to earn leadership positions.

One of the biggest contentions with the merging of Boys’ and Girls’ State is the fact that the citizens of the opposite gender may serve as a distraction. It becomes a logistical challenge to ensure celibacy and integrity among teenage citizens of both sexes, further distracting from the holistic mission of either state.

It is generally agreed upon by the staff actually working these states that merging the two would be a disaster. Veteran Counselor Harry McMahon noted that “…it would be a complete mess” and “…all previous attempts have not turned out well.”

Instead of focussing on unnecessary and detrimental changes like this proposal, American Legion members should instead address the more concerning issue of declining numbers of citizens, counselors, and resources at Boys’ State.