Re: 1998 Requirements Changes
Patrick Skelly (ScoutLdr@AOL.COM)
Thu, 12 Feb 1998 12:06:32 -0500
hilding holroyd, in talking about whether the Eagle Board of Review must be
held prior to a Scout's 18th birthday, says, "I brought this up at our
Council Advancement Committee meeting last night. The DE who is our liaison
on the committee was tasked with calling Texas and getting a clarification.
I'll share it when I have it."
Time to get out of the old rocking chair and on the soapbox ...
SCOUTS-L is not an official form of publication or forum for the BSA. That
DE's finding can at most affect one council, and then only if the the SE
accepts the risk of following it.
What BSA says in a document issued by and for itself as a general rule for
all holds until BSA issues another document by and for itself, *especially*
in regard to advancement. It is *my opinion* that such documents also need
to be generally accessible and uniquely identified.
You are on safe ground only by accepting the new requirement literally, and
formally requesting a national office exemption *through the Council
Advancement Committee* on every potential over-18 EBOR. Otherwise a boy
might get hurt.
Phone calls or private communications or reference to restricted documents
are not sufficient to change openly published national requirements.
Please note that I am not defending this apparent new requirement. It may
be, and quite possibly is, the result of a non-analytical writer and an
overworked reviewer. If so, I can only hope it is corrected soon ... and
properly.
- Pat Skelly, for himself
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
