Re: adding requirements
Bruce E. Cobern (bec@PIPELINE.COM)
Mon, 22 Jun 1998 23:33:23 -0400
At 11:10 AM 6/20/98 EDT, Wendie Howland wrote:
>But the concept of not allowing a Scout to go for a driver's license until he
>turns Eagle is NOT, IMHO, adding a requirement for Eagle. In our fair
>Commonwealth and probably elsewhere, a parent or guardian has to sign the
>application for the learner's permit. If a parent (who may even be a Scouter)
>wants to make a family requirement or wants to add to a STATE requirement,
>that's up to him/her.
I agree with you that it is not adding to the requirements for Eagle, it is
adding to the requirements for the driver's license, over which we in
Scouting have no control, but I happen to be it is absolutely NOT in the
best interests of the Scout.
There is only one reason, EVER, IMO, that the Scout should complete his
Eagle, and that is because he WANTS IT FOR HIMSELF. Never because of Mom,
Dad, Aunt Bertha, his SM, etc., etc. want him to make it. And certainly not
because he wants to get his driver's license. If he doesn't want it badly
enough to get it without any extraneous inducement, then he probably
shouldn't have it. I know that he will likely regret it later if he doesn't
get it, but our job is to encourage him to consider the potential
consequences of his decision, so that he is sure that HE feels he is making
the right decision.
What would you do if he came in and said that while he was going to stay in
Scouting, he really didn't want to be an Eagle Scout? Would you then
prevent him from getting his driver's license until he was old enough to get
it without your signature? Why? Because YOU feel he should be an Eagle,
even if he himself doesn't want it? Is that fair to him?
>
>My kid? A fifteen year old Life with all his MB's but two, wants to put off
>working on his Eagle project for a year or so while he gets his academics a
>little more in order. Will he get a learner's permit before he's welcomed into
>the company of Eagles? Nope. Does he agree? Yup.
Was this his idea or yours? If it was yours, then I still don't think it is
a good idea, even if he does agree with it.
--
Bruce E. Cobern
mailto:bec@pipeline.com
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
