Re: BOBCAT BADGES-HAZING?
Randy Worcester (RandyWoo@AOL.COM)
Wed, 4 Jun 1997 17:38:23 -0400
Al asked:
>1. Is it National Policy from the BSA not to turn the Scouts upsidedown
>period, whether done by their parent or not? If so, where do I get this
>information in writing so I can show our Committee?
The following was recently posted on America Online.
Randy Worcester
Unit Commish
Corpus Christi, TX
Subj: Re:Turning Bobcats IS a NO NO
Date: 97-04-14 16:44:51 EDT
From: SageofAges@aol.com
Here is the text of the fax. Here it is...definitive written evidence (they
will fax to anyone requesting it) that the turning of boys is not permitted.
April 14, 1997
Ms. <SageofAges>
Address
Dear Ms. B**:
For several years, the Cub Scout Division has been trying to discourage the
use of the Bobcat cermony in which boys are physically turned upside down.
There are several reasons for this:
1. It has a strong possibility of being frightening to some boys.
2. It smacks of adult harrassment of kids.
3. It makes a frivoulous occasion of what should be a solemn, dignified
ceremony.
4. It carries a real potential for injury. I wonder what explanation a
leader could give to the parents (and possibly, the attorney) of a boy who
was dropped on his head as to what was going on and why it was important.
5. There is no Cub Scout basis to the ceremony. "Do a good turn daily" is
the Boy Scout motto. There is no point to pinning a Bobcat pin upside down
until a boy does his "first good turn", because the daily good turn is not a
Cub Scout concept.
In summary, there is no point to this type of "ceremony" and it contains
significant potential for harm. As such, it has no place in Cub Scouting and
should not be used.
Sincerely,
(signed)
Ernest R. Thomas, Jr.
Associate National Director
Cub Scout Division
cc: Gene Stone, National Director
<name deleted>, Scout Executive of Mid-Iowa Council
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
