Re: AWL Troubles

On Wed, 19 Nov 1997, The Gillams wrote:

> She claims her son has earned his bicycling beltloop because he knows how to
> ride and has completed the bike repair for Handyman. I have tried to
> explain it to her and her husband (ACM) that there are books for every
> beltloop but they still fell in am wrong. I have discussed the situation
> with our UC and he is in agreement with me. If what they felt was true all
> my boys would have it. I told her husband I am planning a bike rodeo with a
> law enforcement officer to help all of them earn it but I don't feel it
> satisfies wither of the

I've never had as much trouble with _anything_ as I have with the Sports
and Academics Program. My #1 problem has been conflicting views on how it
should be done. Not only has the information been different at Pow-Wows
but every time I talk to someone at Council they are different too.

I made a post here a couple weeks ago about Webelos Sportsman #4 requiring
the children to be in two "team" sports and boy did I get the responses.
I was adhereing to the "team" sport rule and now I'm told, not only by the
responses here, but also from Council, that if they are "divided into a
team, say in Physical Education at school, that is enough to satisfy the
"participation" required for the belt loops. I've also gotten conflicting
interpretations of when the book is needed. I've been told that if they
are being taught the basic rules etc at school then the parents don't need
to purchase the book. The book is for when they start earning their pins.
Also, they touch on so many of the areas in the Bear and Webelos Scout
Books in regards to Bicycle Safety etc, that they are getting the needed
basics for the belt loops. So, what does one do? I'm told it's up to the
Den Leaders discretion...repeatedly. I have learned through working with
the Sports and Academics Program now for 3 years that there are NO set BSA
rules. And if there are, no one knows them. Not CM's, not DE's, not
Pow-Wow instructors, no one.

I do know that if you make your restrictions so confining as to limit your
kids getting belt-loops whereas all the other Den Leaders are using the
Loose interpretations they are told, you'll get major flack (voice of
experience here). After posting here about the Sportsman pin, and talking
to Council yet again, I'm giving 3 of my boys the Sportsman pin.
According to what I've been told, they've earned it. And they've gotten a
"taste" of participation in the different sports, which is what BSA wants.

After being on Scouts-L for a few weeks now, I see that positively nothing
in BSA is chiseled in stone. :)

My .02.
Alicia

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