Re: Things that make you go hmmmmmm....
RML (rlewis3@IC3.ITHACA.EDU)
Mon, 16 Feb 1998 12:28:09 -0500
At 01:19 AM 2/16/98 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 2/16/98 12:46:25 AM, payne5@SWBELL.NET wrote:
>
>What an amazing document! Having said that, I am not sure there is anything
>they are doing which is contrary to the "official" rules.
I also find that this is not in direct conflict with the "official" rules.
I do have many problems with this though.
*on soap box*
The policy is mandating that Scouting is the primary function of the scout.
It also does not really allow the scouts to advance at their own pace. I
know that most scouts advance at a slow pace and the current requirements
were released to make it more probable that the scout would reach 1st class
by 1 year in the program. Most people still take over a year. (it took me
3 lazy years to get 1st class, followed by 4 years for eagle). There are
those that advance faster though. I feel that to not allow a scout to
advance at his own pace you are lowering his self-esteem. This can go into
the reasons why the school systems have "gifted" programs. A boy should be
able to advance at his own pace, however fast that is. The way they have
it set up only allows boys who joined the program at 11 to become eagles.
What if a boy joined at 14, and wants to go to eagle? according to the
policy, the boy would be at least be missing 5 required MB, and be at most
a rank of Life. It is possible for a devoted boy to get eagle in 4 years
(the maximum amt of time he has if he joins on his birthday).
We all must rember that scouting is not the most important thing in a boys
life. All the scouts must, in my opinion, put academics first. If a boy
doesn't do well in school, he might not do well in the workplace after he
graduates high school or college. Scouting is a supplemental activity that
helps round out the boys education. There are times when the boy has lots
of homework to due one night, possibly due to family engagements or illness
earlier in the week. The boy should not be peanilized for things out of
his control. Holding back advancement that he has earned, and had signed
off, is doing that. I remember it being discussed here that a boy is to
receive his patch, be it MB or rank, as soon after the attaining of it as
possible. The COH is just to publicly recognize it. This is going against
this full heartedly.
I just hope that other troops that read this page, or read the message,
take the policy and copy it. It has many problems with it. I hope that
the troop that has this policy sees the discussion here on Scouts-L and
decieds to change it.
*off soapbox*
YIS,
Robert M. Lewis
rlewis3@ic3.ithaca.edu
ASM T-12 Ithaca, Baden-Powell Council
ASM T-88 Waldwic, Bergen Council
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
