Eagle Requirements
JFitzge164@AOL.COM
Tue, 4 May 1999 09:35:59 EDT
Just last night I was at a Troop meeting to sign off a boy's merit badge.
While I was standing waiting for the opening formalities to be completed.
The Troop was going to begin the Personal Fitness Merit Badge since it was
now a Eagle required Merit Badge (the new Troop Committee Chairman happened
to be in the fitness business.) A father asked just rhetorically, why his son
had to complete the Personal Fitness Badge.
It turned out that the Scoutmaster in another Troop had signed his son's
Eagle Application and then whited out his signature. (The Scout had
completed all his requirements for Eagle by 3-15-99) I did not get into why,
it was not important. I, really opened my mouth too soon, when I told him
that since his son had completed all the requirements before 4-1-99, that he
could still use the old requirements. Someone had told them that his son had
to now complete Personal Fitness.
What I am trying to say that there is entirely too much abuse of power in
Scouting, specifically by the adults. I wonder if the boys were somehow
involved in approving or setting the requirements for Eagle would the system
be fairer and have less arguing over whether my Troop's, or District's, or
Council's Eagles are better than your Eagles because we make them to x, y, &
z and you only make them do x.
Just my thoughts on what is a very telling attitude that we place on our
scouts.
YIS
Jim Fitzgerald
Unit Commissioner
Louisville, KY
