Issues & Politics
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LATEST POSTS
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I think it’ll be cool if it’s in a public place, but mine wasn’t so I didn’t bother. It’s up to you, I see a lot of projects that have a plaque: -
Has anyone written, or does anyone just use in the back of their mind, a list of expectations for the rank scout spirit requirements? I'd like to write something for my troop that's a description of growth for each of the methods. Interesting things happen where some methods interact. One set in particular is Advancement and Ideals. Many of us have talked about the Scout Spirit requirement and this seems to be at that intersection. For example, what's expected of a scout as far as being helpful, looking out for others, being cheerful when the weather is lousy, etc, on average tends to increase as scouts move up ranks. Do you tell scouts, for example, "now that you're a first class scout you're expected to start looking out for others. You can't wait for someone else to ask you to do the right thing, you're just expected to do it." I'm not saying to make it part of the requirement, but just an expectation that might drive discussions with or among the scouts, or when to encourage a scout to solve a problem, or lead rather than wait for someone else to lead. Often I've told scouts something along the line of "that sure is a problem, but now that you're a Second class/Star/Life scout don't you think you can handle that on your own?" It just might help everyone to see those expectations. I realize they're hard to measure but we could still talk about them. Thanks -
Sometimes parents are the worst part of scouting. When dealing with problem parents, you have to decide if it is affecting just their Scout or the entire Pack. If it is just hurting their Scout, I try to work with the parent and "do my best" to help the parent understand how their behavior is negatively affecting their Scout’s experiences. When having discussions with the parent, have face to face meetings as email messages tend to have their intentions distorted. Often Scouts with parents like these are the ones that need scouting the most, and it is in the best interest of their Scout if we can somehow fix the problem(s). So if through a respectful conversation, I can get the parents to back off and stop interfering with the scouting program, that is a huge win for me and for their Scout. However, if the parent's behavior is creating a toxic environment that harms the entire Pack, I would dismiss them and their Scout from the Pack. Unfortunately, you loose a Scout who really needs the scouting program, but it isn't worth negative effects on the entire unit. As Spock said "Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." -
@TMSM, our troop has basically settled into that routine. Each of our ASMs have different talents, so it makes sense that they should be available to any patrol who asks for them -- as opposed to hovering over one patrol who never asked for it. I really hope that we will soon get a patrol who can only do an activity on a particular weekend or evening, and there will be just the right ASM and one other registered adult available to help that PL make it a reality. That kind of "spark" is what I think will get our patrols really upping their game. -
Welcome to the forums! Last December, my kids (all adults, 2 Eagles, one sister-of-said-birds, one wife and one girlfriend who we've given every opportunity to flee) and I visited a pleasant trail in a park on a river island near Vero Beach, FL. On the return loop, one of them spied a granite headstone engraved "donation of (sponsor - a cemetery, go figure), Eagle project of (scout), troop (###)." We were a little bemused by the enthusiasm of the adults who insisted on etching their accomplishment in stone, and felt a little embarrassed for the scout. On the other hand, it was a nice trail, and we were grateful for the scouts who put in the labor to make it so. So, yes, a small plaque recognizing you and your troop's hard work is allowed, it's not a bad idea, and it as not as "out there" as some that we've all seen. Thanks for your leadership in what we can hope will be the first of many service projects in the coming years.
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