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  1. I just completed a scouting survey. It included standard questions and asked for recommendations. It has additional questions for Scoutmasters that dug into collecting feedback about how girls troops are run (are they really independent or integrated and if integrated how integrated are they). It then had questions about recommendations if BSA should consider coed Troops and if they were coed, how integrated should the integrated Troops be managed. Hopefully this is really a survey to get input before decisions but I know that is not always the case. However, I can say that BSA must b
    7 points
  2. IMHO Scouting's challenges have been that the program and emphasis is pulled in many directions by many different constituencies. Starting really in the 70's the trail has been varied: we are going to be urban we are going to be less outdoors we are going to be more outdoors we are going to do sports we are going to be involved in inner-city and have council run units we are going to be a leadership class for youth we are going to be STEM we are going to be less advancement focused we are going to be more advancement focused we are g
    6 points
  3. In my case, I will not proceed outside of bankruptcy. So this is it, for me. Missouri only occasionally allows the SoL to be tolled by fraud and perhaps that will benefit those who are able to pay or persuade an attorney to try. But it will be an uphill slug with low percentage victories and appeals. Not going to live out the time I have left even trying.
    6 points
  4. We once had a Commissioner show up at a B/G to present the Pack Charter. I am not exaggerating, he looked like a North Korean General. He was a long time Scout/Scouter and was wearing EVERY possible award that had ever been presented to him, from the Bobcat pin to his youth MB sash, OA sash, medals, neck ribbons, etc.
    5 points
  5. I think we are at the point of agree to disagree and time to move on. Let's get back to the initial focus of this topic. @RememberSchiff
    5 points
  6. For you, maybe. Some survivors (including myself) do find on balance that it is healing. It got me back to therapy and there will be some sort of finality. How many people actually post in this thread regularly, 20? Are even half of those stating they were abused in BSA? It's just such a small representation of the number of victims. I'm glad to see @Bzzyadding a voice and it's crushing to know this is not the case for everyone. That was me for a good portion of the bankruptcy process (mad at the underfunding, inequity of distribution, the lousy lawyers, the amount of time, etc.
    4 points
  7. GS/USA might have and issue. You see, BSA likes to tally up all the service hours of every scout, multiply that by some dollar wage amount, and claim that they provide that many millions of dollars of service to the country. Now you're saying that maybe some of those $ might also be claimed by another organization!🙃 As far as the scout's advancement, however, I'm in favor of double-dipping. There's something to be said for doing the kind of work that multiple groups want to recognize. Besides, I'm sure in ways that nobody's observed this scout's done more good that went unrecognized.
    4 points
  8. I wear my Eagle knot, and none others. (Not even sure what knots I might have earned, though, District Award of Merit, and Silver Beaver, are among them.) It is all about the youth. Not about me. I have at least 8 Eagle mentor pins. (Our troop has had the practice of only having an Eagle presenting a single Mentor Pin. Eagles one per I wear none of them. Those who need or want to know, they know.
    4 points
  9. Roger Krone is showing far more engagement in a few months than Mosby did in years. No complaints so far! That said, BSA is in a crisis. Hopefully he takes aggressive action to course correct.
    4 points
  10. While it may not be obvious, it certainly is on the radar. Of course, we already have coed in cubbing, many units mixing boys and girls in the various Den levels due to needing leaders and keeping it working, and there have been few issues from what I have seen or read. Granted, some do have separate girl Dens, but usually mixed then for advancement. Of course, we also know that Exploring, Ventures, and Sea Scouts are all coed. So the truth seems obvious to me, and they just are making it more difficult to keep membership in small units. So, on paper girl and boy troops with the sam
    4 points
  11. SCOTUS vacated the stay. The settlement trust can resume its work. Here's the (very brief) language of the order: "The application for stay presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is denied. The order heretofore entered by Justice Alito is vacated." Edit to include link to order: https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/022224zr_e2pg.pdf
    4 points
  12. YUP!!! I always say "If you make 'em choose, you gonna lose!" Do your sports and come to whatever meetings and outings you can. If you want an elected position...then it's a different conversation.
    4 points
  13. 02/21/2024: Another summary of the current legal situation more detailed, yet balanced. Good reporting. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/boy-scouts-settlement-pause-marks-shift-on-bankruptcy-doctrine
    4 points
  14. There is no program that serves kids that does not have the potential to attract predators. That is a sad fact. Also, children are more at risk from family members and close relatives/neighbors/friends than most other individuals. Sadly, Scouting now has the stigma of what mostly happened 30 plus years ago. The past several decades have seen Scouting create barriers to abuse that make it extremely difficult for predatory people to get exclusive access to kids. I know of no program that has come so far and done so much. Sadly no program is 100% safe and a predator without any 'history' could sl
    4 points
  15. Your statement is so true in so many ways. The legal process adds damage for everyone. It's hard to watch. Worse, many attorneys and their firms have already been paid tens of millions in this case. Now, it could start over. Bankruptcy cost so far well over $100 million ??? Wishing you the best thru all this.
    4 points
  16. Actually, ever since the courts forced the BSA to open their files there have been lawyers and firms that specialized in suing the BSA. They got the statute of limitations thrown out and the flood gates opened. The ineligible volunteer files that helped the BSA for decades keep predators out (prior to the electronic age and national background checks) became a weapon to be used against the BSA. This was and is about a huge 1 Billion $+ payday for lawyers and law firms.
    4 points
  17. My file was shared with the local council, the "Catholic Insurance" organization, and who knows exactly where else. So, if the bankruptcy goes south, I have shared my most private details with multiple organizations (which also potentially places me at risk for retaliation) and the SoL still applies. I am so P##### off about this turn of events. Not that I was ever going to see much money (due to matrix sol), but I WAS going to have a feeling of some justice being served. Since the early promises, this has done nothing but further damage my life. I had built a big wall around my abuse and
    4 points
  18. I am new here, and I read this discussion from the start. There are a few very important points that have not been made clearly, so I will attempt below, as they are. These are isolated points, and make sweeping generalizations, so there are many edge conditions and exceptions I will not address, as I do not want to write a book. I attempt to present "fact", but others may have divergent views of these same "facts". I'll not argue. 1) The BSA reincorporated in DE specifically for purposes of bankruptcy because DE permits non-consensual 3rd party releases in bankruptcy while Texas does
    3 points
  19. I often think the reactions of some of the scouters on this site to certain things might be due to the fact that they perhaps no longer have younger kids involved in a public school district themselves. Or, if they do, their involvement may be limited to a more insular community like a scouts/church continuum. Some simply may not be exposed to things that seem very commonplace or mainstream to others.
    3 points
  20. The term upstander versus bystander has been used in anti-bullying programs for probably 15 - 20 years in many school systems. Exactly what we would hope a Scout would be if he or she witnessed bullying.
    3 points
  21. The OP’s question was “So, can anyone explain to me the difference between these groups and how having segregated events develops the concept of DEI among Scouts?” when he sates his opinion that a lot people see woke and DEI as not beneficial. And that special events for minority groups versus majority (white males) in scouts is counter to DEI in BSA. That is what I gave a down arrow to. My response was to ask “What do you disagree with in the Cit in Society MB? Not talking about the political BS, "woke" or rest of it. What part of the requirements of the MB do you disagree with?
    3 points
  22. Winter birding highlights are over in my neck of the woods, but spring migration brings plenty to look at, even at night: Birdcast went live March 1 for the spring migration season. As noted in a fall post, it uses radar to track what is flying overhead at night and what kind of local fall out might occur in the morning. A good forecast, combined with full moon and clear skies, means scouts can birdwatch after sundown: Binoculars trained on the moon can see silhouettes of hundreds to thousands of songbirds migrating in night skies. https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migrat
    3 points
  23. I will say for my company, DEI has gone well (overall). There are a few times where I think it went sideways, but overall we have greater pools of talent for hiring, our profits have increased substantial over the last few years and year end bonuses are the highest they have ever been. Personally, I have been happy with my career progression. When I hire, I have never been pressured to hire an under or unqualified candidate. If someone quits because they are against diversity, inclusion or equity... So be it. I haven't seen many people quit my company and definitely no one with t
    3 points
  24. To expand scouting beyond those who typically participated?
    3 points
  25. As often mentioned on this forum. Scouts Canada youth membership and professional employment has dramatically declined. Found this, see link below. Source: A lot of data in graphs, tables, links from Scouts Canada, but what I found missing was the Cost of Scouting per scout by year. http://yates.ca/sc/history/membership_national.htm
    3 points
  26. We as adult leaders should maintain the "neat and tidy" approach to our uniforms but should wear them in full. We have awards as youth, awards as adults, and awards from external parties (like the Community Service Award). Personal memory, and reflecting from my current scouts: Cub Scouts don't really care about what adults have on the adult uniform until closer to AOL. When they understand that what they are about to earn will be on their uniform even as adults they get kind of excited. Older Scouts care a lot about what adults have on their uniform. I remember seeing th
    3 points
  27. 12 scouts is still a good number to build off of though. After covid, I was down to 6 scouts but built it up to 51 over the next couple years. Took a lot of work, but with the help of some volunteers who showed up at the right time, we were able to thrive. If they are not being "active", you might be in for more work than you bargained for.
    3 points
  28. His uniform shirt & accoutrements must have weighed 50 pounds 😜
    3 points
  29. TBH the rule that you need a female leader around girls all the time sounds a little accusatory of men's character in general to me, despite the statistics. If the idea is that only a woman would protect girls from sexual abuse, what does that imply about all the other male leaders?
    3 points
  30. When you try to be all things to all people, you wind up being nothing to everybody, instead.
    3 points
  31. I thought everyone did the retired adventures anyways? We typically finish the required ones fairly quickly and we let them pick whichever ones that want, retired or not. If there is no loop, we make/give them a creative handmade craft in it's place.
    3 points
  32. Do it. Make it fun. The kids aren't going to know if they are official or not. It is really about the experience.
    3 points
  33. Respectfully disagree. Even though the IVF has been used against the BSA in the lawsuit, at the time it was one of the best protections for youth. There are cases in there where the parents refused to prosecute the perpetrator, so it was never brought to court. One victim posted information about his perp where the records stated the parents did not want to have their children tesitify in a court martial. Perp went to a psych hospital, and was medically discharged. Only the IVF prevented him from working for the BSA, as he applied to a job. NOW, if you are declared innocent, then
    3 points
  34. With the emphasis on the Citizenship in Society MB, as well as the struggles to find membership in small units, the comment made regarding Coed units is important. I hope that National will recognize that as something needed, while still allowing separate units if they so choose. Our unit has struggled for years due to location and population changes, and we tried to generate a girl unit alone, but it folded fairly soon. We have more girls in our connect pack than boys, and they "want" to join the troop, as it is, but as a patrol. Personally, I think that is the best avenue to use going fo
    3 points
  35. The Stay only applied to Trust operations. The plan is still under appeal and scheduled for an April 9 hearing before the Circuit court of appeals. No one expects the Circuit to rule before SCOTUS does since any ruling would quickly be reversed if SCOTUS disagrees in Purdue.
    3 points
  36. There is absolutely nothing wrong with gender separation, when it is by choice. This is a basic right called freedom of assembly (association), guaranteed by the First Amendment. I may associate with whomever I choose... You don't like it? Then work to get the Constitution re-written. Once re-written, I'll support you 100%. I do believe the current BSA model is neither well thought out, nor sustainable. "Separate but equal" is a bad idea. Chartering Organizations should have the option to have a single gender Troop( or Troops), or a blended Troop. Both have pros and c
    3 points
  37. I’ve been putting on a happy face since I read the news on Friday. Visited two troops last night; one of them had a ~15yo SPL who led the entire meeting from flags to closing; not a peep from the adults. This stuff is far beyond our control. But the thing that will help us weather the storm is strong units that provide great scouting experiences to as many youth as possible. I just hope my kids and grandkids have that opportunity.
    3 points
  38. That’s not really fair, especially after a post from a survivor saying he thought it would bring a measure of peace. It’s a big mess and about protecting assets and making money for lawyers, etc. but it’s not only the bad parts.
    3 points
  39. The third-party releases don't specifically relate to the insurers as I think you mean. Their liability still exists and Survivors would be able to sue the BSA/Insurers as before the bankruptcy. BUT, insurers are skilled at delaying things a VERY long time and there ARE limits to their insurance. There are a great number of "what ifs" at play here but a real possibility if the plan does not move forward are two things: 1.) local councils in States where the SOLs are favorable to Survivors will head toward bankruptcy to receive direct benefit of bankruptcy and 2, failing that there will be
    3 points
  40. RIGHT - "An affinity group, while potentially helpful could perpetuate the same colorist and euro-centric bias that exists by making those problematic views a necessary status quo in the fight against white supremacy." The important part is that the article does not say all affinity groups cause these issues. I gave you an example of one where membership was voluntary, where is a view where it is not. To bring this back to scouting and not just about how all affinity groups are evil, how are they used in the BSA? Is there any actual evidence that they are operating like the article?
    2 points
  41. I saw this on Scouting.org which plays into your point https://www.scouting.org/program-updates/5th-anniversary-of-girls-in-scouts-bsa-survey/ 5th Anniversary of Girls in Scouts BSA Survey March 3, 2024 We’re celebrating the 5th anniversary of girls joining the Scouts BSA program, and we want to know about your Scouts BSA experience! Every registered girl for whom we have a valid email address in the Scouts BSA program and a statistically
    2 points
  42. Try this... see NNJC entry https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Cub Scout Adventures and Requirements or here, I converted it to a pdf for you... CS Adv & Req.pdf
    2 points
  43. Been telling my scouts that exact thing in the context of the Internal Spirit Award... You can tell it's a scout shirt because it's a Western shirt with two front button pockets and a bunch of badges worn with a necker, even if you don't recognize from what country it's from. Without the badges... Fails scout shirt sniff test
    2 points
  44. National didn't poll my scout, who hates taking the belt with all the loops on and off and therefore mostly refuses to wear it. They're not wrong - the loops end up scattering all over the floor a lot. It doesn't have the right vibe. Plus, what kind of a scout shirt isn't covered in patches? And aren't all the sewing avoidance methods already offered enough? 🤦🏼‍♀️ And then there's the ecological impact. I thought the reason for the move to belt loops was just a consequence of that they wanted to move the awards to adventures because the awards were earned by less than 1% of scouts. C
    2 points
  45. We track Scout accounts using Scoutbook. Scoutbook produces a report to tell you how much each Scout has or owes, and tracks your unit cash balance. We use a separate spreadsheet to track all unit income and expenditures for the year. But we do not do it very well 😉 I'd share that with you but it would requires redacting a lot of data and names associated with training expenditures, Scouts joining (dues), camperships, etc
    2 points
  46. Agreed. I hope the other troop isn’t requiring him to pass the youth instructor sign off and the adult sign off.
    2 points
  47. “The program was a big part of my life and the lives of my children. I want to make sure every child has an opportunity to have that same amazing experience.” - Roger Krone IMHO, that would be a good lead for our 2024 Report to the Nation due April 1 to Congress. * I hope Mr. Krone et al. takes our Charter obligation seriously and produces an accurate, thoughtful, and on-time report. * There may be some terminology confusion - Report to the Nation which is for Congress and American people and National Annual Report for National Annual Meeting and hopefully us too? My $0.02
    2 points
  48. 02/23/24 Harvard Business Review: Presidents Found Their Second Acts In the section William Howard Taft Finally Gets His Dream Job are these seemingly misplaced paragraphs perhaps for a second article CEOs Found Their Second Acts? We all have dream jobs. Roger Krone, who became the CEO of The Boy Scouts of America, may offer a corporate analog for what it can mean to finally get there after decades of work and an unusual path. A former Eagle Scout, Krone had been chairman and CEO of Leidos, a $14 billion, 47,000 employee, Fortune 250 government technology company, from 2014 to 2023.
    2 points
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