Leaderboard

Yes. For a short period of time, I served in both positions (IH and SM) while we were transitioning. I don't recommend it as a long term arrangement.

It's also role modeling issue for me. Locally a high school student was expelled for two weeks because he found a butter knife in his lunch box in the lunch room. Turns out mom put the knife in the lunch box for him to spread the peanut butter on his sandwich. She didn't understand the rule and she didn't tell her son. Our youth learn how to use judgement by watching their role models and they spend most of their day as a youth at school watching adults in action. Where are they going to learn to judge behavior fairly if the adults aren't showing any judgment at all. Barry

I am in favor of coed scouting. I am not financially desperate. Nor does the presence or absence of LDS give me any sense of urgency. My opinion on he matter has been brought on by encounters with international scouts, beginning with the king of Sweden in 1981. Other scouters in my district were influenced similarly, and as they replaced the old guard in the volunteer leadership structure. GS/USA's polarization on certain issues did not help matters. BSA's inability to be plain spoken on the matter is a vice of modern management that counts media hits. It is disgusting. But, make no

you know, this really isn't such a problem. A lot of what she "knows" sounds like it might not be the best way to go anyway. and, none of it is all that hard and not a big deal to figure out solutions, in the big scheme of things and, a fresh reboot with "new blood" probably wouldn't be a bad thing anyway...

OP here.. follow-up report.... He had a pretty good time at YMCA camp... good enough to say he'd definitely go back next year if his friends go too. From my perspective, the camp wasn't as good as I was led to believe...but I'm not really surprised by that. The freedom to do what they wanted in the way of organized activities sorta ended the 1st day. they had to sign up for activities....I think it was 2 morning periods and 1 afternoon period. By the time son and friend could sign up, the really "good" activities were full. They got arts and crafts (which was probably what fr

Whatever is is right? We teach that it is OK to work for change. That is how we got a nation. The Eagle reported himself, as you, understandably, did not. He was punished. You were not. He did no more wrong - if any - in a moral or ethical sense

No. They said no decision was required. The penalty followed automatically from having the knife, regardless of any intent or knowledge that anyone with reason could regard such a tiny knife as a "weapon"- thus dodging the issue of whether the knife was a "weapon" rather than a common tool. I suppose it was coincidental that he was an Eagle Scout. It should not have been done to anyone without some reason to decide that the knife was a weapon, rather than something else - say a common tool that helped make him more "prepared"for a winter crisis. In Ohio, our Supreme Cour

"Each individual should “take charge” of the documentation of their training, " Because BSA and Council records can be a little off. When I checked my record a couple years ago, it said I completed Scoutmaster training in 1910. I submitted the official form that I was given to point out that the correct date was 1961. My official record now says I completed Scoutmaster training in 1912. 🎃

Not really any different than the military. For the most part, they don't get ribbons for just doing their job (National Defense and Good Conduct ribbons perhaps being the exception). They get them for specific achievements, recognition, or service. I don't see why would exempt professionals from being recognized for their specific achievements, recognition, or service. In general, working for a not-for-profit doesn't come with much of that on its own.

So, I have taught preschool for many years, and since mine was a federal Head Start program, we had federal inspectors and Child Development Specialists come to our classrooms often. I was told, on many occassions, that my working in preschool was becoming more and more an anomaly. It seemed that at the federal level, they are seeing sharp declines in the numbers of men teaching young children. One inspector told me "you are one brave man to be teaching preschool these days." And I have many more guidelines and protocols than female teachers do. Among other things, when working for a fede

For me, I feel teaching make-believe shooting as a practice for violence in the future is like zero tolerance policies. Such policies force a negative moral aspect to a neutral or innocent motive. We read stories a lot of violators of a zero tolerance policies with innocent intentions. A person who is never in a situation of thinking of their actions never get to judge the intentions of their actions against any kind of measured consequence. In fact, prohibiting thoughts and actions can actually encourage a person toward the action. I experienced this when I've introduce adults to hunting. The

You have to have the solar one, works great (or so I have been told)

Uh oh. Time to confess ... At Day Camp the other week there were literally DOZENS of wagons; parents and leaders were encouraged to bring them to carry water bottles, backpacks, et cetera. But in my ignorance, I ... I let the boys pull the wagon for me! Had I but known the DANGER they were in, I never would have allowed it, but they asked so nicely and were trying so hard to be helpful that I ... I ... I LET THEM DO IT! The shame! The recklessness of my foolish decisions! My choices could have left that campground littered with little Cub Scout bodies! What was I thinking?!?!?

Because that would allow discretion for on-the-ground leadership. Outright bans are always the choice of bureaucrats and tyrants that do not trust their subjects.

Requirement: A Scout is Thrifty. In most circumstances, a wagon is a thriftier way to transport material than picking it up and carrying it. Dangers from wagons, none that I can think of. I defy you to list any that are meaningful that are not two standard deviations away from the mean in likelihood.

Do you really want to be pedantic about "requirements". Fine - there are service project hours required of younger scouts and those service projects may require the use of wagons and wheelbarrows to complete. As for risks present for younger scouts in the use of wheelbarrows or wagons? None that I can think of for wagons, something young boys AND girls use outside of scouting all the time. For wheelbarrows? As long as they are working with wheelbarrows of an appropriate size and are not trying to steer a wheelbarrow up or down a ramp into a truck or building, the only real risk is tha