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BSA also has policies in place about the mixing of males & females in Dens, Packs & Troops, but many here have no problem talking about how they work around those policies, often with an under the table "wink, wink" from the DE, SE or other BSA representatives. So BSA policies have become like employee handbooks. Basically, these are the rules. But some of them we let you break, some of them we don't. You won't know which ones are ok to break until we want to enforce them, even if another Council is ok not to enforce them. Then, we may terminate you (revoke your membership), or we

Answering your last question first. Encourage your SM to never operate as Webelos 3. They are scouts from day 1. If they don't understand what that means, they learn it. (That's why Scout is now considered a rank.) That does not mean the girls are ready to solo in a wilderness recreation area on day 1. That does mean they get into habits of thinking for themselves. Electing a PL. Coming up with a name, yell, flag, etc ... on their own and within a month of starting. Map out camp sites commensurate with their skills. Have them think about what they'd like to do when. They plan their own me

That's the problem, many adults don't separate the difference in the group. Have you ever observed a patrol of adults standing in formation next to an unfocused Patrol? The adults can't helped themselves in showing their irritation. More often than not they will act on that irritation instead of waiting for the youth leaders to act. The adults belong to the troop, the scouts belong to the patrol. Youth behave differently with the judgmental adults in their space. We want scouts to behave from their character, not from adult intimidation. I am amazed at the number adults who sign up

BSA should really get with the times. Aside from the uniformed police officer, we have 4 other people at our public middle school who carry concealed weapons for the protection of the students. The uniformed officer knows who they are. So does the administration and the school board. Nobody else needs to know. By the way, I'm not one of them. I'm a klutz. I would probably blow my fool head off.

Which is more important: 1- The physical well-being of someone in my care, should the need arise for a firearm in the backwoods. 2- My continued membership in BSA. If I lost someone or someone became injured due to a wild animal or wild humans, I would not deserve to continue as their leader/protector. BSA rules are what's irrelevant, and written by lawyers with an eye towards liability. No scout ever knew that I carried, my pack was just a little heavier.

Still, we as Scouters will follow the rules even if others have not. We praise and remember scouts by name in this public forum but not criticize them and certainly not vilify them. Praise in public, criticize in private where criticism is constructive. @John-in-KC @NJCubScouter @MattR @desertrat77

And yet again, you imply less than honorable motivations behind her actions. This isn't about agreeing to disagree, this about not disparaging a scout and a minor. To quote our Moderator, "we don't do that." We can discuss the proper course of action without dragging in assumptions about her motivations. AND, I am sure I have stated that more than once as well.

I wouldn't be a leader for your Troop, sorry to say. That said, it's not as bad as the situation in the OP. At least it's a standard policy and the scouts are aware of it.

eek. We wouldn't want to do that.

First, her dad is making this about him. I haven't read a recent statement from Mrs. Ireland. I agree with @willray in that it doesn't matter how badly the wheel (or it's parent) squeaks if the tire is flat. @Hawkwin, we have discussed this before. You have created a false dichotomy. Prior to Feb 1, 2019 BSA permitted young men from foreign WOSM organizations to start rank advancement at a level commensurate with their skills. However, if that scout had joined his WOSM troop just a month before coming to the US, he could only at most be accorded Tenderfoot. After Feb 1, BSA would al

The editor is using the second, figurative, meaning for scuttle (v): "to totally destroy." The trip was scuttled in the sense that the fire made a wreck of their plans for the trip. Of course, it might be to the scouts' advantage if somebody makes a large donation because he/she misses the play on words and thinks the boat is at the bottom of the bay with a large hole in it.

Official Guide to Uniform says adults do not wear patrol patches. If you attend Woodbadge, you would have your critter patrol patch to wear, which many leave on their shirts afterwords. I've also seen adults create their own unofficial patrol and wear patches, like "Old Goats", "Coffee Patrol", etc. But I would not wear a matching patrol patch to a youth Scout, you are not in their patrol.

Guess I'd just say that some rules (like boys vs. girls in a den) is one thing. Don't bring a gun to a scouting event is another. I find myself in the weird position of feeling like I'm defending the BSA here. Feels to me that we want the BSA to enforce rules we like and then look the other way on rules we don't. Then when we get into a discussion about rules we then criticize the BSA and say they are inconsistent. Guess I'm just reminded that we're talking about a youth organization. They are not going to kick people out for mixing den or breaking some advancement rules. But, s

Here's the process I suggested in that other thread for conducting a search: - two adults approach the scout and tell the Scout they have a reason to search the scout' s belongings - if the Scout objects, an immediate call is made to the parent and the scout goes home. - if the Scout agrees to the search, it is done in full visibility of the Scout. Any items confiscated are jointly acknowledged. - items are returned after the event. - if something is found of grave consequence a phone call is made to the parents and the scout goes home. This seems to me to

Due to the way they are made; the costs, the fabrics, the cut; not sure they are trying to kill it...however....as with many things in the Boys Scouts of America program....whomever is making the decisions (the uniforms in this case) is not really connected to the actual user of the uniforms. For example, why not a fabric like the Columbia PFG shirt. Those are literally designed to be breathable, designed to be short and long sleeve, etc etc. Even on the "Official BSA activity shirts, those are costly. Our troop gets the A4 dri-fit shirts each summer. With 2 logos (front chest and ful

So that's 13 or 14 states out of 50 where it's illegal? If that's the case, then yeah, it's legal in most states. Not taking a position on the other argument, which is whether it's advisable... If you're in a state where you are doing it legally, then the BSA can't have you arrested for violating BSA policy on the matter; they CAN, however, revoke your membership, if they want to. Maybe that's a risk worth taking in certain situations, maybe it isn't. Not going to articulate an opinion on that one.

My two cents on the topic. Chartered Partner asserts its ownership of the unit with a written mandate to Scouts and Scouters alike: We will follow BSA policies of no weapons, alcohol, tobacco , vaping materials etc may be possessed by any Scout or Scouter at Boy Scout Reservations We will follow Camp Whodunit, BSAs policy of an adult supervising administration of medications . Four adults, to provide two pair of two deep leadership, will hold and supervise dispensing of meds per the Scout’s daily schedule. The leaders of Troop 123 will load for camp the night before depart

I see your C3-P0 quote and raise you

Never carried on a scout outing. I know of one time (as a scout) that I WISH a leader had a weapon of some sort. I usually don't have one on a private campout either. I have w/ a rifle when I'm going "plinking" in an approved BLM area. If I was going to do a long hike away from civilization (i.e. a partial or thru of the PCT) - I would likely have a handgun and CCW (or carry exposed - which is now illegal in the great socialist state of CA too). I don't care WHAT the state / federal parks OR California says about me needing to having a CCW permit at that point. Its about personal protect

An 11-year-old Girl Scout was killed when a tree fell in a "freak accident" at an Indiana campground on Monday, officials said. A 10-year-old girl and two women were also injured in the incident. The Perry County Sheriff's Office said it received a call at around 11:30 a.m. local time about a tree that had fallen on several campers and volunteers at Camp Koch, the Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana's resident camp facility, nestled along the Ohio River near the small city of Cannelton. https://abcnews.go.com/US/fallen-tree-kills-girl-scout-injures-indianas-camp/story?id=63925808