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It would be a whole lot easier to solve this problem if those deciding the value of eagle understood that eagle is nothing but a tool to achieve a higher goal. "So, your resume says you're an eagle scout. Tell me some stories of how that has taught you something useful." A nice, open question. If they talk about specific skills they've been tested on that tells the value of eagle to that applicant. If they talk about taking younger scouts under their wing and helping them out, it tells a very different value. As my son told me, eagle will get you another look, but it's not worth anything if yo

I split the Eagle brand discussion to here from the old, now locked, Chapter 11 - announced topic. RS @MattR @John-in-KC

Many kids do. Have you ever seen the Race to Nowhere documentary? Pretty tragic but it is the reality and is part of what is driving the push to Eagle at all costs in some regions.

It's hard to decide where and how to jump back in to the discussion after the big slow. I think it's still better for everyone, especially the majority of claimants if some universal settlement is achieved. If settlement talks collapse, that really shuts out claimants from any state other than the current states with revival or extended SOL periods, which I believe is somewhere between six and twelves states depending on how you count things. Within those states, filing suits against the LCs will probably lead to bankruptcy proceedings for just about every council. It's true that f

Moderator note: Be Kind. A quickly read post can be misread as offensive just as surely that a quickly written post can be miswritten as offensive. Be Courteous. Pause and calm, and then try a slower second read. If you still feel offended, reply "I'm not sure I understood your post, could you further explain?" RS @MattR @John-in-KC

Oy, no. For example, 4-H has significantly more youth members than scouting and you will be hard pressed to find any reports of youth molestation in their ranks. The IV files were an incompetent effort and to some degree they are irrelevant except for the liability insurance question. The claim totals speak for themselves.

This loooong topic which became impossible to navigate during the big slow is now locked , however the Chapter 11 discussion continues in new topic Also, the recent embedded Eagle discussion now has its own separate topic RS

Sorry about that folks... we had some gremlins running wild in the server... should be resolved, and I will try to monitor more closely!

well, you know why Bezos named his company "Amazon" , right? Because he couldn't spell Reo Grandy or Missississippiii.

Sadly, the IV files represented a best effort and a huge legal liability. So the legal risk almost dictates not maintaining those files. That happens in other industries too. Best current example are corporations that force relatively short email retention periods as standard policy that is hard to circumvent. I don't agree on BSA losing it's soul. The numbers are huge, but so is youth membership. I suspect BSAs numbers are parallel to other youth serving organizations.

I don't think you mean what you are saying here. Because on some level, the IV files did identify and prevent additional abuse beyond the already mind numbing numbers. I don't think you are saying that having 160,000 kids abused would be worth continuing business as usual today. The BSA lost its soul when it did not realize what those growing numbers in the IV files meant.

I don't know that the culture will allow Scouting to get to it's roots. I had almost as many parents pushing their son to get elected into OA during their first year of Scouting. Many parents were irate when their son wasn't elected and demanded that the SM intercede. We live in a culture where each player of the youth soccer team is handed a trophy for just being on the team. That wasn't driven by the players. Adults encourage mediocrity so they don't have to deal with the emotions of disappointment they feel when their children don't accel. Barry

I do agree. An adult saying to a youth to stay in for Eagle ... it's just hot air and too far away to have context. Our troop succeeded when the SM/SPL would talk about the troops activities and opportunities. Unspoken was the SPL and another senior scout who were wearing their full uniform, sharp and crisp. I'm absolutely sure those young kids looked up to those scouts and wanted to be like them. BSA really needs to get back to roots. Kids want to have adventures with their friends. Deliver on that promise.

I hugely agree on this. Several of my sons have incredible stories of fellowship, problem solving, huge work ethics, adventures that are truly meaningful. I'm significantly involved in the local Eagle processes, but at the same time I see little value in Eagle if the scout does not have a strong network of scouts ... if the scout has not had adventures ... if the scout has not pushed the boundaries of fear and being uncomfortable.

https://thecirclenews.org/environment/the-boy-scouts-land-grabs-sexual-abuse-and-bankruptcy/ Native American News and Arts article ... a bit of everything ... but a big point that if Boy Scout Camps that were native lands have to be sold, they should be given back to Native people. Example camp listed above.

Thanks for all the answers on this. I don't want to further deviate from the topic, so will leave it with this gem from another of the Forum's threads. (With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy) You might be an Eagle factory if... If your troop meeting plan is based on merit badge classes then you might be an Eagle factory. If the majority of merit badge sashes in the troop look the same you might be an Eagle factory. If scouts are told which merit badge they are learning next you might be an Eagle factory. If everyone moves to the next rank at the same time you might be

When Scouts are Eaglling at 5-7 times the rate in the Golden Age, there are questions that need asking. Really that much smarter and dedicated and/or that much more time to devote to Scouting, or ........?

If you call summer camps turning into merit badge factories and weekend merit badge colleges where the expectation is you show up you get the MB more resources, then yes. But the quality of instruction has gone down. Ever worked a summer camp, and have 30 people in you Lifesaving MB class? Ever been told you cannot kick out Scouts when they misbehave, cut up, and cause issues where you cannot go over the skills with those who are behaving? No, but the standard has. Reading my 1979 edition of the BSHB, the standard was "Master the Skills." By the time you earned eagle, the standard was

Sounds like another lawsuit.

...and you might need a lifetime of therapy after all that high achievement and pressure.

From my knowledge of Scouting back when and up to today, I'm also baffled by the lack of strategic organizational, financial and risk management planning. With the number or high-level attorneys and professionals associated with the organization, what were they thinking? Also, what were they doing? This goes to YPT, too. (DavidCO - please don't get your waterboard.) This is personal and corporate tax, estate and legacy planning 101. Maybe 201. Put stuff in trust. Create holding companies. Install distance and buffer entities. Protect and sequester assets. Don't commingle. It sounds complicated

When did you quit? I'm talking now, not 2014 and prior. I would agree that during Dale it probably got rough. My ASM was clear when we discussed this recently .. it helps. He has talked with Harvard, Yale interviewers ... it helps. Notre Dame ... helps. We have had Eagle Scouts do well at Ivy through mid tier colleges. We have examples. That said, it won't help if you can't answer questions. He has said it show perseverance and achievement of a goal. I think parents make the mistake thinking their son/daughter just needs to get Eagle Scout on the resume and they're golden.

I have a ASM who interviews for a top 10 school and talks with the interviewers from Harvard, Yale, etc. Eagle Scout is a BENEFIT. He is nudging his sons to get there as well. It can vary how much of a benefit based on the interviewer, but it is a benefit. Yes ... BSA organization was not looked on well by higher education when it excluded gay scouts, but for the most part that didn't tarnish the Eagle Scout rank. Internally we may question age or rigor but externally that is not questioned nearly as much as we may think. Trying to get this back to bankruptcy a bit ... it is a v

One my my ASMs is an interviewer for an elite college (top 5 school for business, journalism, etc.) top 10 overall. Eagle Scout is a benefit on applications. How much of a benefit probably depends on who interviews you. I went to a state school, but apparently, elite colleges have one of their alumni interview you and they then tell the college what they think. I have never heard or seen any evidence it is a strike against applicants.

This is off topic, but perhaps someone would give me a brief recap. I received my Eagle in 1975. It was not easy and there weren't many of us, or so it seemed. In the past 15+ (?) years has there been an escalation of "win the prize" orientation, driven by Units and parents? I had no particular push or encouragement from my parents, though our SM was keen to have his "first Eagle." As I said back there somewhere, it seems like it's become part of the, "Thou shalt build the college resume at all cost!" culture to me. I both understand and marginally despise it.

Scouting was never intended to be family oriented. Scouting was intended to allow youth to develop themselves on their own. It was designed to replace the gangs of Victorian and Edwardian England, and give them a direction and purpose that would make them better citizens. I have seen first hand what can happen with "family Scouting." It is not pretty, and Scouts will leave. They will get fed up by the constant parental interruptions at meetings and on camp outs. They will get fed up with the parents overruling their decisions on their program. They will get fed up with parents allowing th

News release: Dateline April 1, 2021, Irving Texas.... The Boy Scouts of America in line with the ongoing simplification and re-organization announced the following Merit Badges would be merged, thus allowing the Scout to earn them easier and quicker: Pet care and Cooking. American Labor and Mining in Society. Family Life and Animal Science. Welding and Fire Safety.

From what I have seen, executive compensation actually increases during bankruptcies. The reasoning is that to keep top talent during bankruptcy, you have to over pay.

It's a hit to scouting, even though it was inevitable. I think the YPT changes they've made are overall, very good and probably the best we could get. This won't be helpful for membership. I hope we can weather the storm and come out stronger.