Leaderboard

It was briefly brought up in the Q & A at a Cub recruiting night the first year we enrolled girls in the Cub Scout program. The most honest answer we could give was that we take the safety and well being of every Scout, male or female, very seriously. We always do everything in our power to ensure that nothing like this will happen, but the best way for that parent to help us do that would be to register and participate along with his daughter. As to this particular incident, I saw the news reports several days ago. While I was disheartened to see it happened, I was pleased to see

What is your name? What is your quest? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

It is a societal problem. Trying to deflect and exonerate yourself by pointing that out, however, isn't at all useful. BSA is the organization that has been identified in lawsuits as having a significant issue. BSA has to do and be better. Simply doing a better job of living up to its own advertised and aggressively promoted oaths and laws would be a start. BSA has access to decades of its own internal data that it could be using to produce incident reports that could inform leaders when, why, where, and how incidents of CSA are occurring. There is no transparency however. And regardless of wh

It's not lack of scouting experience that is the problem it is lack of common sense and leadership ability. Plenty of great scouters have been born in the camp fire of just jumping in feet first when no one else would. I don't know why but scouting seems to attract a lot of people with big egos, big mouths, big opinions and little common sense. It's the other ones who make putting up with those kind worth it.

I don't think that a facilities use agreement is likely to fully protect the former CO, now landlord. The former CO's should insist on the Council indemnifying the former CO from all losses and attorney's fees, and providing proof of insurance coverage. Standard stuff in the legal world. In the past, this was of little concern as the CO's did not know of the silent avalanche of claims building and roaring down upon them. In its own way the silence of BSA toward the CO's is financial abuse. The CO's wracking up year after year of sponsorship (liability exposure) blissfully ignorant

Options…. 1) Some of these firms lost clients to Kosnoff 2) Kosnoff lost some of clients to these firms 3) Kosnoff is misrepresenting how many clients he has 4) These firms are misrepresenting how many clients they have How can they even vote for a plan if they don’t know which law firm represents each client (and I expect some are not represented). What an absolute mess.

I just received what I consider to be my highest award to date as a Scoutmaster, an Eagle Mentor Pin. Is there a proper way to wear this on a Scout uniform?

Feminine hygiene products were available at the trading posts both at Philmont and our local Council camp this summer.

How is this remotely relevant to scouting? We're talking about kids who are supposed to be in a protected, supervised scout camp operating under the gold standard of youth protection in 2021. The more interesting question to me is how did this person manage to set up the camera. Didn't anyone notice there was an adult hanging out in the kids bathroom or during kids hours? And the really dismaying part, according to other accounts I have read, is that he recorded scouts engaging in sexual activity in the bathroom. What parent will want to send their kid to that kind of camp?

No BSA has been coasting on that perception for decades and that's why so many COs never thought twice about signing that recharter agreement that the nice scout person brought to them once a year. The bankruptcy case, depending on what happens with the COs, really has the potential to completely change that. If BSA had taken a fraction of what it spent on Summit and invested it in becoming the Mossad of Youth Protection, we likely wouldn't be here today. They had the data. They had the money. They had the opportunity and compelling need but chose to focus elsewh

You have made the point beautifully. Let’s find out. Where are the highest risks and where less so? What situations are the most dangerous and put kids at the most risk? Why not choose a scenario that is ripe and ready? Start with a thorough examination of BSA. See who, what, where, when, why and how in the world all of this happened. Based on what we learn, we’ll know more about what to do and what not to do. Then, we do it again with another context and play it forward...

Well, they are not at risk for that on the climbing wall. Not in the canoe. Not on the shooting range, etc., etc. But back at camp they are. Scouting is presented as a physical and adventure activity by BSA. Parents are thinking of broken bones and cracked heads, not rape and molestation, but that's a risk you say they should accept. If so, BSA should spell that out on the waivers.

There is only so much head shaking I can do before my brains dribble out my ears. Yeah. Awful and so gruesomely poignant for you. I am truly sorry. I shared the previously posted news clip with friends and family last night. I didn’t see the details and had no idea of the connection to you, of course. Good grief. I’ll join you in the “no words” ante room.

This doesn't surprise me, seeing as it utterly opposes your views, and people don't like having their opinions dismantled so vehemently. It must be difficult for you to be countered so vociferously, and I am not by nature a contrary individual (quite the opposite in fact) but I opine that for the sake of the Scouts, for the sake of the institution of Scouting itself, it must be said. I will stand up for our youth and their program, regardless of how that advocacy is received or perceived. You are, of course, free to reject my analysis, but you are powerless to erase it, and will prove incapabl

African or European?

Perhaps the difference is that I simply don't approach Cub or their parents with the assumption that they are going to create problems. I always assume that in their hearts, people want to do the right thing - and I am rarely disappointed. I have found this to be true both as a Scout leader and as an educator. I never have to "go to war" with them, because I always treat them like beloved allies - and funny enough, that approach seems to make them feel like beloved allies. I have developed deep and meaningful relationships with not only my Scouts, but also their parents and siblings - because

All I am asking is that they go beyond the witch hunt with BSA and take other bites of the elephant. Expand the focus to include other agencies and publicly drag them into view. I realize this discussion is on the BSA, but the point is that it should not simply be on BSA, but should be clearly reaching far beyond them, as it is not JUST a BSA issue, but a real societal issue that dwarfs the localized drama. And, with that, I bow out again, for a bit, at least.

You beat me to it. I was in the middle of editing my post to add: PS - I look at it as a certified audit. “Here. Come on it. We have nothing to hide. Please poke around and let us know what you find. We are an open book.” And, yes, I welcome that in my life. Good, bad and ugly. Will those disclosures and findings be the undoing? I don’t know. Would inviting the risk to find out be the Scout-like, “trustworthy, loyal, helpful...” and honorable thing to do. Without question.

I have Kosnoff. He’s been more representative than Eisenberg, but is more or less making the big decisions. I have had pretty much zero contact with Eisenberg. Mostly I’ve spoken to my attorneys in ZS and Kosnoff.

Thanks, ThenNow. I think you are very realistic. I, too, hope for the things you do.

The punchline was, “Why are you fighting this so hard?” Which she repeated as he cut her off to do a child’s “But, but, but…MOM!!” She actually ruled for disclosure, but it kind of went wide and now circling with Eisenberg and Coalition. Just said Kosnoff is fully subject to 2019 because “he involved himself in this case.” Confirmed he’s not subject to depo, however.

https://lawliberty.org/an-elegy-for-the-boy-scouts/

Ruggeri: They want to know how AIS was founded, they want the names of the creditors they represent. Etc. We want to see the engagement letters for the claimants. There must be documents. Their own claimants are confused who their lawyer is. Document 5671: I don't know who my lawyer is. Claimant is asking court to identify his lawyer for him. Kosnoff was tweeting as much as this morning. NOTE: I have to stop and do actual work, but I'll listen to people and try to brief this out later.

I am going to sit in on today's Zoom if I can. While the thrust of the hearing is suppose to be the Rule 2019 motion, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the RSA 2.0 deal will be brought up. One more point: The Coalition/Brown Rudnick this morning just applied to have another one of its attorneys admitted to the court pro hac vice (i.e. for this case only) so that may come up first thing. Gerard T. Cicero pro hac vice https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/6c24908b-1e2e-49f2-89e3-ba500803aeca_5816.pdf

Welcome! And good luck on your hunt. There are several sites whose owners maintain discontinued badge requirements (e.g., http://www.inquiry.net/traditional/badges/master-at-arms.htm). Have you contacted them regarding their sources?

Frankly they would be shocked at the girls in my ship...... We are 50% female and they have a lot of fun. We also happen to have been recognized as one of the top Ships in the nation for the last 7 years. We wained because of Covid but continued forward. Now that life is starting to look more normal (what is that anyway) we have a big influx in young women and young men that are excited to get out on the water. Below is a picture from tonight where some of our girls decided to see if they can fit five of them on a single sunfish. They succeeded and laughed and laughed about it.

I wish you patience and strength of spirit. The knot orientation alone gives me a headache.

Yes, I'm aware of that form obviously. What I am saying it that nowhere on that form does it say your child is at risk of being sexually abused while in scouting. That's what I'm talking about.

There should’ve been a warning footnote when BSA issued it’s Chapter 11 press release inviting survivors of abuse in Scouting to come forward and be “equitably compensated.” If consulted, I would’ve worded it something like this: BE IT KNOWN BY ONE AND ALL! THE PROCESS YOU ARE CONSIDERING WILL BE LIKE HAVING OPEN HEART SURGERY WITH A CHAINSAW AND BACKHOE. A NAIL GUN WILL BE DEPLOYED TO CLOSE. EXPECT SIGNIFICANT BLEEDING, SWELLING, BRUISING AND SCARRING, ACCOMPANIED BY THE HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE WILL BE NO DISCERNIBLE BENEFIT AFTER SURGERY, IF THERE IS AN AFTER. CHOOSE WISELY...

I don’t see my law firm on the list and they are supposedly representing 1600 claimants.

@lklawson, welcome to the forum, and good luck. It sounds like a fun hobby.

Sorry if this is a big ramble, but I want to thank Scouters here for the discussion. We just returned from the first time at a new camp outside our council. It was overall, very nice and obviously nicer, more well maintained, and more functional/updated than our own council's camps. We're not talking luxury or modern camping here, but you can tell that the property is loved, cared for, invested in. I so appreciate the discussion about camps closing becuase we immediately re-booked for next year, anticipating that availability might start to get tight. (We are booked in with a deposit

So ... if we would just let Scouters wantonly ignore the Guide to Awards and Insignia ... there would be no war? 🤨 Hmm. This somewhat tortured appeal to pathos actually confirms to me the validity of all my previous comments, both in this thread and in all other threads like it (can you believe this thread is almost two years old???). Honestly, nothing seems to rile people up as much as telling them that there are guidelines to uniforming which they are not following - why do people take this so personally? It's such a small little thing to take off a few pins or to more a few patche

We have a new CM that knows it all because, well you know. He poked my kid the other day and stated loudly, "he can't that have that patch there, you know". Its a Whittlin' Chip patch on his right pocket flap on a Webelos uniform. Maybe it can be there, maybe it cant. I have seen the arguments on that one. I DO know that the minute he poked my kid it fused that patch to the shirt more firmly that badge magic and it just wont come off now.

All Unique and Timely Abuse Claims = All claims that are unique (not duplicates) and timely (filed by the deadline in November) All Not Barred Unique and Timely Abuse Claims = All claims that are unique (not duplicates) and timely (filed by the deadline in November) and within the statute of limitations deadline for that state (not barred).

When made adventure and patrol method the two highest priorities of the program. We started with 15 scouts and 10 years later our troop of around 100 scouts was producing an Eagle every 2.5 months. The average age of the scouts going through their EBOR was 16.5 years old. Like your troop, advancement was not a high priority. But, when the scouts enjoy a fun program in the outdoors, advancement activities are a natural by-product of a healthy patrol method program. Most of the Scouts didn't even realize they were close to Eagle when they started to look at it seriously. When puberty

We recently had a camp out where there were no activities planned during the day. Just camp and figure it out. During the day, the scouts went on a hike, bike ride and had fun in camp. When we asked the adults at the next meeting how the outing went, another leader who was present complained that we didn’t have enough activities. This was from someone with no youth scouting experience. The PLC liked the outing and had no concerns or complaints… they had fun. Many adults seem to think that if you don’t have an agenda of activities and advancement then the outing wasn’t fully u

I have this discussion with Scouts when they are earning their Cyber Chip. Here is the gist: If what you are doing with your device would violate any part of the Scout Oath or Law, don't it. Now, Johnny, let's talk about some examples... 1. The SPL says bed time is 10 pm. I do a walk-around at 10:15 and see the blue glow of your device through your tent. What part of the Scout Oath or Law applies? 2. Your patrol mate is giving a talk on how to pack a backpack, and you are playing a game or watching a video on your phone. What part of the Scout Oath or Law applies? 3.

This is how scouting urban legends begin. To clarify, no, there is no rule in any BSA documentation that says a scout can't have a cell phone. The shirts used to have pockets to hold phones. If the troop wants to prohibit them that's another issue. However, other than crazies like me who like nice cameras, people use cell phones for cameras. It sounds like a dumb decision from this adult.

I think that there are many better places to wear that parent pin. When you are in uniform everyone knows that you are supportive of your daughter, the Scout. What about when you aren't in uniform? How do you express it then? My dad was an ASM the entire time I was a scout. He later was SM for many years after I was gone. I never felt like he didn't support me because he didn't wear a pin on his uniform. I was super proud when he had his pin on at church or work though. Lastly, I would ask that you think about your role when you are in uniform. When you are in uniform you are n

Back in the day, we used green ribbon and a straight pin for the Mothers' Pins as they were called. I personally despise the new necklaces as they are designed for Cub Scouts and Scouts, BSA. I am sorry but it is two distinct programs. The two programs need their own ribbons/necklaces. On a uniform note, There is no prohibition on wearing the necklace with the uniform. Although I still think the leather rounder temp patch with the mentor and parents pin is better.

Putting words into somebody's mouth is rarely a good idea, and rest assured, I always read my own messages. I never once said "I disapprove." You might infer it, but you can't claim I said it, and just to reinforce my point - I express no disapproval of anybody's uniform, despite the fact that I do openly state my disagreement with the position of some regarding parent pins upon them. But they are two different things, and I'd appreciate if you wouldn't try to divine what I do or do not approve of when I am perfectly capable of doing so myself. I will define my own opinions - not you. Thank yo

This is simply not true, regardless of the fact that it may violate BSA policy. I would never be so callous as to voice 'disapproval' of somebody's uniform, however egregious its errors may or may not be. I don't know whence this suggestion comes. But this discussion is about the parent pins, not the knots; consequently, I think it's important to use better terms for this conversation. Approval has nothing to do with this. It's not my place to approve or disapprove of these things, nor anybody else's. Approval is not the point of this discussion. However, there are very clear, and I dare

One thing I saw someone wearing was a leather rounder with Eagle mentor pins on it. He wore it as a temporary patch. If I was to wear unofficial pins, I would go this route.

Actually, parent pins shouldn't be worn on the uniform, and there's really nothing to be gained by doing so. Let your child represent him- or herself in the youth uniform. You best represent the Scouts by being properly uniformed yourself, and part of that means remembering that parents' pins are meant for non-uniform wear. Nowadays, there are nice parent ribbons available at the Scout Store on the which you may place your pins, but again, those are not to wear on the uniform. In our troop, when we present our parent pins we remind them that while they are lovely reminders of their child's acc

I think that if the youth are 'disappointed' because a leader isn't wearing his Eagle Mentor pins on his uniform, it's only because they needed to be taught better principles more clearly. First of all, if you were to change into a suit coat to receive the mentor pin and change back after, that would do the exact OPPOSITE of denigrate the significance of the uniform - rather, it would be a powerful demonstration of how much one honors the uniform and its proper wearing, and if anything, would only serve to increase its esteem and respect. I taught my Webelos Scouts about the importa

Sadly there are people who would consider it battery and try to press charges. True story, a long time Scouter was retired and worked for a Scout Shop for a little extra money. A brand new Cub Scout and his mom came in and was getting uniform, books, etc. Scouter showed the new Cub how to wear a neckerchief by rolling it up, putting the slide on it, PLACING THE NECKERCHIEF AND SLIDE ON THE SCOUT (emphasis), and pushing the slide up. This was done in the Scout Shop with other people and the mother present. Mom freaks out and files a complaint against the Scouter for inappropriate tou

If he truly poked (touched)the child that is physical abuse of a youth member under youth protection and he should be reported if he want to get all legal about scout rules.