Leaderboard

An effective manager, or leader, in scouting or elsewhere will strive to guide their subordinates rather than dictate to them. Hopefully the subordinate will then be able to realize the impact of their decisions while retaining their autonomy and without feeling as though they are being undermined by their manager; e.g. Instead of a manager saying to his employee: "You're doing that wrong You need to do it this way." The manager could say to the employee: "Why do you think that things aren't working in the way that you would ideally like them to? Are there things that could be done differently? What changes do you think might achieve different results? All of that said, this problem of bad scoutmasters and scout leaders is just far too epidemic, and I have personally encountered more than one scout leader who is completely driven and motivated by ego, power and maintaining control and who are completely unfazed or deterred by knowing that they are violating the GTA or GTSS. My older sons' scoutmaster went as far as to lie - yes, actually lie - with the malicious intent of derailing and undermining my son's advancement towards Eagle. My son was able to prove that the SM had lied and while the SM did a little back pedaling when he got caught, it really didn't change anything. This guy is still a scoutmaster today and still working with the same troop. I also know, personally, of a number of other similar scoutmasters who have operated this way and between this board and Ask Andy, I've read far too many stories of scoutmaster or scout leaders who do what they want to do regardless of BSA policies. The advice in these situations is always the same. "Find a new troop, vote with your feet" but that doesn't address the root of the problem. The BSA needs to maintain greater due diligence in ensuring that BSA programs are being administered properly. Good scouts are suffering and bad scout leaders are continuing to be bad scout leaders.

To everyone on scouter.com, Now that girls are already in the cub program and they are about to enter the scout program it's time to welcome them. That's a nice way of saying stop complaining about girls in the BSA. Every thread that is about girls entering troops has gone off the rails. There have been complaints about how the decision was made, the negative impact on boys, what's wrong with the BSA, and just a lot of anger. I understand that people want to complain in general but we can't have complaints about the decision to include girls any more. The reason is simple. No scout should feel unwelcome in this program. Any scout that abides by the Scout Oath and Law, or their parents, should never feel like they shouldn't belong. When people on this forum complain that the surveys were rigged or that girls will ruin it for the boys then the message every girl gets is that they aren't welcome and that their being in the BSA is a mistake. Now that girls are here the complaints need to stop and we have to welcome them. A scout is a friend to all. I'm not saying there can't be any griping anymore. The distinction between what I'm talking about and general frustration is simple. If a 12 year old girl reads a comment that says girls shouldn't be in the scout program of the BSA, or that the decision was a mistake, then that's what I'm talking about. For example, saying that you won't go to a summer camp or camporees where there are girls is just telling the girls they aren't welcome. Saying that your scouts have to get eagle and get out before the girls arrive is just saying girls aren't welcome. Saying that national didn't listen to everyone's opinion about girls is just saying nobody wants girls in troops. No girl in the BSA should read that on this forum. This argument is over. The BSA decided. It's time to be Obedient. For those that want to keep arguing there are a few options: 1) Accept the change. Be curious and see how this change plays out with an open heart. Girls are scouts and they're in the BSA to have fun with their friends in the outdoors. Change is always rough but it keeps happening. 2) Leave. Stand by your principles and realize it's time to move on and find another way to volunteer your time. BSA troops have changed and there's no going back. 2.1) Don't engage in these threads. For those that still want to be a part of the BSA but still aren't happy with girls: Understand that complaining about girls in the BSA has a negative impact on those girls, or their parents, that are reading these threads. Learn to let it go. 3) Fight it. You can PM me, the other moderators, or @SCOUTER-Terry if you don't like this decision. I'll be honest, we're tired of watching these threads. You can also just ignore this and keep complaining. Well, you can try but you're just going to make yourself bitter. And we'll remove your posts and ban you from this forum if you keep it up. @LeCastor, @RememberSchiff, @John-in-KC, @desertrat77, @NJCubScouter.

I started reading this forum last year, as a parent of a girl who wants to join BSA, with the idea of learning more about the BSA as I prepare to become a volunteer. It has been extremely helpful to read the range of opinions. I have been impressed by the number of people (too many for me to remember all their names) who, even though preferring for Boy Scouts to remain single gender, have been kind and courteous to answer my questions and give good advice as to how to have a good program for the girls. And I have been encouraged by the number of people who are obviously genuinely enthusiastic about girls in the program. I can put up with a few curmudgeons. Actually, I have appreciated hearing from them, also. I have appreciated learning, in this online forum, what some of the sensitive issues are. Better for me to learn that here, rather than to accidentally and unnecessarily annoy some of the old-time scouters in my town.

That would be up to the Chartered Organization to decide. I know of no rule that would prohibit a CO from having an election to choose the Scoutmaster. Many CO's have elections to choose their IH.

Week 7 July 21-27 at Philmont Training Center For both Youth and Adults. Sign up now!! These tracks will cover more than just paper targets. One track will follow Venturing Scouts–try your hand at shooting large bore rifles, sporting clays, cowboy action, three-gun, competition, and black powder rifles. Venturers even have the chance to get into Philmont’s backcountry! The second track allows Venturing Advisors to earn the NRA Instructors Certificate in pistol and shotgun! https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/PTC/conferencesO/VenturingShootingSportsSpectacular/

BSA used to have a manual called Commissioner Helps for Packs, Troops, and Crews, no. 33618. The last version I have was updated in January 2011. It is organized as a number of unit operational elements, with each element having one or more standards to be used by Commissioners in assessing a unit. It also includes a number of suggested actions Commissioners can take to help the unit achieve each standard. The standards for "Top Unit Leader" are: 1. The unit leader is fully trained, is respected by youth and other adults, and has a keen interest in youth. 2. [Troops and Crews] Youth have a major role in leadership. 3. The unit leader has a trained assistant leader for two-deep leadership and shares the leadership responsibilities. 4. [Crews] The crew Advisor is strictly an adviser and coach; Venturers run meetings and activities whenever possible. The listed "Commissioner Actions" are mostly what you would expect (take the leader to training and roundtable, for example), but no. 9 states: "Work closely with the head of the chartered organization to see that leaders are the type of persons you would choose to lead your own children." Useful feedback would be a checklist of specific standards that shows whether the unit is in compliance. The problem, as @SSF has noted, is that BSA isn't doing enough to ensure that units are doing what they are supposed to be doing. BSA doesn't have a mechanism for enforcing quality standards in units. For all of its hand-wringing about membership numbers, BSA seems to ignore the direct relationship between unit quality on the one hand and member recruitment and retention on the other. All recruitment is by local units. All retention is by local units. Membership numbers could be improved substantially if the vast majority of those units met quality standards of the kind found in the Commissioner Helps book.

Venturing Scouts ... deep sigh

Thank you for this. I’ve also gotten tired of the constant arguing and trying to turn back the clock. After years of advocacy for girls and gays, we finally have an inclusive program. The decision has been made and these girls - our girls - are going to be Scouts. Let’s give them an amazing welcome!

Thank you all for your input and advice. I have been following the thread, but unable to comment until this morning. Last night my son received a call from the district leader, who it turns out was the gentleman who told us to appeal. He told my son that even though in the original meeting they did not have a unanimous decision, there was another meeting where they went over his qualifications and reviewed his project again. This time he was approved. He is now an Eagle in waiting. He was told that the papers will be sent to National as soon as they get a signature from him due to it being a different date that his original BoR date. I didn't know they could do that, but I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. 😊 Thank you for all of your help. He was making notes from your comments and was drafting his appeal using your advice when he got the call. He, and I, appreciate it very much.