Jump to content

ParkMan

Members
  • Content Count

    2293
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    52

Everything posted by ParkMan

  1. A Scout has say in who the merit badge counselor is. It's no different. They could work with their parents to choose a MBC that they want. There's no difference here at all. Pick a MBC that is of a like pursuasion. It's not tough. No one is telling the Scout what they have to believe - just that they need to think trough how they relate to someone. In fact it's a very good skill for someone to have to learn how to relate to someone that has a lifestyle the disagree with religiously. There's no wedge here at all.
  2. I am being serious. This is the crux of my point. A lot of people seems worried about political indoctrination here but are missing the clear parallel with the religious aspect of the program. In both places, the BSA wants to get kids thinking and talking about how they conduct themselves. In the religious setting, they want kids to think about how the demonstrate their duty to god. In the area of diversity, equality, and inclusion the BSA wants to get kids thinking about how they conduct themselves and in act in a country where different races, genders, sexual preferences, and gende
  3. How does this MB change the ideal of Scouting? The Scout Law includes: Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Cheerful, and Brave. The Oath contains: "help other people at all times" These all have some bearing how on we should approach the topic of diversity, equality, and inclusion. I see nothing in this MB that does anything other than get kids to think about the world they live in with using the framework of the Scout Oath & Law.
  4. And to someone who doesn't want their kid discussing religion it's no different. The DE&I requirements don't state what the answer is, it states the questions to asks and topics to consider. A Scout can define the answers however they want to. How is that any different?
  5. What I believe I keep reading is lots of concern that someone might have a discussion with kids that has a political aspect to it. I'm fine to agree to disagree in the ability of people to not get too political in a Scouting context. But, even if someone were to get political with your kids - what is the primary concern?
  6. But there is: In the Webelos level there is a Duty to God adventure. At the Bear level there is a Fellowship and Duty to God adventure At the Wolf level there is a Duty to God Footsteps adventure At the Tiger level there is Tiger Circles: Duty to Good At the Arrow of Light level there is Arrow of Light Adventure: Duty to God in Action It's well known that at Eagle Boards candidates often are asked how they demonstrate their Duty to God. Further, they are required to submit a letter of recommendation from a faith leader or parent that supports that.
  7. Thank you for the very well thought out reply. This is useful. I'm following you here. From what I read here, you are more concerned with kids hearing about the politics surrounding diversity, equality, and inclusion. Two honest questions: 1. Is it fair for me to infer that you are not concerned with discussions about inclusion and equality itself? 2. Why does your child engaging in a 2-4 hour discussion about these issues concern you? If we frame the merit badge correctly, then it should not be a session to teach political ideologies. It should, instead, be a v
  8. It does make we wonder though - what are the sensitive issues that people fear in the space of diversity, equality, and inclusion?
  9. Thank you for the thoughts on this. My primary complaint with this merit badge is that it is simply scope creep. I simply don't agree with the continued movement that thinks Scouting needs to be all things to all people. But, that's a discussion for another topic. In this recent round of national debate on the topic, my kids who came to me and asked why I was not more concerned about discrimination. Based on that, I took a step back and listened more intently. I was struck not by listening to the fiery speeches, but I was struck by the quiet stories of people who still felt disc
  10. I could not agree more that this is where Scouting should focus with the youth. Very well said!
  11. Sorry - that's not what I meant. This is a great place for working through our thoughts and I really did appreciate all your thoughts and energy on this. I just don't know that I have much more to add to this topic. To me, this is a merit badge that while not perfect and certainly boring, can have some redeeming value if we let it. Yet, I don't feel so strongly on it that it's right of me to advocate too much for a particular approach here beyond what I mentioned before.
  12. Hey @InquisitiveScouter - Sorry I missed this earlier. Didn't mean to offend. It just felt to me like you an @CynicalScouter were getting pretty worked up over having this merit badge and the political implications of it. i.e. - discussions of opting out of the MB because of laws the prevent sex education. Sounds like I mis-read it. My mistake. I just think that we should look at this merit badge as an opportunity for youth to consider how they relate to each other. We live in a country today that's becoming increasingly polarized - often because of political beliefs. This MB c
  13. @Jameson76 Thanks for the thoughts. Perhaps I live in a Pollyanna world, but I just think this merit badge would work better if we just let the Scouts think through these questions without the implicit or explicit sharing of personal politics of the adult leaders. Kids of today, especially those in their mid teens are very aware of current events. With the explosion of social media, kids today are living these issues in their daily lives. I have every confidence that if we adults step back and let these kids discuss these issues without adults interjecting our politics they'
  14. I choose to look at things like this and ask "what's the best way for youth to take advantage of this?" Given how polarized our country is today, I think a merit badge focused on getting kids to think about how they relate to others isn't such an awful idea. It's fine for us to agree to disagree. I do think folks get where I'm coming from here. I don't see that I have anything else constructive to add.
  15. @CynicalScouter & @InquisitiveScouter - I think you two need ratchet down the angst a few orders of magnitude here. When I read these requirements, this sounds to like two pretty commonly accepted principles: Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself If the adults can keep their hands off this merit badge and let a youth do as the merit badge says, it's allows the youth to go through a thought exercise in how they relate to others. Are they welcoming of others, how do they treat others, do they unknowingly act in a discrim
  16. Yes - because the minute a Scoutmaster announces the merit badge as: Then it prejudices the content. I am fine discussing that this is a topic that involves some politics, but let's leave our own personal politics out of this. We do not need a Scoutmaster in that 10-30% who doesn't believe that discrimination exists injecting their own personal beliefs. Let's make this about listening to others. Let the Scouts recognize that whether they think discrimination exists of only part of the conversation. Equally important is whether people perceive that they are being discriminated
  17. I would encourage us to not put this merit badge in terms of politics. Let's focus on the goals and the content and use it to broaden the horizons of kids in the program.
  18. This seems like a trivial merit badge to earn. Basically you do: talk about some stuff around DEI - can probably be done in 30 minutes create and give a presentation - an hour maybe attend a local event - an hour or two depending on the event. In the grand scheme of things, this seems pretty simple.
  19. Thank you. I've had lots of good Scouters who I have worked with that encouraged me to stay positive as much as possible. As a long time district volunteer, I think you can have a far bigger impact locally than you may realize. My .02 - find yourself a commissioner role. That's a great way to share your passion for building a better program for kids. It's a great way to serve as a coach, mentor, and role model to other Scouters.
  20. Respectfully - I think you're wrong to quit. There are no guarantees of success in anything we do. All we can do as people is look at the options that are out there and make the best choices possible. Kids needs people like you to bring the program to life. I'd encourage you not to get caught up in the hyperbole that Scouting is run by awful, evil people - it is not.
  21. I guess I'd answer that two ways. 1. For your average unit Scouter, what would you have them do? They are trying to build a local program, trying to have enough kids in the program so that their own kids can have others to Scout alongside. But, I don't think we should encourage local unit Scouters to hold their heads in shame because they want to run a Cub Scout pack or a Scouts BSA troop. 2. Yep - at the higher levels where you are dealing in public opinion of course they need to have a campaign to market Scouting to a new generation and especially as we come out of this dark peri
  22. You're buying in too much to the hyperbole. The BSA is not the evil organization that some make it out to be. Yes, it had a dark period. Yes, it has and continues to make shortsighted decisions in the belief that is has to chase members. But, the BSA of today isn't as bad as the press would make it seem.
  23. I understand what you are saying. It's possible to believe in the core concepts of the program and think that those concepts are good. For those who really believe in those concepts it's not a stretch at all to call those concepts the best. Ideas based around developing youth, helping them to experience the world, to learn about the outdoors, do develop confidence in their actions. These are all good, noble pursuits. It's also possible for that same person to look at the entity known as the BSA and recognize that it has made numerous, colossal mistakes. Of course we look at the BS
  24. My gut tells me that this is an intractable argument. Is Scouting the best youth activity or not. Somehow I think that there is a direct correlation between the amount of time you spend on Scouting and your belief in the strength of the program. I do find that lots of people talk up Scouting. That's a good thing too and is very healthy at the unit level too. Most people want to be on a "winning" team. I would encourage people to believe in the core program, but also be willing to recognize problems and try to solve them head on. There's nothing wrong at all to recognize the weakness
×
×
  • Create New...