RememberSchiff

I have noticed Girl Scouts using power tools for their Gold Award. I saw one lass adeptly handle a Stihl chain saw. I wonder how many Gold Awards would be rejected as Eagle Projects over power tool restrictions? Apparently the mindset at the GSUSA is that girls should be empowered (their term) to use such tools by adults who properly instruct and supervise, as we would say "keeping the promise". Now wouldn't that be something if allowing girls in resulted in shaming the BSA to man-up to the same level. Geez, maybe our scouts could even shoot semi-auto. Or maybe, just maybe, allowing girls in will bring back a proper scout neckerchief to the BSA. Another $0.02

Snowshoes or other winter gear? We have rented canoes and PFD's, off-season, for use at the council camp lake. Pinewood Derby track?

If you had scouts setting forms, mixing and spreading concrete, wiring circuits, running pipe and soldering/connecting joints then we are agreement.

I doubt NESA did.

IMO, there should be serious scout "sweat equity" in the Eagle project. If a large portion of the project requires a higher skill set or older workers, another project should be considered. Another $0.02

Back to OP, I hope Scout Sydney Ireland is allowed to join so as to have a fair chance to justly earn her Eagle. Fair versus just. There is a difference, What is fair is not necessarily what is just. What is just may not seem fair. When I was young scout, just meant the same requirements for all scouts. When you earned your Eagle you stood with other scouts who shared the same accomplishments and not just the medal. No one was special. I struggled for months with the pull-ups and push-ups required for Personal Fitness but that was the standard and all Eagles met or exceeded those requirements. There were no 300lb Eagle Scouts; there were no Eagle Scouts with disabilities. All Eagles had a Rockwell uniformity. Years later, fair meant meeting similar requirements per special needs. Everyone is special, There were now alternate requirements. Every scout would now have a fair opportunity based on their abilities to earn Eagle. Just? I bet Scout Ireland could match or exceed my accomplishments towards Eagle. Maybe Scouting will open to all kids who must meet the same requirements for advancement. That sounds just to me. My $0.02

Yes. The "somebody" are all the young ("living as girls"?) women who wanted to join Boy Scouts, or as Venturers, and earn Eagle Scout but were turned away.

Yeah, maybe the marketing pitch will be If you are a boy, plan to be a boy, or even just want to be one of the boys at times ...you can be a Boy Scout. I think it will be another PR problem for BSA if the first female Eagle Scout is transgender. Use leadership to be proactive or be reactive and manage lawsuits? Another $0.02

Feb 3. The National Organization for Women issued a statement urging the youth organization to allow girls to join. NOW cited the efforts of a 15-year-old New York City girl to emulate her older brother, who is an Eagle Scout. The group released a statement urging the federal government to “prohibit any federal support for the Boy Scouts until the organization ends its discriminatory ban against girls.†“The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t offer the opportunity for co-ed scouting for our youth,†said NOW New York President Sonia Ossorio. “By enabling young girls and boys to learn formative skills side-by-side, Scouting can best offer empowerment for all young people to develop into confident leaders.†Boy Scouts communications director Effie Delimarkos said the BSA, which has some coed programs, views boys-only programs as a fundamental cornerstone of its mission. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/02/09/womens-group-calls-on-boy-scouts-to-allow-girls-to-join/ http://nownyc.org/press-releases/national-organization-women-calls-boy-scouts-america-end-discriminatory-policies-let-girls-join/

Whew, no mention in #7 of embezzlement of troop funds. Silly or insulting to adult Scouters? Scout Oath and Law seem sufficient to me. My $0.02,

Does your Council have a Conservation Committee? Around these parts, it seems downsized to just a couple of component task groups - Summer Camp Program and Camp Management. Council Conservation Committee Guidebook http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/430-022.pdf

IMO, scouting program changes in the 70's like the Improved Scouting Program, White Stag, and Eagle Advancement, did more irrevocable membership damage than membership policy changes. Even Green Bar Bill could not undo the damage! Let's see do I have this correct, any woman can be a Boy Scout leader (1988) but her daughters cannot join Boy Scouts unless they are transsexual? My $0.01,

Yes, but if scouts at that school unit cannot recruit their friends from other schools, they often leave scouting.

Interesting, yet the recent Boys' Life lists the Honorary President of the BSA as President Trump. Alternative facts?

IMO Secretary of State Tillerson gave a good speech as the "new guy" to his State Department staff today. I heard no references to Scouting but he did reference the New England Patriots "Do Your Job."

Today in a 56 to 43 Senate vote, Rex Tillerson was confirmed as the new Secretary of State.

Thanks for the reminder. There has been too little mention of Scout Sunday and even less of Scout Week.

Allow me to argue. This is a reactive and likely interim decision. The BSA should have allowed local units the "option" to remove gender identity from membership requirements. In a week, there will be another lawsuit arguing that if a transgender (biological) girl can join then a biological girl should as well. David CO makes a good point about requiring female leaders in units. One person tents next.

Now the second week of the Trump Presidency and none of the four Eagle Scout Cabinet nominees have yet been confirmed.

If I could just get Troop Committee to stop monkeying with website and start helping with activity coverage. Add your own.

If emperors, kings, presidents, and prime ministers were all wonderful role models, would kids need scoutmasters?

David CO, NJCubScouter, Thanks. I did some further googling on fidelity bonding. My findings: - a dishonesty bond ( a type of fidelity bond) with blanket (all employees/volunteers) coverage seems to most relevant. - "provides protection from monetary or property theft or other employee misconduct that can result in a financial loss." - The non-profit organization buys at 0.5 to 1% of coverage? So if troop treasury is $5K then cost is about $50. Hmmm about the cost of BSA volunteer registration. If a "blanket" coverage, the number of employees covered also adds to cost. - "Just like any insurance policy, a fidelity bond comes with exclusions and limitations (deductible?). Once the claims process begins, the insurance company will launch an investigation and attempt to get all of the facts in order to process the claim." I bolded the above sentence as it sounds more appealing than the unit, police, or Council investigating. So does the CO include its unit(s) in a fidelity bond for its whole organization or seek a separate bond for each unit (presumably paid by unit)? https://www.trustedchoice.com/business-insurance/coverage-types/surety-bonds/fidelity/

Boys' Life February 2017 lists on page 2 the Honorary President, BSA - the President of the United States Donald Trump.

David CO on 22 January 2017 - 02:44 PM My CO insists that all officers be bonded. In the very unlikely event that someone absconds with the unit's equipment or funds, the insurance policy would cover the loss. The insurance company would then go after the culprit. The CO also owns the responsibility to secure their assets. This may include providing a secure storage space, insuring the assets from accidental loss, and bonding the people who have physical control over the assets. My CO does all of these things. I think the lesson to be learned here is that a CO needs to put a little more thought and effort into it before problems like this arise. After all, our motto is BE Prepared. This is the first that I have heard of this. Could you elaborate on bonding in your units? Which unit leaders? Who does the bonding? Thanks.

Apologies. In my OP, boy scout Christian James Sanchez was 13 years old.