scoutldr

Back in the day, we would have a standard "fee" for the weekend, say $5 for example. Collect the money up front a week before the campout. Take the cash with you to the store...that's all you have to work with. Sometimes the whole patrol would go shopping...and we learned how to comparison shop, budget our money, and not buy things we couldn't afford.

LOL..reminds me of the time when I was Cubmaster and a parent called to demand to know when meetings were going to start. I said, "as soon as you volunteer to become a Den Leader"...she got furious and demanded to speak to my "supervisor"...so I handed the phone to my wife.

I hear Ivory league is the way to go. The kids come out squeaky clean....maybe even SCOTUS material.

"Momma" shouldn't be doing any of it...these are BOY SCOUTS. (Just wanted to echo the other strong opinions above!)

Establishing a "club" with initiation "trials" is defined as "hazing" and is strictly prohibited (except for Order of the Arrow which is sanctioned by BSA and strictly monitored by adults). While I would have handled it differently, I will not second guess the adults who were there.

Historically, ALL of these aquatics patches (BSA Lifeguard, Aquatics Instructor, Mile Swim, Snorkeling, etc) go on the swim suit.

Unless it's changed, MBC are registered with the Council and do not need to be a member of a unit.

Simply explain to the parents that the BSA is a "binary" organization..."male" or "female"...there is no provision for other "identities" or "no identity". Let them discuss it with their child and let you know what they decide. If they don't like your answer, give them the number of your SE. What does not seem "right" to me is that society has deteriorated to the point that we have to have this discussion at all...especially as volunteers who are simply trying to help out.

Tell his parents that if he does not ""identify" as a boy, he is not eligible for membership. If he chooses to "identify" as a girl, he will have to wait until girls are admitted. Those are the only two choices available to them at the present time. Sheesh.

Reminds me of a lesson we were taught in Lutheran confirmation class in 1968. It is incorrect to call your church "St. John's Lutheran Church". The correct title is "St. John Lutheran Church." We don't have churches owned by Saints. They are all God's Churches. The Catholics disagree, apparently.

He wasn't just a few hours or days short of the requirement...he was TWO MONTHS short. He and everyone else knew this at his Life BOR and it should have been a topic of major discussion at that time. Sorry...the requirements were not met.

I don't care how many knots and doo-dads he has on his uniform. He's not "getting it". He needs to go.

Don't know when you made Eagle, but yes, times are different. We did a LOT of things back in the 60s and 70s without proper training that would make today's BSA lawyers apoplectic. The rules are there for a reason...to prevent kids from dying and to prevent you from losing all your worldly goods in a lawsuit. Your attitude scares me. Please get training and memorize the latest copy of the Guide to Safe Scouting (free online). It's for your own good, mate.

If you don't have current training in Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense (and preferably BSA Lifeguard), and don't know what you are doing, choose a different activity. Heed the above advice. Welcome to the discussions.

His treatment of the youth is clearly bullying. A clear Youth Protection violation. Report it as such. go directly to the Scout Executive...do not deal with the troop leadership any longer, since they are clearly incapable/unwilling to handle it. This man obviously has anger issues and needs to be removed from Scouting...permanently.

Then we're done here. Good luck and God bless.

I have sat on many EBOR, both in my own Troop and as the District rep for many other troops. I agree, this EBOR was flawed. Once the Board deliberates, the vote MUST be unanimous. If the EBOR denies the Eagle, it can be appealed to the District Advancement committee. And in my experience, it is a rubber stamp approval at that level. If the committee member had "reservations" about the Scout's worthiness, the time to abstain was when he was asked to be on the Board. That being said, the EBOR is a done deal. The District, Council and National have upheld the decision and the Scout has his certificate and medal in hand. He IS an Eagle Scout. Welcome to the Brotherhood of Eagles. The OP has been offered sound advice...echoed many times in this thread. Give it up...have your own ceremony, celebrate your Son's accomplishment with family and friends and move on with your life. Pray for those who have "wronged'" you, forgive them and give it to God to sort out.

I have been carrying an umbrella liability policy for almost 30 years. I don't know what BSA would do, but my assumption is their lawyers would do all in their power to find some infraction of BSA policy (or even BSA recommendations) to shed the liability to someone else. My insurance company's lawyers would probably be doing the same to avoid paying the claim. It's what insurance company lawyers are paid to do. Call me paranoid...but I have been able to sleep at night. It's relatively cheap insurance.

Well the final hole is: If you reported the YP violation to Council, and got no results, WHY did you keep subjecting your son (and yourself) to the bully for years? Tell the SM...and the SE in a firm letter exactly why you are leaving and find a new Troop that follows the Scout Oath, Law and YP requirements. I dunno...something doesn't smell right.

OK, I have to say this. You say you were a volunteer in Cub Scouts for 7 years. Thank you for serving. No doubt you took the required Youth Protection training which addresses the BSA's zero tolerance policy on bullying. You also assert that your son was constantly bullied by adults in his Troop the entire time he was a member. Did YOU report this to the Scout Executive as required by the YP requirements? If not, why not? The BSA has procedures in place for handling bullies and it should have been nipped in the bud. I'm not trying to cast accusations...just trying to close some holes in your saga that are gnawing at me.

The Scout is an Eagle...the EBOR was convened and he passed. His application was approved by the SM, the Troop Committee Chair, District, Council and National and he has his certificate and medal in hand. All this pontificating about a "valid" EBOR is moot. The only remaining question is why the jerks on the Troop Committee and SM are denying him a Court of Honor.

There are too many unexplained incongruences going on here. And I perceive a terminology problem. I suspect that when mich first said "council" they meant "troop committee". A COH should never be denied for "financial or time constraints"...have a potluck...spend a few bucks for paper plates. Our COH's were always conducted at NO expense to the troop. And what troop is so active that they can't carve out an hour for a COH? The allegation of "discrimination" still bothers me, while offering no reason for that perception. Is the Scout gay? Black? Muslim? Purple? Avowed atheist? None of those are valid reasons for denying a Scout anything after his Eagle rank has been approved by National. Were there behavior (Scout Spirit" issues? If so, then the Eagle SM Conference should have addressed that. Too many questions. And, as usual, we are only getting one side of the story. At this point, my recommendation would be to have your ECOH...plan it yourselves and invite who you want. THere are plenty of "templates" for ECOH online. Have your celebration and get on with your lives. Yes, you and your son deserve an explanation, but I doubt you will get it.

Wear the knots proudly!

My dad was a WWII submarine veteran. I learned from a very early age that submarines are "boats"...everything else is a "target".

One aspect I am still not clear on. At camps I have attended, "visitors" (even parents) who are not registered campers, must check in at the camp "office" and show ID, then get a wristband to show that they have been admitted. They cannot (or should not) be able to just park their car and then go wandering around looking for their kid. If this procedure was not followed, I would consider that a YP issue and needs to be corrected. It is also unclear to me if the Scout was part of a troop attending camp, or was a "provisional" camper? One cannot just show up at camp and pay your money on the first day. Was he not registered in advance, at which point the custody issue should have been clearly identified on the application?