scoutldr

The bottom line is, the unit leaders are responsible for the safety of your scouts. I would discuss this with your District Executive as a "youth protection" matter. They may have some ideas. But be prepared to find another location to conduct activities if city council is not receptive to your concerns.

FIrst of all, are you a registered leader of this unit? It's not stated in your post, but you appear to be. If so, what is your registered position? This is a matter for the Pack Committee Chairman and the Chartered Organization Rep (COR). They should a) conduct an audit of all Pack accounts. b)make sure all boys and leaders are properly registered before conducting activities. These are liability issues. Also, I'm not aware of any "assistance" programs, except camp scholarships that you would have to apply for. Sounds like "one hot mess" as we say in the South. Good luck.

I'm still a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) working as a Navy civilian. Target retirement date is 12/31/16...if the stock market cooperates.

It's been awhile and we have a whole new crew on board, so I thought I'd bump this topic back to the top! So what do y'all do for your day job?

Well, this takes the cake, in my opinion. Wife told me last night about a friend's grandaugter who has started "Elite Competitive Travel Cheerleading". She's 3 years old.

Sounds like the SM is administratively challenged! You could volunteer to be a Committee Member and help out....like Advancement Chairman. WHen I was a struggling Cubmaster with a pack of 150 (15 dens and 5 Webelos Dens). I had a few moms take pity on me. Things ran a lot smoother after that.

Agree with Calico. I have the same reaction when I see military wives wearing miniature insignia of their husband's awards. Pilot's wings, officer crests, submarine dolphins, SEAL trident, etc. "YOU didn't do that. Someone ELSE did that." (to use a now famous quote.)

My dad was buried in his Navy Chief's uniform, with my Eagle rank badge in his hand. As an Explorer, I never got to wear it.

Did my first EBOR as a District Rep for the first time in a long time last night. I always get more out of them than the Scout does, and this one was no disappointment. What an amazing young man. Smart, articulate, a lot of horse sense for a young man of 18. Proud that I had some small part in the program that produces that, but I also realize it takes a village...strong parents, strong teachers, strong peers, and a strong faith. He's only been a scout for 4 years, never a Cub Scout, but was enticed by a friend to go skiing with the troop and never looked back. Honor graduate from MY high school, 43 years later. Now a freshman in college. THAT's why I keep doing this. Once in awile I need reassurance that the world will be ok after I'm gone.

Sorry to see anyone leave in frustration over a forum. I remember the days when Ed Mori and Bob White used to duke it out. It could get bloody...and embarrassing when you realized that there are hundreds of "lurkers" (youth and adults) getting their impression of Scouting from the comments here. BD, thank you for toiling in the trenches, where the rubber meets the road. That's where Scouting takes place, after all. Not here, Not in Irving, Not at the Council office full of overpaid Executives. You may never know the impact that you made on impressionable young men, but if you have saved just one, it was worth it. Scout on, brother.

Personally, I never notice what "section" I am reading. I just click on "new posts since my last visit". Matters not to me if it is in I&P or something else. People who are unhappy with the forum should have seen it 5-6 years ago. A few of us who are still around know what I mean. It could get downright nasty. Scout on!

The parents in the troops that I served were never a bother, in fact they were very supportive. That being said, I get that things have changed for the worse in the past 20 years. In this case, I would meet with the parent the first time and hear her concerns. Then I would "educate" her in the methods of Scouting and explain that advancement is the Scout's responsibility, not mine, not hers. When he meets the standard, he will be signed off. Period. There are no "gimmes", except maybe at MB fairs or summer camp. I have heard the horror stories of how these "helicopter moms" will even call their "child's" college professor and complain about this and that. The professors usually refuse to talk to them...and rightly so. Parents need to cut the umbilical cords. They are not doing them any favors.

Bump. The deadline is nigh...

How challenging can it be with 30 secret service agents within arm's length? This is nothing more than another narcissistic publicity stunt.

It wouldn't have happened to my parents because there was no such thing as "summer homework". When you got off the bus that last day, you were "free" until the day after Labor Day, unless you had "failed"' (yes they actually used that word) and had to go to summer school, which was the ultimate embarrassment. If you didn't make it up in summer school, you did not "pass" and repeated the grade. Only the "dumb" kids had to repeat grades and our parents admonished us that, unless we made the grade, we would be doomed to a life of ditch-digging or being a garbage man. And you know what...just had my 30th high school reunion. My parents were right. Those who were screw-ups in school are still screw-ups. I'm not impressed with these advanced programs like IB and AP courses or the handle "gifted". I just wish high schools would concentrate on teaching them to read and write standard English grammar and how to balance a checkbook before teaching them about International Relations. As an employer, I don't care how many AP classes you had, if you can't write a coherent report.

This was from the old lodge next door to mine...now called Wahunsenakah http://www.kecoughtan.com/463flaps.html

I have been ELCA all my life. I'm pretty sure what their policy will be, since they are ordaining gay clergy. At least one of those Lutheran "spln-off" groups was in protest to the ELCA's policy on homosexuality.

Welcome, Ian. Some of your "mates" are already at the campfire here. Just curious...in the US, we are all mostly volunteers with "day jobs", except for the "professional staff" who run the business of the local Councils. Are you considered a volunteer or a professional Scouter? What is your vocation?

But actually EARNING the badge is so hard...can't we just GIVE it to them?

I used to discourage scouts from signing up for MB that, at best, would result in a "partial" unless significant work was required pre- or post-camp. My experience is most partials go unfinished unless Eagle-required.

I always enjoy Eamonn's musings. Brings back my own memories. Going "out of council" to camp seems to be de rigeur now. Troops in my council seem to have 3 or 4 camps in their rotation, and scouts only get to our "home camp" once or twice in their scouting careers. Of course, our camp is on the coast and is pretty "steamy" weather wise, with the obligatory crop of ticks, chiggers and skeeters as big as buzzards. I remember nights as I lay in my rack and the temp was still over 90 at midnight in mid-July. The camps in the mountains seem to be more popular, but are a 5-6 hour drive from here.

http://www.today.com/parents/entitled-kids-these-parenting-tips-can-change-behavior-t32201#parents/entitled-kids-these-parenting-tips-can-change-behavior-t32201

Exposure to UV rays from the sun is just as much a fatal cancer hazard as is smoking. We ban smoking, don't we? Most people don't use sunscreen properly anyway, so it's a moot point. You need to be applying darn near half a bottle every time you put it on, which should be about every hour, depending on activity.

Adults can combine all of their years into one "Blue" star. That's what I have done. Will soon need to buy a 40.

Anyone else view this as a YP violation that needs to be discussed with the SE? I would also make sure that the boy's parents know what happened and let them consider their options. In some jurisdictions, this would be considered child abuse.