Sentinel947

Good luck! If you get stumped, let us know! Thanks for volunteering!

This scenario is actually really common. It's how my troop was growing up and how my current troop operates. In many units it's an ingrained tradition. "but we've always done it this way." It's wrong as far as the BSA is concerned. I think it's unnecessary to retest Scouts. Generally I don't think it points to abusive adults, merely misguided ones. So OP, if your son likes this troop otherwise, I'd play along. If not, look for another troop. I'm a ten year insider and I can't change this culture in my troop. A fairly new parent will simply be brushed aside as being a meddler and a helicopter.

Cambridge, I'll be able to keep Packsaddle company when we are both stuck awake tonight. =P. Good thing I keep my camping gear under the bed. No room for the dog or the licker. SSScout, I love that skit idea. JBlake: the worm story sounds hilarious!

I'm getting a few Flag Reports about this thread. I think the question has been answered satisfactorily. Sentinel947

I'm not for this, but I can't put my finger on why exactly. I've never seen an official BSA publication or anything historical advocate for this approach, nor am I aware of it being part of Wood Badge.

Just to summarize as most others have hit my points. If you are running an OA, District, Council or National Event, the event should not take place on an important religious holiday. As for your unit, that depends on the Scouts in the unit. If you know you have no Jewish Scouts, then camping over Yom Kippur would be fine. If you do, then by camping on Yom Kippur you exclude those Scouts, which isn't fair. I feel like it's pretty common sense here. Yours in Scouting, Sentinel947

Stosh: I'm going to be frank, I'd appreciate if you stop putting words in my mouth. I'd appreciate if you take comments with a grain of salt, and don't automatically assume the worst about every other poster here and their methods and practices. I can jump the shark and make erroneous suggestions about you, but I don't because I value your opinions, I admire the way your run your troop, and I enjoy having a dialogue on how to better serve my Scouts. When discussing posts, I always try to assume good will and that people are doing right by their Scouts until hard evidence otherwise. So let

I agree with Fred here. We shouldn't wait till the end of a Position of Responsibility to talk to a Scout about how the job is going. That's not fair to them.

With all due respect, your CC needs to stay in his lane and stop back seat Scoutmastering. If he's trained, he needs to do his job and let you do yours.

You cannot save a Scout from their parents. We know the way the program is supposed to run. We know that rank advancement is a means to an end. Many parents view Eagle as the most important end to the program.

Likewise in my unit, our Assistant Scoutmaster's also conduct Scoutmasters conferences due to the size of my troop. 80+ Scouts. The BSA's training on SMC's can be found here. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/18-629.pdf "In large troops, delegating this function may be necessary, especially when large numbers of Webelos Scouts are joining the troop. In these cases, an experienced assistant Scoutmaster can fill in to conduct the Scoutmaster conference. Remember however, that this first Scoutmaster conference is vital to the new Scout’s development. Even in a large tr

Hello! Welcome to Scouter.com As a 20 year old ASM myself, I think JASM is a great way for Scouts near to aging out to begin the transition to being an Adult leader. What that means in practice is up to the Scoutmaster of your Troop. In my troop, JASM's function largely as advisors to the SPL and Patrol leaders. They are there to coach those other leaders when they are stumped or need a little bit of help. Perhaps this will help you. http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php...nt_Scoutmaster Note according to BSA policy, ASM's should not be doing Scoutmaster conferences. Certainly th

So where do you send 300 or so campers during severe weather?

Having read the document in question, it still doesn't validate the camp leaders directive.(Not that you said it did NJ) While two leaders on the trip is a barrier to abuse and good for oversight and safety of the Scouts, both leaders do not need together at all times. I do prefer have other adults within sight of me at all times, but it's not required as long as we aren't one on one with Scouts. What creates problems with the YPT training is when people take the rules that are meant to be separate as being together. Two leaders on the outing. No one on one contact. Having the two leader

As far as I understand, there are two YPT rules that are separate and distinct. My knowledge of applying it to cubs is sketchy, since I've never been a cub leader. (Buyer beware!) Rule one: no one on one contact. Rule two: two adults( one who's over 21 and registered and YPT trained) on every trip. These rules do not necessarily apply together, IE Two adults within view of each other regardless of the number of Scouts. While having two adults go with the Cubs provides more oversight for everybody, it's not required by BSA rules. I believe however, it's preferable to have one parent go with two

As a leader who's been awarded a mentor pin, I'd thought I'd weigh in. I don't wear mine on my BSA uniform because it is unofficial. I don't correct other people who do wear them. I wear it with pride on my lapel when I go to church or the rare occasions I attend COHs not in uniform. I'm not going to comment on UP other than it's not worth pissing people off over mentor pins or other tiny details of the uniform.

Two sides to every story, but that situation is insane. I also imagine that the council executive is out of his mind or does not understand the situation or the laws.

I like Ricks answers as well. I like the discussion we are having. Perhaps the question belongs in a new thread but, why girls? Isn't there value, like in single sex sports leagues, in giving boys and girls a place where pressure to impress the opposite sex is not present?

Your son's Scoutmaster is probably well intentioned, but that is not a real regulation. The Scout leader understands that a Scout should do merit badges with a variety of counselors, but he cannot MAKE a Scout use a variety of counselors.

To whom it may concern: After watching this thread a little longer, I'm going to have to say a few more words. From this moment on, any insults or ad hominem attacks will be removed. Un-Scoutlike language will also be removed. If after my cleaning of your post, you believe it was unjustified, I'd be happy to talk to you over Private Message about it.(Provided that PM's work.) I will leave my name on the edit notes. I don't want to, but if I have to I will close the thread. This is not aimed at anybody specifically. Both the progressive and conservative sides here have done this

In my unit, JASMs are former SPLs and generally Eagle Scouts who are close to aging out. We use it as a transition to being an adult leader. Two deep on outings and no one on one contact are two separate and distinct rules. Only the scoutmaster at a PLC meeting is keeping with the rules. It is mentioned in the Scoutmasters handbook. If anybody is interested I can find the page.

I don't have much to add, having no children myself, my first impulse is giving the Scout a second chance. Part of that is dependent on the individual Scout. The more I read the posts of Parents here, I realized that the interest of the troop, and the trust that parents must place in the Troop, far outweighs the rehabilitation Scouting might be able to do for the Scout in question. I do not agree with posts that advocate giving him Eagle anyways. Rank Advancement is not an end to itself. it does not exist in a vacuum outside the program. The Scout committed a crime, while with the Troop.

At the risk of being accused of Administrative Censorship, I'd like to throw my two cents into the wind here. After six pages of rehashing the same points and trying to catch the opposing side in "gotcha" statements, What is going to be accomplished with this thread? I think it is about time that this thread dies a noble, natural death. (Which is hypocritical of me posting, and prolonging the thread.) There are more personal attacks here then I could possibly censor if I had either the time or desire to. I respect every bodies passion for culture war issues, but I don't think they a