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I'll attempt to keep this short, even though it is a complex subject with complex issues. It really depends on how you define strong leadership. Visibly strong adult leadership CAN be a negative, if it is quashing the boys ability to be strong leaders. In my mind, it is a strong program lead by scouts. The scouts take charge and create, lead and maintain a program that they enjoy and will participate in regularly and for an extended period. Scouts will figure out what they like to do and do it. In many really strong units, there always seems to be 1 or 2 or 5 or so really good youth l

Certainly is, but if it works more power to you.

So are they paying the camp staff? I am not sure why specifically, but that feels like that could be problematic to have a unit that is paid.

Scuttlebutt at Jamboree was coed Cubs, parallel track for middle school (Scouting), which would feed into the current coed Venturing. It seemed to be a forgone conclusion the Eagle would be offered for both tracks. But that was admittedly speculation (as if the rest wasn't). There was also discussion that initially there was talk of a phased approach starting this Fall, but that was scrapped for one time COMPLETE change next Fall. "Family Accessible" was discussed repeatedly and regularly emphasized that it was meant to allow families to have an opportunity to bring Johnny and Jenn

We are very fortunate in my council, the Great Smoky Mountain Council. Our summer camp is almost dead center of the path of totality. I think we are only 3-4 second shy of the maximum length of time for totality in our area. The Camp is completely booked and the council has activities planned. The OA will be providing service. Most local schools are out. We have troops from far away councils coming in and making a weekend of it, complete with shooting sports, opening the water front and I even believe the COPE course. The downside is I was told the state EMA is expecting 2.4 million ve

I would be surprised if the "process" of the Eagle project contributed much if anything in causing a scout to "eagle out." It would REALLY have to leave a bad taste in their mouth. Once they have been awarded their Eagle, the paperwork is almost nil, unless they are chasing NOAM or Hornaday. A CC spending 2 hours?!? No. A few minutes at most. An Eagle Advisor or SM, I can see that depending on how well the scout has put together their book. Three decades later, I have no idea where anything related to my project is. But I have been through several moves and lost a house to a hurricane

I have never heard of a council chartering a unit. But just because I have not seen it, does not mean it cannot. I would say I can see the council balking at the idea because then they would own and be liable for the unit, providing meeting space, potentially the council diverting funding to a unit, the appearance of anything that other units may consider preferential treatment, etc., all of which could cause some issues. Another downside it creates a precedent that puts them in a difficult position if they decline to charter another unit for any reason. Then of course there is th

The OA requires 6 contiguous days and 5 nights resident camp. I have never seen it defined as such, it may be, but resident Camp is taken to refer to the Council Summer camps. That makes sense because much of the OA's service is to those camps as well as promoting it.

Actually there are rules. The Unit Committee may make nominations (not elections) for adults become a member of the Order of the Arrow. A Unit Committee may nominate one leader for every three scouts elected to the OA during a given election. The Scoutmaster does not count against that number. So if I troop elected three (youth) members to the OA, the Committee may nominate one adult, 4 youth elected allow 2 adult nominations, 7 youth 3 adults and so on. The Unit Committee may also nominate the Unit Leader as well, and not count against that number. Those nominations are given to the

Welcome!

Why? I learned invaluable lessons on my project. It took a great deal of planning, budgeting and negotiating. I had adult professionals and craftsmen coming to me to ask me what to do, some of who I had worked for on Summer jobs. If they saw a problem they would come to me for solutions, even though they could have kept moving forward without my input. But they guided me through the tough spots without taking over. I gained a great deal of confidence, learned how to solve real world problems, had to deal with budgets and cost overruns. There was plenty of "sweat equity" too, site prep, fra

Volunteers that are needed to do work can be adult and youth, particularly if some of the skills needed are out of reach for the Scouts. What is important for the Eagle candidate is that HE do the planning and leadership. My Eagle project was rehabilitating a church. It took about 5 months of steady work and portions needed master craftsman to do. I and my friends did a good bit of work but when it came to foundation work and electrical work, the adults did the work, I managed it, the adults were primary and friends and I helped were we could. Other things the youth did all or most o

I'm not as familiar with Pack operations as I am with Troops, but I do know it is much more adult driven. But at the front end they are identical; IH > CoR > CC > {Committee} > Unit Leader. In Troops direct contact leaders and committee are mutually exclusive, on paper if not in practice, meaning one cannot serve in both roles. I believe it is the same for packs. First, adults doing battle is never a good thing for any Unit. But I guess it all depends on your motivation. If your primary concern is your sons den, the run the program laid out BSA and steer clear of the Commi

Recruiting volunteers IS the committees job, not the Scouts. Planning the program IS the Scouts job, not the committees. I agree that there are limitations that may prevent Scouts from realizing their plan, but the committee should be making every effort to help the Scouts make their plan a reality. If limitations prevent that, the committee should recommend solutions, but not dictating the program features. If you said the Scouts should get off their backsides and earn the money to go where they want, I would agree, a Scout is Thrifty. But if a Unit is not running properly and th

I didn't need to read past that sentence to understand the problem. The troop committee should not be choosing anything. Boy Scouts is boy-led, if your troop is functioning as it should. The committee should really only be recommending changes to the program the Scouts develop if the program a) violates BSA policy b) does not follow Guide to Safe Scouting parameters c) is not feasible d) the charter organization has specific reasons not to allow some part of the program because it violates their core tenets But it doesn't even sound like the Scouts are planning their own

Public school and Charter requirements would be in conflict. Even an organization at a public school could face the same issue depending on the local/state laws.

Yes. I have seen Catholic, Jewish, and LDS churches have closed units. I think a school should fall under those principles as well, but it might depend on whether it was a public or private school. That determination might be best made by someone with knowledge of your local legal system.

Question:If looser had to pay and Satan had lost, where would they have sent the bill? That is just to interesting to leave alone ;-)

That is my understanding from professionals I have spoken with. As for NJCubScouters assertion that no defense will be necessary, I have seen many a well define and even legally valid policies tested in court, repeatedly.

I guess we will disagree about it being an attack, but comparing someones position to racism certainly looks and sounds like the proverbial duck. I have not read every word of every post in the thread, but the vast majority of post on this subject have not been based on moral objections, though I am sure there are some that have them. Most of the objections I have read are about eligibility, logistical impact and legal concerns. And while the debate over "gays" certainly was held primarily over moral issues, the issue around "girls, and trans" is about eligibility. BSA has had eligib

Doohhh! Thank you sir.

It is my belief that God create everything. By your logic we should question nothing and except everything.

Point well taken. Is it so different from this debate?

With all due respect you, intentionally or otherwise. Col. Flag asked what BSA gained from making a stand on this policy, rather than staying status quo. You replied equating his remarks to racism. "You could have just as easily asked, what did they have to gain by letting "Colored kids" go to schools with white kids? " Then you said the decision to make the change was morally superior to not making the change. "I'd say they have the gained the moral high ground by doing the right thing." Then you told him he was wrong. "I believe now, just as then, you're on the wrong si

I won't try to put words in Stosh's mouth, but generally and historically speaking freedom of association has aligned about creating and joining rather than abandoning and dismantling. Protections offered by the constitution have been aimed at preventing the state from attempting to diminish, discourage or destroy the rights of people to associate with those of similar beliefs. Change from within would be characterized by building consensus based on merits of a policy change. I don't know anyone, opponent or proponent of recent policy changes, that would argue these changes came from build