Jameson76

1972 was the BIG change. Many of the core badges (swimming / camping / cooking) were part of the group that could or could not be earned. That was the change wherein one could become Eagle and not have camped at all and basically not have gone outside at all

Maybe they have learned to give the expected answers, please the questioner. I typically get they feel first aid, the shooting sports, climbing, and camping as important.

My hope would be (though not likely) is that they actually take one of 2 paths for this new set of requirements. Whether one thinks the DEI initiative is a good thing or a bad thing, it is likely not going away. BSA National has opened the door, so they will not be able to close that door 2 Hopeful Paths Restructure the Citizenship Merit Badges to include some new items. Some of the DEI requirements could relate to community, nation, or world. Remove the Citizenship in the World MB from Eagle required and insert the (obviously reworked) DEI merit badge in it's place Dou

My thought is everyone read the floated proposed requirements and said WTH, this is worthless. Must have been a lot of pushback. The language was suspect at best and agenda driven at worst. They decided to punt.

If you recall Surbagh's Town Hall video, he as much admitted they (National gang) was pretty much out of ideas on how to add members to the program. The adding girls was a hail Mary. In reality they did not want to do the hard work of figuring out why some units succeed and others fail, that would require maybe a real reflective look at the program. Nope, it was the easy route they took "let's add girls". Not saying it was a bad idea, just need to be honest on WHY.

I had one of my Scouts ask me about some of the musicians (that they all seem to listen to now) from the late 70's and 80's. Specifically Bowie, Elton John, and Freddie Mercury. Did we care they were bi or gay, was that an issue, what did we think of them. My answer was that (and this sort of shocked them), they were more defined by their talent and what they actually did than their persona. Did not recall if they were openly out or swinging at the time, but everyone sort of knew it, but we accepted that they were talented, that is what mattered. I see the challenge today is that

There is no way to leave personal politics out of the discussion. Each of us brings our own experiences, political beliefs, personal beliefs into everything we do and express. To deny that is naive, we can try, but it is there. Also to deny the WHY of this merit badge is akin to putting one's head in the sand. It is being put forth as window dressing and to show compliance to an agenda. Now, can we as a nations do better, absolutely. Are we as a nation as bad as many have made it out to be, absolutely not.

I am not the one using this term (see below) in requirement #1 - Intersectionality. You speak of no politics, yet it is in the definition of the term Intersectionality is a theoretical framework for understanding how aspects of a person's social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. Examples of these aspects are gender, caste, sex, race, class, sexuality, religion, disability, physical appearance, and height. What exactly do you think the goals of this merit badge are? Are they to "broaden horizons" or are they to prove to many

Sadly you do not even have to attend a local event... or learn about such an event that occurred historically. 100% Classroom and discussion. No actual "doing". Just indoctrination

Great - another classroom MB. Quick read I can see this will be an MBU offering, if Scouts can stay awake, they are granted DEI and Scouts BSA improves it's wokeness factor

We have had recent visitors (AOL's) who the family definitely wants the Webelos III experience. Not so much Family Scouting but they want to stay in their group, advance together, etc etc. They also want the 60 page Troop handbook, specific advancement steps, very scheduled on outings and summer camp; etc etc. Our input is this is a boy led troop. The method is YOUTH led and each Scout finds their own path. We can facilitate, but it is driven by each Scout. Our success (IMHO) is judged by the number of Scouts we have a active that are in High School and come when they can because (w

Good Lord, that would be the end for many people. Just want we need, YPT zealots descending on a meeting to "evaluate" and offer their sage advice. All I can think of is the political officers spread throughout the Soviet Union to keep an eye on stuff and make sure everyone drank the appropriate amount of party Kool Aid That would in fact be the end of Scouting. Also, the family Scouting concept (for Scouts older than 11 years old or middle school) will be the final nail in the coffin

Reminiscent of Supreme Court Justice confirmation hearings. No real way to validate or prove truth, you either accept or you are believe in the rule of law want to see evidence. There is not an easy answer. As was the case for many of these incidents, there was just the two of them there - victim and abuser. No other eye-witnesses. No physical evidence. No incriminating diary or photographs. Just the accuser's account. Families, Councils, Law Enforcement (maybe), Chartering Organizations, Troop Committees...did what they could with what they have at that time

Don't forget, we all fund 4-H, so it's not apples to apples on program costs. Funding is through state budgets and taxes. It is part of Cooperative Extension offices, likely at the County level in many states. In Georgia it is run through the University System of Georgia This is an advisement from 2019 on budget cuts - Those include a combined $4.7 million cut from the University of Georgia’s agricultural experiment stations, three research centers that teach farming techniques and management in Athens, Griffin and Tifton. The school’s cooperative extension service, which runs ag

That was a long time ago, do not recall the youth(s) names as I was not directly involved.

It is a challenge with the age of accusations and the time in which they were handled. When I was a DE (Back in the 80's) there was a issue in one of the districts. None of the families wanted to formally involved the police. The CO (a church) did not want the police formally involved. As there was not a required reporter laws NOR shield protections laws, if we (the council) had called the police, that could have opened us up to slander issues. We terminated the alleged abuser's membership in the BSA, put his name in the file, and that was all we could legally and legitimately do AT T

Do not underestimate the damage done in the 70's with the ISP (Improved Scouting Program). That was a pivotal misstep and lack of direction and understanding by Ivory Tower National Leadership on how the program works. So many left youth and so many youth NEVER became Scouts and while that immediate loss was epic, the longer term an effect that has driven the quest for the golden ring of "membership" lo these last 50 years. Without being members as youth, many were not invested in the program. As adults they did not involve their kids, so less members. Rinse, lather, repeat. Nati

No matter how you may feel on this, biggest challenge is this is the continuing move away from our CORE COMPETENCY. Is this "Fun with a Purpose"? I would say no and it does not add value to the program. I am not suggesting that the possible issue may be important to society, but there are many many issues that may be important to society. The BSA cannot be all things to all people. The more we try the more we wander aimlessly with each special interest group looking to "mold" the Scouting movement in America to what they "feel" is important and critical. Stick with the basics, fo

Or younger. A 22 year old leader in 1985 would be 57 today. Mid eighties (83 - 87) is only (only...God I sound old) 37 years ago. I've got a Philmont belt older than that

Not dismissing the potential accuracy or validity of this claim, but how can the BSA (or any group for that matter) put up a reasonable defense again this claim? No real way to even verify the claimant was active in a unit at the time of the alleged abuse. As many have noted, unless there was an actual criminal complaint and conviction pre about 1980, the accuser could be liable for accusations. Basically a no win scenario now.

Again - the priorities continue to be way off base. Clueless being led by more clueless and being led by consultants with stock powerpoints so it seems they did something. Under BSA Council Basic Standards - they put the only mention of anything related to PROGRAM at the bottom. That is insane. THAT IS NUMBER ONE..PROGRAM DRIVES EVERTYTHING!! Under Council Performance Standards Charter they put RENTENTION way down the list. That is an indicator of (wait for it) PROGRAM...THAT NEEDS to be BE NUMBER ONE!! Under Leading Indicators of Successful Councils they do not even mentio

Boypower Manpower...worked so well in the late 60' and 70's. Basically DE's registered all the names one could find in the graveyards. That was followed by the always popular In School Scouting in the 90's, which got you lots of Scouts that had no idea they were Scouts as they used donations to provide registration fees. They will keep trying and trying quotas until they get it right

But .... but .... we are always told Scouting's a great value, less than sports..yada yada yada. Worth WAAAY more than being charged. Also they (National) did a survey and 129% of families want a program *like* Scouting (note that does not actually mean they want to join Scouting...but we digress). If the Brain Trust does not truly understand and accept the reasons for Scouting's decline (muddled program initiatives, Zero National marketing, no real "benchmarking" to determine best practice for successful units, etc etc) they will never be able to correct, improve, and move forward.

Agree - Just because a Troop does not have advancement centric outings does not mean advancement may not occur on outings. It should be organic. As an example, these are requirements 9B of the Camping merit badge On any of these camping experiences, you must do TWO of the following, only with proper preparation and under qualified supervision: Hike up a mountain where, at some point, you are at least 1,000 feet higher in elevation from where you started. Backpack, snowshoe, or cross-country ski for at least four miles. Take a bike trip of at least 15 miles o

Our troop does knife throwing on a regular basis. Have a mobile target, ribbon off space, use the smaller knives to throw. Here's a pro-tip, make sure your knives have bright orange on them, or they will in fact get lost in the leaves or ground cover. We have some throwing hatchets, but have not come up with a decent target that can be mobile.