TMSM

I was trying to think through how a shared meeting would happen if I had linked troops in my CO. Most troops in my area are 30-60 boys. We don't much interest from girls to join scouts but lets assume we get 5. In this scenario we would have 2 SPLs, which one would run the meeting? If we spilt meetings 50-50 that would mean a boy that has waited and worked hard to be SPL would have his experience cut in half and would share it with a girl who has little experience with Patrols or how Scouts works. I can predict right now how many boys will leave scouts if the see the girls getting an unfair advantage.

At shared campouts who picks the sites?, At planning meeting would the SPLs have to share running these meetings?

Sure things will be figured out in the end but my fear is that it will take away experience from the boys.

37 minutes ago, shortridge said:

Does that include food, or just site fees + transportation/gas?

That includes food, transportation, camp site. Parents and scouters eat the cost of gas.

We dont collect dues, just the $36 for registration and insurance

All of our campouts are $10 x 10 = $100

Summer camp is $300

Sleeping bag and mess kit $100 (averaged over 5 years) = $20

Uniform costs averaged over 3 years is $30.

Total is $486

We have a few hockey player in our troop and they pay $3000 for ice time per season (2 seasons) so scouts is way cheaper.

We do this too - we have a monthly campout where the scouts prepare a menu that contains  "no mess-kit meals" only and this is one of them.

Have not seen this but it looks like a pain to fill out. Sigh

I understand your frustration but I wouldn't worry about this kid. If he has questions he should ask his Patrol Leader. If he doesn't understand or forgets the PL and/or SPL should send him to Scoutbook. Have a chat with the SM and let him know what happened and let him deal with this problem.

On 5/27/2018 at 8:04 PM, an_old_DC said:

there is more to this story somehow.

I agree that something  isn't right about this story. No specifics from the CC, SM does not offer to have the scouts sit and discuss thier side, SE won't provide specifics and the scouts stays in limbo. 

Some of my scouts are working on the Outdoor Ethics Action Award and have asked me for some idea on requirement # 5

" 5. On a troop outing, help your troop on a service activity that addresses recreational impacts related to the type of outing. The project should be approved in advance by the landowner or land manager and lead to permanent or long-term improvements."

Any suggestions for addressing recreational impacts?

I would suggest 2 things - 

- Ask to see the policy for discipline, what steps are taken, who is present etc..

- Ask that the other scout be punished also. Stealing is wrong and he needs to be punished also

This is unfortunate timing. I am getting quite a bit of flack from parents in my troop. Its not just condoms but alcohol also being allowed (although limited).

I think # 3 - is what we all should be careful of when we here a scout accuses an adult. If there is no evidence the scout has none and should own the burden of proof. Lets get the facts before rumors get out or fingers get pointed. 

When I text my SPL I always include the ASPL and an ASM. it does not have to be a parent.

If you think you can get away with something sneaky and text about it - your an idiot. Same with email.  Better off just being a good person.

Both Ivan and Dave could prove with the help of the phone company how many texts have been sent to fred and if dave saved them it proves what he sent

I became Scoutmaster to help boys turn into great men, I did so because I saw how unfair school was to boys and how girls seemed to be in leadership roles vs boys. I can't seem to see why Scouts BSA is an opportunity for boys.

Very few girls are showing interest in Cub Scouts in our area so we don't think we will see a Girl troop for many years. We decided in our Comitte meeting that if our CO decides to try a linked Girls troop the entire comittee and SM will walk but I don't think we need to worry.

7 hours ago, cocomax said:

What BSA should have done was come out with girls only program with its own name. 
(That was the plan last year.)

The press release should have read:

The Boy Scouts of America is introducing a new program just for girls ages 11 to 17 called "Scouts BSA". All girl troops will be able to take part in fun outdoor activities and earn merit badges and girls can even earn the rank of Eagle Scout.  This new girl's program will mirror the boy's program in every way possible.  The Boy Scouts program will continue as it is with no changes.

Instead BSA has caused confusion, hurt feelings, sadness and all sorts of problems. What could have been seen as a great thing now is a PR disaster.   

The act of changing "Boy Scouts" to "Scouts BSA" gives people the impression that you have made Boy Scouts COED, that is confusing.

Seeing that so many adult eagle scouts and active scouters are confused there is a big problem. 

 

I could not have said this better! I am sure my Scouts would not care if the girls had their own program but now they lose their Identity too. I have never seen so many people pissed off at a decision by a private organization, Based on a large sample of comments I am a little concrned about recruiting for next year and for fund raising also.

27 minutes ago, Gwaihir said:

correct, democracy is 51% getting what they want. 

Communism is being told what is good for you.

3 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

Resist what? A name change? It was announced that girls were joining BSA months ago. Why does a name change now engender such a reaction?

You sure you are not encouraging them to resist instead of simply letting them?

I have discouraged this behavior. They have asked - is BSA our movement or the adults? Do we get a voice? WIll anyone listen to what the Boys want?

9 minutes ago, CalicoPenn said:

No silly - printing up the t-shirts out of spite is inane and childish.

 

If your chartering organization wants to continue with a boys only program and call yourselves Boy Scouts, go ahead - you'll still be in the Scouts BSA program regardless of what you call yourselves.

I disagree - I'll support my scouts if this is what they want to do. They have been taught in school how to protest and they want to bring this issue to the public. We are a boy led troop so I am going to let them resist.

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Out troop is busy printing shirts...

• We are the BOY Scouts of America
• Viva la resistance!!

They will be on sale soon....

How about - Scout Me Out

- Not my Scout BSA Troop

 - Girls Aren't Boys - BSA forever!

Thanks for the great comments - seems like we are on the right track. 

Living in the midwest we have a tough time getting campsites large enough to enforce the 300 foot rule for the 4 patrols that we have. The scouts do a good job keeping 50 away, cooking together, cleaning etc but seem to congregate as a troop when they have a camp fire. I see this as a good start and we always looking for a better way to keep the apart.

The only option would be reserving 4 campsites but that would bust our budget. We don't the option of camping on a farm or on someone property  sp thats not an option either.

Any tips from those living in the flatlands of the Chicago area on how to separate the Patrols?

None of our feeder Packs expect any girls this year but they are not against girls joining, In our troop the boys are against girls joining the troop and are wondering why they weren't asked - its their movement. Our parents feel as if this is being shoved down their throats. 

In my view I have enough to do as SM and I have been propping up the CC for 2 years now so I doubt he will go to the CO to ask if we can have a second troop. Our COR is not engaged in what we do and just signs what we put in front of him so doubtful he will start anything.

I am agnostic to this whole idea, my focus is teaching young men how to be men. If someone else wants to teach young women  about character, citizenship and physical fitness then they should go for it.

If there was analternative boys only "club" for the outdoors I would lose 75% of my scouts.

As an SM I appreciate when informed of this kind of parental interference. I would find it tough to call out the CB directly on this if more than a few hours so I would make a general staement for parents to keep hands in pockets (HIP) and don't interfere with any petrol, dont offer any solutions and dont fill leadership vacuums. 

The CM may have the idea that leaders (PLs) eat last and stay in the eating area until all duties are complete and also help those who are struggling to get done. Even so its not his role to enforce his philosophy on a Patrol or even offer this up.

Its unfronate that all we hear lately is about girls enetering boyscouts at least for the last few weeks. Pictures of this girls or that girl doing cub scouts. Thats great but don't forgt the boys and the great things they are accomplishing. 

Reading the comments shows just how uninformed the public is to this change. We are seeing a tiny handle of girls joining cub scouts in my area and to keep a 1 gender den they will combine all ages. Talking to some of thier parents I see that some are being pushed by parents due to political beliefs and other are girls just wanting to have fun doing what their brother did. This is a small sample group so no true evidence of reality.

I do wish the girls the best of luck on this and have invited some to view a boy scout meeting to see what they could be missing but still no takers. My guess is that this will be somewhat successful the first few years but in the end they will lose more boys because of this then they will gain girls - so sad and selfish.