Navybone

I think we are both trying to say the same thing. I agree with everything you say and was not trying to imply otherwise.

I do not see the restrictions due to COVID on businesses and families and the seemingly disconnection with the protest as related. Governors are caught in an interesting dilemma- Public health, economic development, and protest due to civil injustice. All three are pulling at each other and none are necessarily supportive of the other. from a scouting perspective - look at the conversation we can have as part of Cit Nation, Cit Community, and Public health. How restrictions and wearing masks are helping the greater community. And how protestors are so upset, they are willing to take risks to themselves to protest inequality based on race. Interesting times.

This works for K-12, where all the students are from one area, and the COVID trend is declining. They are also taking precautions like reduced class sizes, alternating days, and other cautions. Schools are not opening in the more impacted areas. all this is accomplished through understanding the health of the students and teachers, and deliberate risk mitigation efforts. In short, this is not a viable model. Unless BSA were to somehow limit Philmont participation to those areas where there was declining or no COVID growth, account for safe travel (?) - maybe only within xx miles driving range.....A better model is seeing how colleges fair when they start back up in person in the fall.

For government purposes, I get why there ins concern with zoom and China, but for scouts? Do we really understand how the internet works and cloud storage?

what are the safety concerns you have? If you set it up with a waiting room, you cannot be zoom bombed. Is it because the servers are/were in China? I think that has been changed recently.

What makes Scouts a successful program is having standards and holding the adult leaders and the scouts to them. If the standards are dropped, then what the ranks mean drops. This is the same reason that SMs or MB counselors are not to pick and choose the requirements they want to teach. Either it means something, or it does not. Some of these changes are OK and make some sense, but some are just ludicrous.

The hand shake survived the 1918 Spanish Flu, so why would it not survive this? It may take time, but..

Double secret conditional charter, obviously

If units do not adapt and remain connected to their scouts, then yes, this will happen. Sure, scouting is about being outside. But it does not stop because cannot get outside. This to shall pass and the scouts will be able to go back to camping and backpacking. When - who knows. But we will. And I am willing to bet that the units that are able to adapt and remain connected with their scouts at this time will see the scouts return. At a minimum, virtual meetings provide an opportunity for some scouts (and their parents) to do and learn something. A great way to weather this storm is to help provide structure for the scouts - and advancement and merit badges are great ways to help parents who need help. Its not perfect, but if BSA does not learn to work through and thrive in this current crisis, then it will die. And it is not national or the councils that will make this happen. It will be the local pack or troop leadership who take their one hours a week (ha) and think creative. It will be the "front line" leaderships who share resources, tips, and best practices, that make this occur. What National needs to be doing is removing barriers and pushing capability down to the local level. Not charging $5 for whatever fees for council led virtual merit badge sessions, but virtual sessions where they SEE their friends in the troop/pack.

We have been using Zoom - with the a fore mentioned limitations. MS teams also works, but not everyone has it. Our schools provide middle and high students with Chrome Books and come with google hangout/meet. So may use use. We are just starting and prefer Zoom in that you can share your screen as well as have an ongoing chat at the same time. 40 minutes also makes us be efficient.

Totally concur - it is OK to have partials. Because when the social distancing ends, and it will, the scouts will be able to get out and complete the requirements they need to accomplish physically or in person. Get the mundane or "talking"portions of advancement or merit badges done now. We all have the time. Lets absolutely not do that when we can all meet physically and get out and hike/camp/climb/swim/etc. Well, maybe a short safety refresher..... Perfect time to work on parts of CitNation, CitWorld. Not to develop ways around them, but work on the parts of MB, like family life, that can be accomplished now, and the rest will be done in due time.

looking to do the same in my area - finish up some Merit Badges that can be accomplished over a virtual environment, and then look at those that can be partially accomplished virtually. I a thinking small groups (3-5) to keep them engaged, not just listening. I am looking at platforms like Zoom (others are MS Teams, Chrome Meeting maker, and others) where you can host multiple people at once, share your desktop to show illustrations, slides, etc. Probably in the evening, as in our district, the kids still have school work they are working on at home.

thanks for sharing.

With schools closing and moving to on-line teaching, and groups gathering sizes being limited, how do we sustain interest in and maintain advancement, where we can, in scouting? Virtual troop or patrol meetings on platforms like Zoom, trail to first class discussion in a chat room? Emphasize some merit badges (reading) over others? Interested in thoughts from the community.

At the council for San Jose area, some leadership training and a University of Scouting event were cancelled.

Article does not indicate anything about Girl Scouts - you have some insight on why they were not included?

I am not sure you are reading it right or maybe in totality. It does not specifically say parents are not required for wolf and bear. It also says “ Den leaders, pack leaders, and parents are expected to accompany the youth on approved trips. https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss03/

Any response and continuation of this line of thinking would probably be more applicable in a different thread.

Interesting argument - you are essentially saying that it is OK for a CO or a MBC to openly and actively work counter to the efforts, the goals, and the mission of Scout BSA. Wonder why there may be issues is Scouts BSA. I cannot help but look at this and think about the message that the scouts in troops like this are receiving and learning. And then to look at the purpose behind scouting and what it hopes to instill in youth.

Good comment, thank you. I would strongly urge any MBC working with youth to err on the side of caution. Be it a male or female scout.

I cannot fathom a reason that a MBC would not want to council a female scout. At least so long as the MBC is meeting all the Youth Protection requirements.

Interesting article, thanks for posting it. Made me wonder when there was a push to bring African Americans into scouting - seems about this time. Interesting times indeed - maybe part of the motivation? https://aaregistry.org/story/the-african-american-boy-scout-movement-a-story/

seriously, Within reason. If a scout has his eight elective badges, and wants to earn another one, and there is a willing MB counselor, why not. What is the scarce resource being expended? if the scout wants to go to sea base and has already been, well common sense is to give another scout the opportunity. But that is not they same as saying that the scout has meet the minimum, so no more. And that is exactly how I read the intent of your comments. imthink we should encourage the scouts to learn and explore as much as possible. The idea of using a MB to expose scouts to a new ability or possible career is so very powerful and gives scouts an edge that other, non-scouts, do not have.

I could not disagree more. Scouting should encourage the scout to develop a lifelong interest in learning. That is exponentially valuable to the scout and the community. And will continue to be of value for the lifetime of that scout. So long as scouts are learning, and it is about learning, not just getting a patch. There is goodness in all of this. i guess if you look at it from a cost perspective, then why encourage scouts to do more. Although what is the cost? A buck to two for the badge and blue card? Continued involvement in scouts? No, cannot see your point on this at all.