InquisitiveScouter

We just had this discussion at a leaders meeting... Our Committee Chair is going to communicate with parents about this and try to tell them something to this effect... "If your son does not want to go to Scouts, please do not force him. This is detrimental to all of us, and your Scout will only wind up resenting you. Let them choose, please."

While I agree with your sentiment, I understand why they do this. It is men, by far, who are statistically more likely to appear in the reports, or be convicted, of sexual abuse (notice how I phrased that...) https://www.ussc.gov/research/quick-facts/sexual-abuse From that page, note that ~92% of offenders were men, and ~72% of offenders had little or no prior criminal history. It is not about you or me, it's about "us." We men appear to be the overwhelming majority of the problem. I do believe there is a lot more adult female to youth male abuse that goes on that is not reported, and that the societal tide is turning on reporting and convicting those women who abuse. (See recent reports, particularly from school settings.) But the numbers will never near parity with men as perpetrators. This is a policy made through the input of actuarials, lawyers, and public relations folks, among others.

That was quick... this just in my inbox: Statement Regarding NPR Story on Scouting and the U.S. Military Scouting Family, This morning NPR aired a story about a supposed leaked Pentagon memo directing the U.S. Military to sever ties with Scouting America. According to the story, the draft memo, which has not been sent to Congress, indicates that the Secretary of War plans to cease support for youth in Scouting programs on military bases in the U.S. and overseas, cut support for the National Jamboree, and eliminate increases in pay grade for Eagle Scouts who enlist in the military. Listen to the story here or you can read the story here. We are surprised and deeply saddened by this news. The Scouting movement has had a strong relationship with our nation’s military going back more than a century. From the tremendous support of the West Virginia National Guard at our National Jamborees to Scout troops that provide stability for the children of military families deployed around the globe, our nation’s military has walked side-by-side with Scouts for generations. An enormous percentage of those in our military academies are Scouts and Eagle Scouts. Our Scouts and leaders admire and are inspired by our military heroes. Many of our Scouts trade their Scouting uniforms for the uniforms of our nation’s armed forces. According to the story, the draft memo purports that the Scouting organization is “no longer a meritocracy” and does not hold members to high standards. This view is clearly uninformed. Badges and ranks are not given, they are earned. Just ask any Eagle Scout. Young men and young women alike thrive in Scouting. Scouts wear an American flag on their sleeves and swear a duty to God and country. Scouting isn’t something we do. It’s something we are. Scouting will never turn its back on the children of our military families. Just as we always have, Scouts will continue to put duty to country above duty to self and will remain focused on serving all American families in the U.S. and abroad. Scouting is and has always been a nonpartisan organization. For more than a century, we’ve worked with every U.S. presidential administration – Republican and Democrat – focusing on our common goal of building future leaders grounded in integrity, responsibility, and service. We will continue our efforts to work with the Pentagon to address this critical issue. At the same time, I encourage each of you to contact your senators and congressional representatives immediately and ask for their support. You can locate contact information for your representative at these links: House and Senate. Some of you may be discouraged by this news, but, just like the service men and women of our military, a Scout is brave. I see this as a clear call to redouble our efforts. All youth are in crisis today. They need the fun, adventure and the challenging, character-building programs of Scouting more than ever. Support your local councils. Lift up your fellow volunteer leaders and Scouting families. Let’s prepare the next generation for lives of purpose and impact. Yours in Scouting, Roger Krone Chief Scout Executive President & CEO Scouting America

If you meet in a military facility, that might end quickly also... https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5615164/pentagon-scouting-hegseth-cut-ties Not sure this will gain traction, though...

https://youtu.be/7YBLGOnX3hE A show that could not be made today...

I'd lay odds that BSA is dumb enough to do that

Yes. Made inquiries here. Our Council is putting together our local imminent public release.

Yeah, I saw it posted to the Scouting America page, but from a member, not an "official."

You have an official link for that letter??

And it is just sad to read some of the drivel at this site... https://www.facebook.com/groups/512240731294585/

We have to change it to the nickel now... pennies are no longer being minted as of last Wednesday 😜 https://apnews.com/article/us-mint-treasury-department-penny-end-production-86139df5644ef0885a9baf98e9677380

Pet Peeve: Adults doing jobs in the Troop that Scouts should be doing... - Maintaining Troop website and social media... should be done by Webmaster with adult mentor - Maintaining, inventorying, procuring Troop gear... should be Quartermaster with adult mentor - Communicating with Lodge for arrangements and scheduling Troop's OA election... should be OA Troop Representative with adult mentor (ASM who is Troop OA Advisor) - Maintaining info boards for rank and Troop organization, takes notes at PLCs and writing up minutes, taking attendance at meetings and outings, etc... should be Scribe with adult mentor etc, etc, etc I would rather these tasks not be done, than be done by adults. Sadly, most Scouts in Positions of Responsibility in our unit just wear a patch and don't do much to help the Troop. And yes, they get credit for wearing the patch. Those patches are awfully heavy, you know 😜

Like a glove! https://youtu.be/oXYpo6CprCw

These days, it is mostly just a formality. Back in the day, you were tested on a few skills at a BoR. Nowadays, that is a no go. Now, it is more of a job performance review for the SM corps, by proxy through the Scouts' eyes. Helps the Committee see that the program is being delivered rightly to the Scouts. But, if the committee doesn't know the program... well... Even Eagle Boards of Review are mostly a formality, too. In that, I would agree they are primarily "hoops" to jump through.

Most of us have felt this frustration. Remember who you are dealing with... Teenagers do not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex. That area of the brain is responsible for planning, goal setting, self control, evaluating risk, evaluating consequences, predicting outcomes, decision making, etc... all the things you and I struggled with as teens but may not remember well 😜 https://www.simplypsychology.org/prefrontal-cortex-development-age.html For this reason, I often think our US Scouting program is poorly designed. The things they are supposed to do for a successful program do not seem to be in line with their natural capabilities in the age groups we are dealing with. Now, there are always exceptions... from time to time, I come across a Scout who is really "switched on." Here are some things I perceive as common denominators to those Scouts: 1. Two parent family with strong religious values. 2. Extremely limited TV, computer, smartphone, and social media access up until about 15. 3. Avid readers. (Reading stimulates the imagination. Screens and video "imagine" everything for you, so the brain gets lazy, or just under-developed, in that department.) 4. Very limited involvement in sports. Often a lot of involvement in music. (Music is a language 😜 ) 5. Parents and Scout pick a few activities to be deeply involved in, instead of trying to do everything. 6. Parents encourage adventure and acceptance of managed risk. 7. Youth has much more free time than peers, and is allowed to self-select activities instead of having their day intensely scheduled. And these self-selected activities are usually reading, music, or doing something outdoors. Your mileage may vary. There may be some other commonalities, but I'd have to think more about it... So, as a Scouter, I see my purpose is to provide opportunity to do Scouting things. More and more of late (over the past six or seven years), fewer and fewer Scouts take advantage of the opportunities we provide. Fewer and fewer attend meetings, outings and overnighters. We still work to provide the opportunities, but Scouting is less and less a popular activity with youth because it demands a lot of them to make the program work as designed. I think this is why BP said a Troop should not be more than 16 youth. Here's the excerpt from his Aids to Scoutmastership -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONE REASON WHY A TROOP SHOULD NOT EXCEED 32 The number in a Troop should preferably not exceed thirty-two. I suggest this number because in training boys myself I have found that sixteen was about as many as I could deal with-in getting at and bringing out the individual character in each. I allow for other people being twice as capable as myself and hence the total of thirty-two. Men talk of having fine Troops of 60 or even 100-and their leaders tell me that their boys are equally well trained as in smaller Troops. I express admiration (“admiration” literally translated means “surprise”), and I don’t believe them. “Why worry about individual training?” they ask. Because it is the only way by which you can educate. You can instruct any number of boys, a thousand at a time if you have a loud voice and attractive methods of disciplinary means. But that is not training-it is not education. Education is the thing that counts in building character and In making men. The incentive to perfect himself, when properly instilled into the individual, brings about his active effort on the line most suitable to his temperament and powers. It is not the slightest use to preach the Scout Law or to give it out as orders to a crowd of boys: each mind requires its special exposition of them and the ambition to carry them out. That is where the personality and ability of the Scoutmaster come in. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------