InquisitiveScouter

No, it shouldn't.

Now you know why the Merit Badge Mills around here are SSOOOOO popular

Our council sent out their newsletter a few minutes ago. Zero mention of D,E, & I.

I will remain council-anonymous. Over the past few years, I have filed about 30 forms for parents in the Troop to serve as MBCs. The process here is 1. You must file a new Adult Application, as this is a District (not Council) vs Unit position. The position is no-fee. (I think this is standard across the country.?) 2. With the Application, you must also file your MBC Info Form 34405. (Also standard...) 3. The Registrar looks over the form and, when all is in order, then gives it to SE, who has to sign it. Once SE approves, it goes back to Registrar. It is unknown ho

In a video previously cited, I think the folks at National said the requirements would not be in Scoutbook until May? Anyone else glean that from the Office Hours session?

The MBC approval and listing process takes about 10 to 16 weeks in our council. Once I have an Adult Application and MBC form submitted to council, I have the counselor go ahead and counsel badges "in good faith", and I sign them off in Scoutbook if the MBC approves one. I do not do this for any badges requiring a special qualification, like Climbing, some aquatics or shooting sports badges...those listed in G2A.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... @DuctTapefor National Commissioner!

I live in PA. The fallout from the Jerry Sandusky (Penn State) trial was a state law requiring certain volunteers to obtain three clearances: 1. A PA State Police Criminal Background Check 2. A PA Child Abuse History Check 3. Either an FBI Background Check (at volunteer expense) based on fingerprints OR an affidavit stating you have committed no offenses if you have been a PA resident >= 10 years. Each must be renewed every 5 years. The law also states that organizations (COs) sponsoring youth groups must retain copies of these clearances. This is where CO's h

Also, no insurance policy or indemnification clause provides coverage due to negligence. Plaintiff's lawyer could argue the CO was negligent in selecting abusing leader, since the CO's representative was required to approve the application. The court will have to decide 1. Did the CO have a duty of care in selecting appropriate leaders? (I think we would agree, Yes.) 2. Did the CO breach that duty in selecting the offending leader? (this one will be hard to prove, unless the plaintiff can present evidence the CO somehow knew.) 3. Did the CO's breach cause an injury? (on

@markT262, The Scout earned Cycling, so completed 150 miles. I think you are saying that, in addition to Cycling MB, this Scout also completed another 100 miles above and beyond Cycling MB, so has compiled a total of 250 miles. 1. This Scout has met the 200 mile riding requirement in requirement three. (Basic award is 200 miles.) 2. If the Scout wishes to earn a first gold device, the Scout must ride an additional 50 miles over what is already done. So, the total mileage personally completed at that point would be 300 miles. 200 miles (for basic award), plus 100 additional

Snowplow parenting mode...good on the Dad for realizing it and putting the responsibility on his son's shoulders. Our community is rife with this parenting style. (snowplow, helicopter, lawnmower...choose whatever machine you wish )

The more I think about this, the more I think I will advise our COR to recommend this to our CO. The BSA already does (or is supposed to do) background checks on leaders. Most CO's don't do this, that I know of. Some states also require additional background checks and information. The CO's may not be informed of the background provided in these checks. This may remove an element of info they could/should use in selecting leaders. I believe the original paradigm intent was for CO's to select leaders from their own membership to serve as adult leaders in a Scouting program they us

No flaming or down votes. Most of us feel a level of frustration with this. I hope it isn't as ominous as it seems to be from this stop-start rollout.

Wow, reading the comments at the link above...sheesh...much worse than here...lol

Our District Advancement Chair put out the plea yesterday for counselors. I'll wait until the requirements come out to inform my decision. ---------------------------------------------------- Dear [DISTRICT] Merit Badge Counselors, Advancement Coords, Com Chairs & Unit Leaders, I am sure by now you have heard that as of January 1, 2021 a new Eagle required merit badge will be introduced called, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It will become required for Eagle effective May 1, 2021. There will now be 14 Eagle required badges and 7 electives, still totaling 21 re

Ask, and you shall receive...??? You can now transfer and multiple between units using your My.Scouting account National 11/16/2020 Now users are able to transfer from one Scout unit to another without having to take a new application into the Scout office. On the “My Application” tab you can transfer yourself as an adult volunteer or your youth member from unit to unit. Unit leaders will be able to transfer youth by going to the new “Roster” feature in “Member Manager” and “Organization Manager” and select the youth who need to be transferred, then click the “Transfer” icon. This

This goes to the lament of our brethren to the north.... The Scouter.com equivalent in Canada posted what went "wrong" with Scouts Canada. https://scouteh.ca/about.php https://scouteh.ca/rally/rescue-rally-pamphlet.pdf

After being involved with the program since the late 70's, and earning Eagle Scout myself, I always, I mean ALWAYS, smh at those stories of "Scout earns every Merit Badge" Sorry...off topic... Do you think the gender separation is what has kept BSA on life support these past few decades? https://virtueonline.org/canada-death-canadian-scouting

About 10 years ago, some families (US citizens) living in Ottawa, Canada, (who had a member working at the US Embassy) wanted to have a Girl Scout troop. (Lone Scouting with BSA is alive and well for US citizens there.) They called up the national office in Manhattan, NY, to inquire about it, and were told they could not start a GSUSA unit there. The staff at GSUSA suggested they all join Girl Guides of Canada (GGC). The parents pushed back, citing GSUSA units at other embassies around the world, through USA Girls Scouts Overseas https://www.usagso.org/ A staff member (who wished to

@CynicalScouter, good read, thanks. I do believe they have a strong case. If the court decides in their favor, one could also then make the argument for a new Scouting organization, with application for a Congressional Charter, which would be open to all, regardless of sex or gender. If Congress denied the charter, one could sue under the 14th Amendment's equal protections clause. Of course, the sad reality in our country is that access to the justice system requires prohibitive sums of money.

From the GSUSA Charter... §80302. Purposes The purposes of the corporation are— (1) to promote the qualities of truth, loyalty, helpfulness, friendliness, courtesy, purity, kindness, obedience, cheerfulness, thriftiness, and kindred virtues among girls, as a preparation for their responsibilities in the home and for service to the community; (2) to direct and coordinate the Girl Scout movement in the United States and territories and possessions of the United States; and (3) to fix and maintain standards for the movement that will inspire the rising g

“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi A good first step would be eliminating the labels. For the most part, I endeavor not to use them. It is a pernicious system that has taken hold in our society...thi

@yknot, thanks for letting us know of some of the consequences. I briefed our Troop Committee tonight on this, and, although here in these forums I have fervently expressed my personal views, I did present this in a neutral and diplomatic manner to them. There was a mixed reception, as expected, and the dialogue exchanged was exactly along some of the lines presented here...understanding a need, but not accepting the implementation. I asked them all to reserve final judgment (as I am doing) until the MB and rank requirements are formally released, which I guess we all expect within

You also show that you do not know what "civil discourse" means. I am trying to enhance my understanding of the requirements for this Merit Badge, the motives behind it, and it's intended purpose. Reading for comprehension is essential to enhancing your understanding of someone's point of view. How about another point of view? Would you listen to Dr. Thomas Sowell?