InquisitiveScouter

At functions, every once in a while, someone will ask me why I don't buy a new sash because mine is so old and dingy... I just say "Thanks, but this one means a lot to me."

Concur...

Permission slips, explanation and written acknowledgement of risk, explicit liability waivers, and a long term quarantine/lockdown plan if there is a case. Anyone want to go camping for a month straight?

Don't see how National would weigh in on this. It would erode their bankruptcy argument that councils are autonomous. That is why they would only issue standards/guidelines to councils which choose to go ahead with their camps. The guidelines/standards is the CYA for National. Any departure from those is on the camp staff/ council that hired them. My bet is, most of the holdouts are biding their time hoping for some relaxation of restrictions or state guidelines that give them some room to operate. But hope is not a course of action 😁

Wonder if I should take the course, just for the cert?

Minsi isn't far from here...waiting for the other shoe to drop on our chosen camp

Curious...what state are you in? We are going to camp in NY...and it ain't looking good.

We have 34 Scouts signed up for Summer Camp, and a crew of 7 youth for HA. If they are cancelled, we will run our own programs, subject to state guidelines of course.

Lone Scouting for everyone! Parents sign off requirements; MBCs are contacted through Scoutbook; interaction with the Scouting community is virtual; no need for a council! Dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!! Oh, National still gets your registration fee

Exactly...if it was first and foremost, then the reductio ad absurdum is to eliminate the Scouting program. All risk gone!

But National and councils recognize Unit Scouter Reserves, who do pay, as leaders for the two-deep requirement. Yet, they have no training other than YPT. Hence my sarcasm with policies as stated and implemented.

MBCs may only fill the two-deep requirement during a merit badge session when the Scout's parent or another registered adult leader is present. This would apply for on-line sessions or visits to a Scout's home, or a meeting in a public place like your local library or a restaurant. If a council running a camp says the MBC cannot fill any two-deep requirement, then that council will be supported by National in implementing that policy. An SE, as CEO of a separate legal entity [501c(3)], may implement policies more stringent than National publishes. Wanna dive deeper into the can of worms?

Only in certain merit badge situations, not something considered an outing. And that opens a new discussion about what constitutes a merit badge session, versus an "outing" Again, policies are often written with ambiguity to protect the BSA...not you, nor youth

Richard, An MBC is registered, and according to the same criteria... Completion of application including criminal background check and mandatory Youth Protection training Volunteer Screening Database check The only substantial difference between a MBC and a Unit Scouter Reserve, is that the MBC requires MORE training!!

Feel free to use...no citation or attribution required

This is also why we don't go to our local Summer Camp. Our unit has a history of parents who would come and take kids out of camp for storms, soccer practice, karate, or their fourth cousin's (twice-removed) birthday.

The policy as written is poorly worded and unclear, specifically about what positions qualify as "registered adult leaders." You will not find this clarified anywhere in "official" publications. I recommend, until BSA amends the wording, you follow what you see as the plain language common sense interpretation. If that means you see MBC's as "registered adult leaders", then go with it. This council does not intepret it this way. In this council, MBC's are not "registered adult leaders." And I have it directly from National Director of YP that councils may apply stricter standards than National intends when it comes to Youth Protection. It is a long sordid story, as Eagle94-A1 can attest, so I answered it privately because it is these kinds of questions that have gotten me blacklisted from district and council positions in our council. (Still proudly serving at the unit level.) IMO, this has nothing to do with YP, and everything to do with generating revenue for National. Many units figured out that, since membership costs are unreasonable, they can cut their re-charter costs (by a third or half??) by registering the minimum number of adults to satisfy charter requirements, and having all remaining adults register as MBC's (which is a no fee district position.) Since this tactic does not change your YP stance or background clearance requirements, you should forge ahead and change only if your council calls you on it. I also recommend that you do not ask for an official answer. What you get back will only restrict you further, cost you more, and gain you nothing in actual YP. But, if you wish to go down that road, please email your SE. If you don't like the answer they give, then stick your neck out and email Youth.Protection@scouting.org Be advised, National will trace you and email you back with a cc to your SE with any response.

26 year Air Force vet here...my Scouting mentors were WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War Vets. Most have passed on... They all had tactical patience with us Scouts... https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/blog/leadership-tip-of-the-week-tactical-patience/ Never jumped in when things went wrong (unless it was an real emergency)...just looked at us and said, "Well, what are you gonna do now?" I see way too much jumping in nowadays... Have you heard of snowplow/helicopter/lawnmower parents? We have them in spades The parents are more of a challenge than the youth!

Answered privately to protect the innocent 😎

Yes, our Plan B's are to do unit treks and unit Summer Camp, with participants from like-minded families.

You will need to check this with your council. Some councils (and national) do not regard Merit Badge Counselors as "registered leaders" for the purposes of any events other than Merit Badge sessions. This might be another one of those situations where you don't really want to know the answer to the question, though 😬

And FWIW, If you ever see any invitations from National to contact them directly with questions regarding clarification of policies, don't! National expects you to go through your local SE, and they will defer to the local SE interpretation, even if more stringent than the National policymakers intended. And if the SE interpretation is less stringent than the national policy, National gives you and the SE a black eye. If you choose to ask National staff, they will cc your SE...even if your YPT questions bridge over several councils (going to camp or treks out-of-council, for example) interpreting or implementing a policy differently within their borders. Any invitation from them to engage without attribution is not sincere. If you choose to do so, use a new/unidentifiable email address...but if they cannot ID you, you probably won't get an answer. Caveat emptor.

Most?

Eagle, so you are on the Dark Side, too?? Can't see you...because it is soooo dark here

Hi Alma, In the upper right corner of your browser, click Your name. Then click Profile in the drop down menu, then Edit Profile.