CynicalScouter

No, it is real, real simple (to me at least). Don't be the CO. As CO you are bound in three ways to comply with BSA's rules: 1) The Adult Application 2) The Scouter Code of Conduct 3) The Charter Organization Agreement If I decided at the outset that I was not going to "comply with the rules and regulations of the BSA" or "abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America, BSA policies, and BSA-provided training" or "Conduct the Scouting program consistent with BSA rules, regulations, and policies" I simply would have decline to be the CO. I

Then as COR (and possibly IH) you would have had to have signed that Adult Leader Application that includes that you "certify" and "affirm" you would comply with BSA's rules. If you were able in your heart of hearts able to sign that knowing you were going to disobey it anyway, well, ok for you I guess. I know I couldn't sign something/"Affirm" or "Certify" something that wasn't true, but OK. EDIT: The Charter Organization Agreement which as IH or CO (or both) you would have had to have signed also provides Again, if you were able in your heart of hearts able to sig

Are you the IH? The COR? (I don't know if CO in your name is for Colorado or Chartered Organization). Either way, at some point or another, you signed the application that included explicitly or by reference the items I noted. You either signed knowing you were going to violate those provisions anyway or signed not knowing. As I said, I personally would not sign something where on my honor I "Affirm" and "Certify" that I will comply with BSA's rules knowing I had no intention on doing so. But that's just me I guess.

It is, however, your decision to participate. I can't speak for you, but I know I could not a) sign the adult application in which I "certify" and "affirm" that and that Scouter Code of Conduct includes this and then b) immediately turn around and knowingly refuse to "comply with the rules and regulations of the BSA and the local council, including the Scouter Code of Conduct" and knowingly refuse to "respect and abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America, BSA policies, and BSA-provided training." If you are comfortable in signing that

There are 2 version of the Guides to Unit Money-Earning Projects floating. Both have the warning against be soliciting money for another organization (and in particular the Salvation Army’s Christmas Bell Ringing program). 2007: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34427.pdf 2011: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/510-274.pdf And National encourages non-fundraising service opportunities for units with the Salvation Army. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/marketing/pdf/02-776.pdf So this isn't a question of being "kind". Go out and do service projects f

Zoom. I suspect that with mega councils and mega districts we'll see more and more that Zoom won't go away even if COVID does.

Don't want to follow BSA's rules? Don't join BSA. BSA is not the government, state or federal. It is a private organization. Don't want to follow that signalization's rules? Don't join or join, try to get the rule changed, but follow until it is. Simple. Youth protection gets in the way? Discard it? Guide to Safe Scouting gets in the way. Discard it? Wow. Just. Wow. One last point then I am done with this. Re-read the agreement you sign If you cannot honestly sign that, don't join BSA.

A Scout is Obedient. Question the rule? Sure. But violate deliberately? Nope. It is rank hypocrisy to tell scouts they have to obey rules, but Scouters don't. Nope. That rule is still very much in effect.

Exactly. This is the point I keep trying to make. If you agree to put on a BSA program/charter you agree to abide by their rules. That doesn't mean you agree with their rules but that you acknowledge that BSA's program = BSA's rules. What I think is LESS authentic is to say "Sure, this is a BSA program, but we are going to act in direct defiance and open contradiction to BSA rules including the Charter Agreement and the Scouter Code of Conduct both of which obligate Scouters to obey BSA rules." What kind of message does that send to scouts? A scout is obedient...but scouters can g

Then why are you in scouting? If you are so utterly opposed the BSA National and its rules and authenticity (up to and I guess including Guide to Safe Scouting and YPT?) why stay? I may not agreed entirely with everything national says but I will not stick a giant sign or disclaimer that says "The statements regarding Guide to Safe Scouting and Youth Protection are solely the views of the BSA national council, and do not reflect the opinions of your scout leaders or your local Chartered Organization."

No for initial training. Has to be in person. HOWEVER since COVID, they will do Zoom (at least they will in my diocese). I also just checked and some are doing WebEx. For locations https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/reg_list.cfm?theme=0 For re-certification, yes you can do it online. My advice: if your diocese does NOT do Zoom or WebEx, see if you can register to take it in a Zoom or WebEx diocese. Since it is national-certified training, valid is valid.

Sometimes. I also think/know/have seen times when the CO believes that the BSA rules that get in their way just shouldn't be followed. I had one Scoutmaster, with the CO present and nodding his head, tell me that because it is the "Guides" to Fundraising (he meant Guides to Unit Money-Earning Projects) that they are just "guides" and therefore not enforceable. Ditto "Guide" to Safe Scouting. On occasion the CO just simply looks at the program as "theirs" and therefore "theirs" to do with what they want. EDIT: And we've even seen people in this discussion forum hold forth th

The point is that the CO's rules and procedures cannot directly contradict BSA's rules or the charter agreement. A CO that imposes a rule that they will not allow African American scouts or scouters would be in direct conflict with BSA's rules and the charter agreement. A CO that demands scouts fundraise in the name of the CO would be in direct conflict with BSA's rules and the charter agreement. There are limits to what the CO can do and still maintain an BSA unit.

BSA doesn't own the unit. But the unit is required under the terms of the charter agreement to abide by BSA's rules.

No, but let's take a look at their IRS 990s, shall we? Assets - Liabilities FY 2013 (based on FY 2014 filing) $4,510,820 FY 2014: $5,020,375 FY 2015: $8,206,438 FY 2016: $8,157,350 FY 2017: $8,206,679 FY 2018: $7,440,727 You could see things starting to collapse if you dig into the data. FY 2019 (not due yet) will be a massacre I assume.

I've seen several non-Catholic Christians in the Catholic sponsored units I know in all leadership positions up to ASM/Den Leader, etc. The key is that they expect leaders to not act or conduct themselves in open defiance of Church teachings. Having an Episcopalian (or heck, Jewish) den leader is not going be banned. Having a homosexual den leader bring his husband to a Cub Campout and introduce him as "my husband" is not going to fly in a Catholic-parish sponsored unit.

May want to check out the Guide to Catholic Scouting and

Most Catholic units I've worked with require it. Again, you are not JUST a BSA leader, you are a leader of the local Catholic Diocese (through the parish). Therefore you are required to adhere to their rules/standards as well.

Yes as long as it complies with the Declaration of Religious Principles which, if this is a Catholic unit or dioceses, does.

Given how often porn is used by adults as a grooming technique I would say that may be a good PSA (I'd have to see the exact text)

Yes. Remember, your unit is an appendage of the chartered organization. They "own" your unit. Not only are you a BSA Leader, you are a leader within that chartered organization. To be a BSA Leader, you need YPT. To be a leader of [insert name of church here], you need [insert name of training here]. To be BOTH a BSA Leader and a leader of [insert name of church here] need YPT and [insert name of training here]. Some Catholic Dioceses or individual churches, for example, will require Virtus in addition to YPT.

For those not clear, TCC = Official Committee of Tort Claimants which is the group of claimants (well, their attorneys really) who are the court-designated negotiation team for all claimants in this process. Basically as I read this motion, Kosnoff is trying to leverage his purported list of claimants to either overtake or cut out the Official Committee of Tort Claimants named by the court.

National prohibits the insurance fee from exceeding $12. So no, your council is not following the rules. If they are mandating it, tell them to pound sand and contact National. If it is a "strongly encouraged donation", just tell them to pound sand.

That's literally not possible outside of massive financial improprieties. $66 is the maximum Council Fee including insurance reclamation fees (councils are NOT allowed to charge more than this as "Council fees") So, $250-66 = $184 Council activities fees? What council is charging that? EDIT: I am still trying to figure out this $420 budget $66 ("national fees") $12 ("Boy's Life") $66 ("council fees")(as noted, no council may charge more than $66) $50 ("money the troop actually uses to operate") $194 $420-$194 = $226 for "insurance" and

Doesn't matter. If an adult observes what they believe to be harassment or bullying, they are obligated as a BSA mandatory reporter to report it up.