Jump to content

DRAFT: DE&I merit badge requirements


Recommended Posts

10 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Thanks, @CynicalScouter!  This crucial piece hadn't even crossed my thoughts...

Wonder if the MB writers and those who will make the final decision to promulgate will consider the wide body of state law??  Or will they push something and have it blow up in their faces?? 

It depends.

First, these laws apply to public schools. Private organizations (like BSA, see Dale case) can require or not require sex ed.

Second, this all depends on whether you consider even MENTION of sexual orientation or gender identity as "sex education". Someone people will and will then insist that no MBC talk to their kids about sex education.

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 277
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

One of the Scouting FB groups that had these requirements posted, took down the post and 153 (last time I looked) comments down and is asking folks to report anyone who does post them. Sounds Orw

Careful please. Don't mistake my views vs. those of others. As I said, I believe as a MBC I could work with this MB. I can also very much see/know/observe in the Reddit and Facebook groups and ev

Impossible.  ... We value making connections with our scouts.  To make connections, we talk.  Maybe a few can discuss this topic at the ideal concept level.  But most will bring their politics into it

Posted Images

@CynicalScouter & @InquisitiveScouter - I think you two need ratchet down the angst a few orders of magnitude here.  When I read these requirements, this sounds to like two pretty commonly accepted principles:

  • Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes
  • Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself

If the adults can keep their hands off this merit badge and let a youth do as the merit badge says, it's allows the youth to go through a thought exercise in how they relate to others.  Are they welcoming of others, how do they treat others, do they unknowingly act in a discriminatory way, are they doing what they can to treat their fellow citizens with respect? 

It doesn't matter if your white, brown, black, or purple.  It doesn't matter who you love or are attracted to.  It doesn't matter what you think of your own gender and sexuality.  It's about how you treat each other.  It's about how you react to situations where discrimination happens around you.  It's about how you react when someone you know tells you they feel discriminated against.

I have every bit of confidence that youth, when put these sorts of questions - can reason them out in a way that is pretty consistent with the Scout oath and law.  

This all starts to get messy when the adults show up and start pushing agendas.  This is why the adults should leave this in the real of how youth relate to each other just as the requirements describe.

  • Thanks 1
  • Upvote 2
  • Downvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
16 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

It depends.

First, these laws apply to public schools. Private organizations (like BSA, see Dale case) can require or not require sex ed.

Second, this all depends on whether you consider even MENTION of sexual orientation or gender identity as "sex education". Someone people will and will then insist that no MBC talk to their kids about sex education.

There is talking about someone’s sexual orientation or their gender identity sex Ed.  It’s not, this is about respecting their choices.  If the scout wants to learn more, then they need to talk to their parent.  

Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, ParkMan said:

@CynicalScouter & @InquisitiveScouter - I think you two need ratchet down the angst a few orders of magnitude here.  When I read these requirements, this sounds to like two pretty commonly accepted principles:

  • Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes
  • Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself

If the adults can keep their hands off this merit badge and let a youth do as the merit badge says, it's allows the youth to go through a thought exercise in how they relate to others.  Are they welcoming of others, how do they treat others, do they unknowingly act in a discriminatory way, are they doing what they can to treat their fellow citizens with respect? 

It doesn't matter if your white, brown, black, or purple.  It doesn't matter who you love or are attracted to.  It doesn't matter what you think of your own gender and sexuality.  It's about how you treat each other.  It's about how you react to situations where discrimination happens around you.  It's about how you react when someone you know tells you they feel discriminated against.

I have every bit of confidence that youth, when put these sorts of questions - can reason them out in a way that is pretty consistent with the Scout oath and law.  

This all starts to get messy when the adults show up and start pushing agendas.  This is why the adults should leave this in the real of how youth relate to each other just as the requirements describe.

@ParkMan

How about this for the new DE&I MB requirements?

1.  Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.

2.  Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

The End

I could go for that...but I think those are already encapsulated in the Scout Oath and Law.

And the only angst I sense here is yours.

Physician, heal thyself!

 

 

  • Upvote 3
  • Downvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, Navybone said:

There is talking about someone’s sexual orientation or their gender identity sex Ed.  It’s not, this is about respecting their choices.  If the scout wants to learn more, then they need to talk to their parent.  

I agree. But as noted elsewhere in this thread, there are at least two units (and I know my own committee chair, so there's a third possibly) who are looking at this as sex ed and therefore will be requesting a) waivers or b) that these portions get parental approval/instruction.

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
4 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

I agree. But as noted elsewhere in this thread, there are at least two units (and I know my own committee chair, so there's a third possibly) who are looking at this as sex ed and therefore will be requesting a) waivers or b) that these portions get parental approval/instruction.

When Adults try to use this to to push one agenda or create obstacles to the MB being implemented, I can not help but wonder why. What do they have against the basic premise or Diversity and inclusion?  Not the liberal or conservative interpretation of the terms, but the idea of treating people fairly, with respect, with equality.  Maybe they also need to earn the MB. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

Careful please. Don't mistake my views vs. those of others.

As I said, I believe as a MBC I could work with this MB. I can also very much see/know/observe in the Reddit and Facebook groups and even here that there's a HUGE pushback growing and an anticipation that people are NOT going to just embrace the change and move forward (as for example they did when Cooking became Eagle required).

Given that it is adults who are going be parents, SMs, and MBCs, and that it is adults who are creating this merit badge, asking adults to keep their hands off this merit badge is literally impossible.

 

This STARTED with an agenda. The entire REASON we have this as a merit badge in general and an Eagle required in particular started with an agenda. Now you can argue if this was a good agenda or a bad one. You can argue what the "real" agenda is (or isn't). But this did not just spring forth from the ground ex nihilo. Every part of this has been agenda laden.

To now say let's not have adults and their agendas is again, impossible.

 

I choose to look at things like this and ask "what's the best way for youth to take advantage of this?"  Given how polarized our country is today, I think a merit badge focused on getting kids to think about how they relate to others isn't such an awful idea.  

It's fine for us to agree to disagree.   I do think folks get where I'm coming from here.  I don't see that I have anything else constructive to add.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, Navybone said:

When Adults try to use this to to push one agenda or create obstacles to the MB being implemented, I can not help but wonder why.

Because they view issues related to sexual morals as being entirely in the discretion of the parents? And that even MENTIONING the words "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" crosses that line.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, CynicalScouter said:

Because they view issues related to sexual morals as being entirely in the discretion of the parents? And that even MENTIONING the words "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" crosses that line.

But that is exactly why this is an important opportunity.  What should a scout do if he/she meets someone who is gay (and they will)? Ignore them, pretend they do not exist?   Pick on them, bully them?  Or maybe accept them as a person with a different view.  This is not about changing anyone’s mind, it’s accepting people for being different than them.  

Link to post
Share on other sites
51 minutes ago, Navybone said:

But that is exactly why this is an important opportunity.

Yes. And I am also saying that you are going to get SM and parent push back on the idea that this is a merit badge that teaches sex ed. I'm not saying it is right. I am saying WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE PUSH BACK.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

@Jameson76 Thanks for the thoughts.

Perhaps I live in a Pollyanna world, but I just think this merit badge would work better if we just let the Scouts think through these questions without the implicit or explicit sharing of personal politics of the adult leaders.  

Kids of today, especially those in their mid teens are very aware of current events.  With the explosion of social media, kids today are living these issues in their daily lives. 

I have every confidence that if we adults step back and let these kids discuss these issues without adults interjecting our politics they'll do a great job.  They may or may not arrive at the same conclusions I have personally and that's OK.  But, I have no doubt that they will do an outstanding job discussing them without me interjecting my own beliefs.   To me it's sort of like "youth led" in Scouting.  We try to let the youth have their own space to make their own leadership decisions.  I just think we ought to do the same here.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...