Boy Scouts

[drop bear]

why bother when you can dictate policy.
I don't know if they replaced the scouting mandate with something new. The defectors largely opposed inclusivity of gay boys, and the change to allow gay leaders finished that off.

But the troops are only as good as the supporting community.

Apparently you guys are finally letting girls in as well which sent them a bit wild.

But yeah. I like the idea of the scouts being a modern inclusive organisation.

And I think that is important for the supporting community.

 

[Blindside]

Apparently you guys are finally letting girls in as well which sent them a bit wild.

But yeah. I like the idea of the scouts being a modern inclusive organisation.

And I think that is important for the supporting community.

I think it is a good change, I don't have a daughter (3 boys) but if I did I would want her to have the same opportunities as my sons. There will be growing pains though, any troop is going to be as successful as its adult leadership and support network can make it and established troops have funnels to maintain and grow success. I saw all girl troops at the Scout Camp this year and unsurprisingly they were unfamiliar with the traditions that go along with those camps. The scout camps usually have a competition for best troop for each week which in the past the troops have worked hard excel in, but this year that competition was cancelled because you are pitting troops with some scouts who have been to camps up to 7 times against a troops of all newbies. The boys in my troop, particularly the older ones who wanted to maintain their tradition of winning those competitions were a bit disappointed by that.

So far our district only has one girls troop out of 24, I hope those numbers can grow. I was actually surprised at the scout camp, they had 3 girls troops out of about 10 there, quite frankly I was surprised to see that many.

 

[granfire]

Apparently you guys are finally letting girls in as well which sent them a bit wild.

But yeah. I like the idea of the scouts being a modern inclusive organisation.

And I think that is important for the supporting community.

LOL, yeah, the 'traditionalists' are having a tough few years.
it only makes sense that the girls can go to BSA troops (not coed yet) since they are most often there anyhow, as sisters of scouts. the Girl Scouts are a fine organization as well, developing leadership in young girls and women, but they have moved from their Baden Powel roots and developed a different toolset to accomplish their mission.
In most countries scouting is coed, even in countries you would not expect it, why keep genders separate in the US...(we don't do that logic thing though, bear with us)
First gay boys, then gay leaders, now them wimminz....it's the end of the world as we know it!

 

[granfire]

I think it is a good change, I don't have a daughter (3 boys) but if I did I would want her to have the same opportunities as my sons. There will be growing pains though, any troop is going to be as successful as its adult leadership and support network can make it and established troops have funnels to maintain and grow success. I saw all girl troops at the Scout Camp this year and unsurprisingly they were unfamiliar with the traditions that go along with those camps. The scout camps usually have a competition for best troop for each week which in the past the troops have worked hard excel in, but this year that competition was cancelled because you are pitting troops with some scouts who have been to camps up to 7 times against a troops of all newbies. The boys in my troop, particularly the older ones who wanted to maintain their tradition of winning those competitions were a bit disappointed by that.

So far our district only has one girls troop out of 24, I hope those numbers can grow. I was actually surprised at the scout camp, they had 3 girls troops out of about 10 there, quite frankly I was surprised to see that many.

a lot of those troops are lead by adults who have already been dragging their daughters along to all the scouting events the brothers went to. I know that's the case where I am, I know of one troop of girls. the leader has dragged her girl along for BSA and GSUSA events for years.
Not sure if I agree about suspending the competition though, the girls don't need special treatment. Just equal opportunity!
The Girl Scouts have their own top award, but it does not carry the same weight as Eagle Scout.
You get kicked up 3 ranks if you join the army, and some employers will give you the edge over other competitors if you can claim to have earned Eagle.

 

[thanson02]

Just wondering, anyone else on here a boy scout/eagle scout/scoutmaster/asst scoutmaster?

Eagle Scout

 

[dvcochran]

Apparently you guys are finally letting girls in as well which sent them a bit wild.

But yeah. I like the idea of the scouts being a modern inclusive organisation.

And I think that is important for the supporting community.

I hate it but it is only a matter of time before there is an incident regarding the male/female interaction. What is wrong with seperate girl scout and boy scout groups? They are both scouts.

 

[donald1]

I joined boy scouts once. We never did anything. One time we had a can good collection. The person in charge of our group got in trouble for keeping some of the food and the group ended up disbanded. Haven't joined up since. Still have the uniform at my parents house as a reminder though.

 

[granfire]

I hate it but it is only a matter of time before there is an incident regarding the male/female interaction. What is wrong with seperate girl scout and boy scout groups? They are both scouts.

in most countries scouting is coed.
in the US it is separate, and the GSUSA has taken a different, more urban approache to scouting. Some aspects of their organization drove me up the wall, like the astronomical price of the material the girls have to have to accomplish their badges and awards (a rank handbook costs about 30 dollars, plus add ons you need to doo all the stuff for the rank, and it's only good for 2-3 years. The BSA handbook is good for the duration of the scouting experience, from age 10 1/2 to 18, for ten dollars, and all progress is recorded in there! Plus it is portable, not a ginormous three ring binder.)

The BSA troops are not coed, but Venture Crews have been for a very long time. Scouts 14 through 21 can join the crews. They, too participate at the summer camps. So it's not as if this girl thing is completely new.
But - I think - it's better to introduce them when they are still 'yucky girls' vs 'damn, girls! I am hot and bothered'

The BSA has rather strict rules, it is up to the troops to enforce them, and just deal, I suppose.
Which sucks, as the ones who need the most help, the ones profiting most from the experience, are also the kids who are most vulnerable.

 

[granfire]

I joined boy scouts once. We never did anything. One time we had a can good collection. The person in charge of our group got in trouble for keeping some of the food and the group ended up disbanded. Haven't joined up since. Still have the uniform at my parents house as a reminder though.

Yeah, that kind of blows. The troop is only as good as the leadership. and that is really hard to come by. Good leadership is tougher yet!

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I hate it but it is only a matter of time before there is an incident regarding the male/female interaction. What is wrong with seperate girl scout and boy scout groups? They are both scouts.

Separate but equal doesn't have a very good track record. Yes, there are challenges, but as others have pointed out, there have been girls around many events for a long time. There will be an adjustment period, but 40 years from now, folks probably won't understand why there was every a segregation by gender.

 

[Deleted member 34973]

My cousin and I tried to join when we were kids, but was told we were to white trash. It was a state event, located in the small town of Noel Mo.

It's ok though, county sheriff heard about what they said, and band these functions in the county. I think because we were the only two not allowed to sign up.

Individual troops still got together and did their thing. Just no big events anymore.

Nice guy that Sheriff.

 

[PhotonGuy]

Speaking of Boy Scouts and for those who want to be an Eagle Scout, you can buy an Eagle badge at any Boy Scout store for a few dollars. So anybody who wants to get an Eagle Badge, that's how you can get one, very easy and very simple.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Speaking of Boy Scouts and for those who want to be an Eagle Scout, you can buy an Eagle badge at any Boy Scout store for a few dollars. So anybody who wants to get an Eagle Badge, that's how you can get one, very easy and very simple.

You should only be doing this if you're leading a troop, or replacing an eagle badge that you bought. otherwise there's no reason.

 

[PhotonGuy]

You should only be doing this if you're leading a troop, or replacing an eagle badge that you bought. otherwise there's no reason.

My point exactly. If you buy a badge without earning it and claim to be an Eagle Scout, you're nothing but a fake. Same thing with belts.

 

[granfire]

Speaking of Boy Scouts and for those who want to be an Eagle Scout, you can buy an Eagle badge at any Boy Scout store for a few dollars. So anybody who wants to get an Eagle Badge, that's how you can get one, very easy and very simple.

you actually can't.
you have to bring documentation that either you, or a scout in your troop earned it.
you might find stuff at yardsales, or in thrift stores, but the scout store won't sell you any merit badges without documentation.

 

[PhotonGuy]

you actually can't.
you have to bring documentation that either you, or a scout in your troop earned it.
you might find stuff at yardsales, or in thrift stores, but the scout store won't sell you any merit badges without documentation.

Right.
Well the point is, just because you somehow come into possession of an eagle badge, that does not make you an Eagle Scout.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Right.
Well the point is, just because you somehow come into possession of an eagle badge, that does not make you an Eagle Scout.

What is the purpose of that statement? As far as i know, no one here has ever argued the oppoaite, for eagle scouts (or belts). People have argued that there are different standards (for belts), and that if someone has a belt you dont agree with it doesn't effect you, but I've yet to see someone argue that buying the belt in a store makes you that rank

 

[dvcochran]

Speaking of Boy Scouts and for those who want to be an Eagle Scout, you can buy an Eagle badge at any Boy Scout store for a few dollars. So anybody who wants to get an Eagle Badge, that's how you can get one, very easy and very simple.

Is that the same value you put on your MA rank or experience? Very sad.

 

[PhotonGuy]

What is the purpose of that statement? As far as i know, no one here has ever argued the oppoaite, for eagle scouts (or belts). People have argued that there are different standards (for belts), and that if someone has a belt you dont agree with it doesn't effect you, but I've yet to see someone argue that buying the belt in a store makes you that rank

Some people in the past on this forum have suggested I buy a belt at a store or online instead of earning it.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Some people in the past on this forum have suggested I buy a belt at a store or online instead of earning it.

Im assuming this is the post you're referring to, or similar ones:

As for the black belt who cares it's a piece of fabric just find a new place or train yourself

These posts are saying the belt is a piece of fabric, the comparison would be that the eagle scout badge is just a pin. Both of which are true, but neither suggest you earn it by buying it from a store. I think you're missing the time of people's suggestions.