Engineer61

When getting items at Harbor Frieght, you might want to go ahead an invest in a Lead Test Kit. Especially for painted items.

I thought this might be an interesting spin-off topic... College and Job applications... I've filled out my share of employment applications over the years, I've never seen anything that specifically mentioned Scouting or Eagle (or any other specific organization). Out of curiosity, I did ask my HR representative about Scouting and Eagle...her response was, "We don't ask about it, and if it's on the application or resume, we can't consider it." Seems that the Legal Department considers Scouts to be a religious organization and therefore cannot be considered a factor in the decision making process. I would expect this to be the same for publically funded colleges as well. Anyone else here in HR or College Admissions? Thoughts?

Personally, I see two issues with the LDS participation in BSA. One, certainly is the disproportionate influence that the LDS has in certain geographic regions. The second, and to me the most important and most damaging to the LDS troops and BSA in general, is the level of participation that LDS troops have with non-LDS troops. As I mentioned in another post...our troop will participate on Eagle projects, regardless of the affliations, but no LDS scout will show up at non-LDS Eagle projects. I have many LDS friends and coworkers, some don't endorse this segregation, but many do.

So, I a short conversation with my wife about stepson's Scouting. She's noticed that he has indeed slowed down quite a bit. He did achieve 1st Class last year as an 11-12 year old (6th grader). I think Mom's realizing that further pushing my cause him to bail out... His buddy, who joined the Troop at the same time, should Eagle sometime next year (as an 8th grader). She admits that it's not the Scout attaining Eagle, rather it's the parents. The current lead Scout is a 9th Grader who also reached Eagle last year...no relation to the other.

I've already done some of these.... 1) Are you having fun in Scouts? This is critical b/c if he isn't having fun, he will get out as soon as he gets Eagle, IF he even gets that far. His response is sometimes yes, sometimes no. 2) What do you like best about Scouting? Got to find out what he likes best to encourage hime to speal to his PL, or if he is a PL then at the PLC, what motivates him. His favorite is camping. He is not in any leadership position. 3) What does he like least about Scouting? Again needs to find out the things that discourage him. Merit Badges in general...too much paper and busy work for him. 4) What problems do you see ahead with Scouting? Summer camp with his troop will be a problem, since he travels out of state fro the summer. He's not outgoing and assertive enough to try provisional camping (which would have to be out of state). 5) What activities would he like to try, i.e. backpacking at Philmont, Canoeing in Northern Tier, doing a program at Sea Base,. jambo, etc. He's really not shown any interests in any of the "big ticket" items...which is fine because we really don't have the resources for it....water based activites have to be limited since he is a poor swimmer and not interested in improving. 5a) How plan to go about doing the activity? See above. 6) What do you think about workign summer camp staff for a sumemr whn you get older? Haven't asked that one. 7) Are adults to involved in Scouting, i.e. picking MBs, tellign you what to cook, etc? Or that one. 8) What do you think about your mom's involvement with you in Scouting? Or that one. Ironically, from the people I know in the troop....my wife seems to be the least pushy...I guess that says something about Scouting in my area...it seems to almost be a competition for the parents. Having coached rec youth baseball for several years, it kinda drives me nutsy...kinda why I just stay out of the way.

"Which is the point of accepting role models who exibit immoral behavior, there were no adults like that in my troop when I was a scout and I am pretty sure they weren't invited to be a leader." Really? I think the immoral behavior was just a different immoral behavior... When I was growing up nearly all of the BSA troops in my area were run by KKK members and that was Central Ohio. I suspect that in the more rural areas of the country, there are still cases of it. "So what has changed in the last 40 years?" Intolerance of intolerance is what has changed.

TBTO, I don't for certain what my Scout's rank is...but I think he made 1st Class last year. Scouting is not something I'm really atuned to...but you probably all know that by now... He turns 13 in November. Is sounds like the Scouting part of his family did spend the summer getting him to drink the Kool-aid so to speak...he now has this belief that "things" will be much easier if he gets Eagle. When I asked him what things, he responded "getting in to better colleges, getting better jobs...stuff like that." Yet another button pushed. Drives me nuts.

Well, since I really don't want my head lopped off, I'm remaining on the sidelines until my Scout wants to speak up and say enough. So far, he's been on the Family Campout and missed about 1/2 the weekly meetings due to homework....which I think he's probably using as an excuse... At the last visit to the Scout Shop, he picked out some MB books...none were Eagle requirements...I noticed that Mom was not 100% behind the choices, tried to direct some Eagle MB's into the mix...nothing doing. He is void of all leadership functions at the moment...not sure if that was his plan...but that's the way it worked out. Not real happy with the Patrol he's in...they merged two (Hawks and Wolves) and decided to call them the Flying Wolves...he thought it "stupid". On the sidelines....

IMO, question of gay leadership in BSA being a cause for the LDS or any other church to pull support for BSA is weak at best. Every church has gay or bisexual membership...every church has pedophiles...to attempt to deny that is to simply stick one's head in granular rock. I suspect that as long as the various churches believe that their influence on BSA remains intact they will continue to support it. That is why, by and large, (gasp...here it comes) BSA is a Christian-only organization...because the sponsoring organizations want it to be... Now, you all can flail away at that notion, but have you looked in the book section of your local Scout Shop lately? You'll find dozens of books on faith and Scouting...yep all Christian. Not one single item on any other faith. The 800 lb Gorilla in BSA may not be the LDS by itself.

{Biting tongue to prevent rant}

Ok...you want an example....how about segregation? When the call goes out for help for Eagle projects, our troop will jump in with 10 or 15 boys + parents...no problem. We don't ask church affilations... But when one of our Eagle projects come up...not one LDS affliated Scout shows. Ever. That segregation permeates the entire community at every level. LDS members never support local school fundraisers...(I know that from personal experience many times.) LDS members won't even by GS cookies...the excuse I was given was that GSA is sponsored by Planned Parenthood so GSA is pro-abortion....that being told to a 6 year old and an adult. QED

I'll go with Shortridge...my DO experiences to date (few as they are) have lead me straight to Rol-aids or the latrine, or better yet, alternate food sources.

Well there's two possible sides...I expect both of which have been discussed... 1) Mom does need the financial help. 2) Mom does not need the financial help, and is just looking for a free ride. As for the youth (or even school) sports fees...every organization and school I've been involved with has a scholarship program to pay for fees for kids that want to pay but cannot afford it. So it is possible that she's using that path for the sports programs.

Hi Eagle, I don't really thinks it a matter of preference, it's a matter of available time and his involvement in school activities that would net additional school relationships. Since 75% of his weekend time is spent in Scouting, there simply isn't available time for anything else.

"Why do you think your son would have more friends without scouts?" Observation...goes to school with only two other Scouts in his grade....all the other Scouts in the troop in the same grade attend other schools. Since the Scouts don't where their uniforms to school, he knows of no other Scouts that are not in his Troop School friends that were in Cub Scouts but did not continue because the wanted to do other school activities are rarely interacted with outside of school. Because a majority of his free time on weekends is spent doing Scout stuff, he spends little or no time with non-Scout friends. I suspect that this may be an issue with Troops in more densely populated areas where there are more schools than troops.

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but the key to stopping rancid pot seems to be the oil you season it with. Had issues with my 18" iron skillet....found it went sour with soybean, canola and sunflower. Corn oiled it.. and it's been fine since. Nothing like playing with a chemistry set.

Hi Perdidochas... Oh a touch of sarcasm and a dose of reality....

....lol.... I'd see my wife on Monday evenings and most weekends. My stepson wouldn't be ... ...carrying on about having to go to meetings every Monday evening, ...griping about packing or unpacking for campouts, ...sniping about getting up early on Saturday morning to paint a fence. My stepson would be ... ...more engaged in school activities. ...more engaged in school friendships.

I think there is only one significant core characteristic of a successful troop... Leaders who lead....guided by adults who know how to lead. Without that...then it looks like our Troop...chaos.

I guess my short answer to the question is "no". But then, not all boys "can" become Scouts...so perhaps the question is moot, eh?

Morning Beavah, "It depends"...hmm...pondering that... Ok...of all the possible answers you could have given..."it depends" is probably the most unsettling.... Here we have the BSA...literally thousands of pages of regulations, requirements for badges, endless adult training and protection, etc. etc. etc. ... ...but no clear cut policy on what do to with Scouts that engage in drugs, tobacco, alcohol, violence, abuse, whatever? I am beyond baffled, stymied and perplexed all at once.

So I have to ask...short of a reenactment of Columbine or VA Tech, exactly what does warrant removal from a troop? I don't subscribe at all to "boy will be boys"....

Sherminator replied... ""It's like Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio not showing up to speak at an ACLU convention." As a Scouter who voted for this President and supports him, I really have to point out that this analogy is exceptionally flawed." Gee, as someone who has voted for Sheriff Joe every time, and am a former member of the ACLU, not only to I not see your point, but since you offered nothing to clarify, I will discount your opinion out of hand.

The fact that you even hesitated speaks volumes. If this boy is making threats, he needs to be gone immediately from your troop. Scouting is not a "need" ... it is a "want". Your parents EXPECT that you are ultimately IN CHARGE and RESPONSIBLE for everything that goes on in the Troop.

Oh come on folks... it's not like anyone would have really wanted this President there anyway. It's like Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio not showing up to speak at an ACLU convention.