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But that’s the flaw of an ecological hypothesis, you or I may not have seen sufficiently refined ideals in any 12 year old that we’ve met. But ours is at best a sample of maybe a thousand. If generalizable, that gives us an upper limit of 0.1%. Multiply that by the tens of thousands of crossovers that have transpired during our scouting careers, and we shouldn’t be surprised that one or two made the cut a year and a half later. P.S. - Thanks for sharing your story. I did not intend for what I said to be an ad homenim. My point was that it is incumbent on recipients of grace to be just as charitable towards those scouts who the media has chosen to highlight along with their leaders. We’re in no position to second-guess your EBoR (or the BoR’s of the ranks leading up to it); and, therefore, are obligated to support the scout and leaders in the OP.

@skeptic, I noticed that you mentioned “some older people” instead of being sex-specific as the article was. I’m wondering … is your community is like mine where the critics of girls participating in BSA’s programs seem to be female?

Thanks for asking. In general, when someone asks me to decide between strangers on the internet and a scout with her leaders, I’m siding with the latter. Again, thanks for asking. Yes I can imagine that. I’ve met some extremely ambitious 10 year-old scouts. Most of those, however, tend to accumulate numerous distractions in a year. However, it is a big country, and therefore if complete advancement in 1.58 years is possible, then at least one 11.58 year-old who earns Eagle somewhere in Scouts BSA is probable. … therefore, we can assume that you’ve mailed your sash and certificates back to national (given that you went on to discuss your honor). And you don’t assume that when you see an 18 year old with Eagle rank? It would seem to me that older scouts have more astute skills in deception. (E.g., the older scouts in our troop have mastered Capture the Flag.) Therefore, it is rational to infer a higher probably that any 17-year-old’s ECoH might be a reflection of a series of consecutive frauds than that any given 11-year-old has mastered flying below minimum standards. Now, if 10 percent of all 12 year-old scouts were awarded Eagle, I would begin to suspect that rank advancement isn’t the lofty teen-appropriate challenge it was meant to be. But what we have here is news of the latest exception who proves the rule. To me the only fraud being perpetrated here is ageism driven by an ecological fallacy that goes something like “Most 12 year-olds couldn’t pull this off; therefore, no 12 year-old can.”

I would have offered the same quote. This is a great opportunity for your unit. You all need to rally around the new leader and help get the training he/she needs. Good scouting to you in the new year.

It is worth noting that one of the consequences of BSA’s shrinking membership — while other countries’ membership grows — is reduced input in WOSM. One will also find that scouting education will be framed in terms of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as opposed to the individualistic tone of the Outdoor Code and Leave no Trace.

The fundamental problem is what is observable to whom. The global temperature maps show that New England and New York have heretofore experienced the least warming. So a very influential voting block of the wealthiest country on the planet — if not in sheer resources, in media moguls — does not experience the problem the way others do (and maybe will). Other Americans see extended growing cycles as a boon for agriculture. Americans are simply not going to perceive anthropogenic climate change the same way as others. Not for a long while. Not unless their youth gather on a blistering spit of reclaimed seabed on the Yellow Sea for a few days.

What money? A handful of spiral bound books and some green/blue shirts? It’s not like there are stacks of older-youth equivalents of pinewood derby kits and other nick-knacks piling up. The remaining Venturers and Sea Scouts drop dimes on HA bases and Jamborees (or their region level equivalents), so National will be very slow to dispense with those niche markets.

We have 10 Webelos from our pack visiting next week. It looks like nearly all of them intend to crossover. The crazy just keeps coming for us.

I recommend calling the company and ask if they have an Israeli or Palestinian (or any other self-respecting nation) flag rug.

Tarps at tractor supply are quite reasonably priced. I was just explaining to a fella who hadn’t been camping in a while that vestibules were for people who forget to leave their boots out sole side up.

Your husband is right to be concerned. We scramble to be as accountable to crossover parents as possible. Any troop you all may consider should do the same.

As I said with my son and all of his coaches: “This is an issue between you and you coach. Speak your desire plainly and courteously, ask if it’s possible to achieve your goal, and if so, how. As your parent, it is my obligation to say nothing but know that I’m rooting for you.” Half the time coaches would take the time to explain a negative decision for me. I made it clear that it wasn’t necessary and I am encouraging my child to talk to him/her directly. Still, them letting me know their thinking allowed me to not take things personally. Finally, we direct contact leaders don’t meet with scouts alone. At most we have one-on-one conversations in a public area.

It’s also worth noting that things aren’t always in a negative direction. Over the years, I’ve seen us cycle between stellar classes of youth, and class that could use a little polish.

Suspension is a very important tool. Some youth need time to decide if they want to be scouts, or something else.

I’d never get one as a collectors item. But it’s a stout kit. I’d encourage a patrol to get it if they were willing to put down $50.

I think it’s fair to tell the scout that his behavior in public places disqualifies him from participating in the corn maze. Then you need to get advice from the committee on how to handle this. IMHO, suspension is an option. A scout like this owes his fellows an apology for not representing, but he has to that conclusion on his own.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this happened before, but was kept from the press. S Korean media is very good, and they took two months to run with this story.

I did not write anything about edible bio-fuel because the troop no longer participates. But we’re capitalists. If a kid can hawk a couple hundred orders, there’s hope for a lucrative sales career.

You say this as if that’s a good thing. Some of us find it patently immoral to shirk the teaching of marketing, salesmanship and service industry to our youth. Our yearly dues are under $200 to cover registration and awards, then from our meatball hoagie sales at community festivals and a car wash offered by a local lawn, garden, and feed store, we cover most weekend camping costs, the occasional party, and capital expenses. Aside from increased community exposure (in both directions, citizens meet scouts and scouts meet fellow citizens) this inspires some older scouts to find jobs or start their own businesses. Among my world jamboree troop were two scouts who raised their big-ticket funds by worked at their CO’s soft drink stand during weekend festivals.

Many churches and other non-profit organizations have to do emergency drills for insurance purposes.

It’s like I have an evil twin five years later. Bottom line: how involved is the CO? The intent is that resources stay with the CO for the purposes of scouting. How does he COR think they will support scouting going forward if the troop folds? Does the CO have parents with teens? As far as implementing this: Your treasury is too deep. Presumably these are funds that existing scouts and parents earned. Pay fully for everyone’s registration and the scouts’ summer camp. Schedule outings with the other troop so the scouts can get to know one another. Pay for the cracker-barrel for any older scouts so that same-age scouts may get to know one another. IS THERE A CREW or SHIP nearby? Introduce your scouts to those opportunities. They may want to become one.

I'll let others find the sources, but there are two opposing concepts that apply to the field uniform: A uniform is not required to be a member of BSA. The intent here is that we are not to discourage from membership a scout without means to buy a uniform. This goes way back to when the uniform was the most expensive aspect of membership, and a neckerchief of a particular color was the bare minimum. The PLC decides on the troop uniform. This typically involves neckerchief design and how/when it should be worn. It also involves defining the activity uniform. But in effect, if the PLC, for example, refuses to wear standard issue pants or shorts, what are you going to do? Furthermore, the SPL leads uniform inspection. How does an SM handle this when the SPL is okay with patrols showing up at ceremonies without their field shirt? On the other hand if the SPL has got the PLC gun ho about that impeccable head to toe De La Renta look, how does an SM tone down expectations so that scouts with limited means can feel that sense of belonging? So, if it's being initiated by the boys with the endorsement of the SM, we can't keep a troop from trying to look sharp. But, my suggestion to such a troop is to maintain a spare set of field uniforms so that scouts in difficult situations (either financially, or they are just coming straight from football practice ot a meeting) can have something they can put on when they get to the scout house.

It was a pleasure traveling with the female scouts in the World Scout Jamboree USA contingent. They made a higher percentage of Americans compared to 4 years ago. Many had also attended National Jamboree. Unfortunately, some had to reckon with abysmal leadership. I attribute this to female leaders not seasoned in BSA’s (and WOSM’s) culture. It’s one thing to come in with decades of experience as an adult leader … it’s another thing to have the memory of attending Jambo aS a youth on top of it. I hope some of these young women take their experience to heart and make a better environment for future youth under their charge. We’ve come a long way. We have a long way to go.

Our ASM found this in a mug in a rarely-used patrol box while the troop was clearing the garage tonight. Does it jar any memories? I think I found local article related to the event.

Those horror stories will manifest regardless of the tools that you provide. File: adults ruin everything! I do think we have a generation of adults who don’t know how to measure anything. Do take time at a troop meeting to teach hand-washing. Alcohol base requires 20 seconds; soap and water 30 seconds. Singing “happy birthday twice is a good metric. I recommend the glee club dirge version: “Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Sin and sorrow everywhere, death and dying and despair. Happy birthday. Happy Birthday.” But, I find what churns most of my scouts’ stomachs is a failure to drain grease from their meat while cooking. Demonstrating that at a meeting where you all cook up a bunch of sliders is a worthwhile exercise. Showing scouts how to manage heating and seasoning of different kinds of frying pans will also pay off in clean-up time! Then, there’s the scout who eats seconds of everything then wakes up in the middle of the night with incredible stomach aches. I have yet to find a fix for that.