RememberSchiff

I moved responses regarding using Eagle Scout to recruit Girls to a new topic. Let's keep this topic about the new launch of admitting girls into Cub Scouts

It will be interesting to hear more about Council plans. Maybe that Council will delay Spring Cub recruitment until Fall.

Does anyone recall if National, Council, or his SM contacted the school system or otherwise spoke on that Eagle Scout's behalf? IMHO, it would be helpful if the back of the Totin' Chip had a what-to-do list and phone contacts for when a scout's knife wanders into a restricted location.

The Alamo Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America will invite girls to join Cub Scouting from January to May 2018. This “soft launch” will be open to girls currently in kindergarten for Lions, and girls in the first through fourth grades in Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos I, a BSA spokeswoman said. Cub scout dens will be single-gender: all boys or all girls. The official launch will be at the beginning of the 2018/2019 school year. Webelos II girls will also have to wait until January 2019 when the older girl program is launched, the spokeswoman said. The older girls program will enable them to earn the Eagle Scout rank. https://www.ksat.com/news/south-texas-boy-scouts-to-open-membership-to-girls-starting-in-january

@Deerehaas18 welcome to scouter.com

I would think not a problem ... for a Turtle.

Let's stay on topic. This is about adult leader physical contact.

More than 250 planes that crashed over US land have never been found - but a team of volunteer detectives is on the case. Robert Hyman, a mountaineer and explorer, was hosting a party at his home in Washington, DC. It was December 2007, three months after the multi-millionaire Steve Fossett went missing over the Nevada / California border. Despite a huge search, Fossett's plane and body had not been found. For Robert, it didn't sit well. The military don't leave people behind, he thought. Neither do Boy Scouts. So, he said those six words. Explorers don't leave other explorers behind. At the same time, Lew Toulmin, another member of the Explorers Club, was walking past. "When I heard it, it clicked with me," says Lew. "I made a left-turn, right into the group, and said: 'Yes!'" And that, in a DC house party, is how the Missing Aircraft Search Team (M.A.S.T) began. Fascinating story and video at source link: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42272952

I'm glad new laws are no longer blaming knives rather locations. It is not an illegal knife, it is a location-restricted knife. Your Honor, it's not my fault, my knife was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Seems every winter, I toy with building a snow gun as plan B for a white Christmas. Looks like plan A , let Mother Nature do it, will do.

Sorry, our replies are out of sequence. Take the scout handshake, I have often heard Dads make comments like "Why not shake like a man. Aren't you teaching them to be men." They were unaware of the tradition and its reason.

But those customs are communicated, do we do as well? Take the scout handshake, I have often heard Dads make comments like "Why not shake like a man. Aren't you teaching them to be men." They were unaware of the tradition and its reason.

Please stay on topic, which is issues with touching scouts in the course of the program.

Since you mentioned snow and football, how about Army using those camoflaged, 10th Mountain Division jerseys! Go Navy, next year.

Ok then, less bickering please. So far, our more thoughtful replies have mentioned trust, mutual respect, traditions, stricter CO policies, communication, cultural issues, instructional needs, and a change in parental concerns/fears. In the special case of a handshake; it seems a simple act of respect but the person "on the other hand" may not agree. From Bryan's Tuesday Talkback Feb 11, 2014 ...there may be some parents (and even Scouts and Scouters) who because of their culture are not willing to shake using the left hand. There are some cultures, too, that don’t like to shake hands at all. We should respect their wishes. Some units, meanwhile, have a policy to only use the Scout handshake while in Scout uniform. I can find no argument against that practice and would leave that decision to the unit’s leaders (adult leaders in Cub Scouts and youth leaders in Boy Scouts and Venturers). https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2014/02/11/tuesday-talkback-who-should-use-the-scout-handshake/ Outside, the snow is clean and peaceful.

@clemlaw, thanks that is great work-around.

Welcome to scouter.com. Has your SM given you any specific tasks as a new ASM?

Given the situation, could one bring a friend (two legged or four-legged) along to a training course, who would not be taking the course?

IMHO, somewhere in the first lesson of adult leader training there should be a rule. Thieves steal from scouts anytime, anyplace. It's so easy. Be vigilant, protect your scouts, protect your assets. This story from Portland, OR is another example but with a local contractor coming to the rescue, a fundraiser - "This is how our troop pays for the entire program throughout the year. Our boys don't pay for summer camp they have to earn their way to summer camp", Troop 351 Scoutmaster Mike Benson the Governor stops by, the community responds and sales pick up and perhaps a girl Boy Scout interviewed. She was working the fundraiser and appeared to be wearing scout pants. http://www.kgw.com/life/holidays/samaritan-steps-in-after-grinch-steals-from-portland-boy-scouts/498150606

Hmmm, @MattR now there's a thought. Back in the day, before the internet and cellphones, I knew the adults in my neighborhood as I played over at friends' houses and at Little League long before I joined the troop where some of those same adults volunteered. Trust had already been established.

Maybe we scouters now need to ask permission first. I found this teaching objective in my diocese Touching Safety Program for teens They should honor and respect the wishes of others who don’t want to be touched, even when it feels like rejection and hurts their feelings. Learning that others have the right to say “no” and to have their “no” respected is a fundamental part of our character development as we grow into young adults. It empowers us to maintain our own boundaries and to respect and support the boundaries of those around us.

@Amynh welcome to scouter.com

Local Diocese has "Maintaining Boundaries" policies, mostly for coaches. Hugs and handshakes still okay for coaches, scouters less so.

Point taken, CO's touching policies as applied to scout units are on topic. Regarding those policies, I have found church CO's to be stricter with their scout units than the church school was with their sports team.

Let's keep on topic, adult touching in Scouting. I have touched Scouts during skills instruction for swimming (swim stroke mechanics), knots, shooting (postitioning, hold), and First Aid. Oh I have grabbed and pulled some scouts away from a dangerous situation. Is there a problem? Touching other the that, nope. No hugs, no slaps, Scouts can play in the NFL for that.