skeptic

This dalliance with trying to make this into a short story or something is troublesome.

Sadly, so far his response has been simply thrown him to the side of the road, more or less. Not what I would think we might expect, especially with the history prior and his acchievements. The unit will likely discuss seriously some more and hopefully find a workable option that protects others, but does not abandon the lad. Thanks for the comments.

An issue totally unespected and out of the blue. Been in the program since cubs, and other than occasional breaking of something in frustration, never threatening to others. Something went awry it would seem and his doctors are involved. It just seems that if we can work with him in some way that does not put others in harms way, or he is proven to be tempered, would Lone Scout be an option. A lot of "ifs", and not something likely in the books directly. On the other hand, we have a history of reaching out to troubled youth and giving them a chance if possible. It just seems a shame to see his efforts to date to be lost. But, we have to put the others ahead; that is understood. Thanks for your comments. Probably one of those untenable situations.

Can a scout on the extended program for challenge individuals continue in some format such as Lone Scout when his meds and emotional issues can be of concern, or even frightening? It seems unfair and counterprocuctive to simply separate them if they start to have unforeseen issues as they age. Thoughts, please.

And I ahve never denied that the abuse should not have happened, if possible, and that some foolish or something people made major poor decisions in regard to the known or reported cases. We also need to recognize the other parties making poor decisions, or in some cases what they viewed as protective decisions. Bsa was and is not the only one, and suggesting they are is simply foolish. One case is too many. We need to continue to strengthen barriers, but also NOT simply write off the huge benefits of Scouting. It is a bit ironic that West was chosen partly due to his efforts for improving youth fafety in society.

The saddest part of this continuing issue is that if we simply fixed the legal system so as to not have overly zealous and greedy saw suits people could still have protection with reasonable cost and some type of fair and balanced guidelines. The expectation that there is an absolute ability to keep all bad actors out of Scouting or any other group is not feasible. And, when those individuals do get past barriers, for whatever reason, the idea that anyone that has ever spoken to or touched them, or furnished a place to meet, and so on is ridiculous and should not be a reason to sue. Just my view, and if you do not agree, please do not get rude.

Well, this time, they are telling the truth. They have sat on the cost for a while now, and reality has stepped up. Have to review, but is there still a first time option with the Eagle return from National? For others, it has been a low cost option; and of course, I am unaffected, as I purchased the Life years ago. Those of us that have gifted new Eagles membership will need to decide if it is worth the expense. I certainly will consider that the next time it arises.

And most of us that peruse this site know that these things noted are still going on across the country, even a few are determined to stifle the reality that Scouting is a positive benefit for the comminities and has never lost this part. The media might be better served to focus on the positives that continued, even as the vultures circled, and not on the small percentage of negative examples. I have shred a similar story of our local activities and our super troop that drives conservation work locally in the NF and surrounding areas, while maintaining one of the best overall programs I have seen in sixty years or so of Scouting. Thanks for shring.

Our local council would much prefer the status quo, as the option worked out makes them the actual CO in order to remove the legal onus from the Church. Our local church never wanted us to leave, and they would have loved to not have to do the option forced upon them. We now have a facility agreement, so we still are where we have been since the thirties, but it is a forced setup. The local Church legal people have yet to decide of our option to be sponsored by the local Masonic group, but have a facility agreement, is viable. They so far have not made that decision. The good thing is that the local Masonic group has made it clear they have no issue with a facility agreement, and they are in the wings should the CO issue become a problem. I hope that the ridiculous barriers caused by the greedy and unconcerned lawyers and the less than helpful insurance people will find a solution that is more realistic and not so threatening to sponsors and the program. Meanwhile we are apparently going to make into our 102nd year if all stays on track.A

In my view this element of youth leadership was a critical growth opportunity for upcoming youth. If it was done properly with an adult or two in supervision to avoid youth harrassment, it worked well for all. Peer pressure is still a good option for youth interaction and learing. And, I truly feel that this should be reimplemented into the modern programing.

Space and time. He may come around, but I would not push him, as that is usually counter productive IMO. You also might try to discuss the idea that Scouting is NOT just becoming an Eagle. That impression is too prominent today in my view. I have had many scouts hang around to graduation and never go beyond the lowe ranks; but they had fun and friends. BP said scouting should be fun and done while learning citizenship and responsibility. The advanced ranks were not initially part of the program, even here. To become a First Class, really until WWII, was the big goal, and those same scouts were leaders in the War, and the military used elements of Scouting for training. After the war, the focus got skewed, too much I think. Of course today, we have a warped society, needing the tenets abut with constant negative feedback from too many. Again, JMO.

The info I do not see is if the actual troop BOR explained their reasoning and offered a repeat board in say three weeks or something of that sort, noting they needed to clarify specific areas of concern. On the rare occasion we do not pass a scout, they are slways given a reason and a return option in a reasonable time frame.

Many non profits run funding with token gifts for contributing, such as tickets to something or books and so on. My understanding is that the donation is still tax deductible. But, not a cpa. Grey area perhaps?

You made a donstion to Scouting and got a bit of popcorn as a token of appreciation.

A reflection of our current society. Instead of finding the positive in something, lets find problems and negativity. Our challenges, as already noted, are to take and meld the odl and new and create something using the best parts of all of them.

This just out on frin On Scouting. It seems to me that this is what we need to see happening nationwide to resurrect Real Scouting, and place before the communities. We will never get above the negative media portrayals that focus on the small anomalous things if we do not counter with the overwhelmingly positive realities. Just my view.

While many of the youth are overly involved with much of the modern media, games and social, many others are demonstrating interest outside those areaas, or even finding ways to coerlate them. Thechnologies and their progeny are in constant flux and we are seeing a=azing advances in many areas due to the skills and new direction challenges. The real issue I fear is the overreaction of too many adults to some of the enormous changes. Also, just a I have little clue in regard to modern tech, though I can use basics and even struggle with newer things with moderate success at times, I continue to read about amazing new directions that evlolve from some of this stuff, things few would even have imagined even twenty years ago. Just like I have been heard to screwam in other threads, balance and taking the cfhallenges are important, even as we still retain some of the most important elements of the past technologies and cultural tools. Good examples are seen in teh huge expansion of animation and things that now have derived from it. That in turn evolved from comics and cartooning. We have not lost the best from the past in music, or in literature, or in art. But, today we are seeing invovations that can be traced to those past things. Move ahead, but keep the scales even if possible, and be open to new ideas and merging some with the old. The young people recently enterered into advanced fliying for example, were not long ago playing early games. And they have been able to master these new skills much more rapidly than many in the past. Doors open and minds are tested by many tech inovatioons, and those ideas are expanding to the arts and had science, including mdicale brekthorughs. Doctors today do crazy things with tools evolved from these techniques derived from games. I had a major medical issue fairly recently that saw a leak of fluid from the brain cavity throuh and out my left sinus. Twenty years or less ago, the only repair would have been to lift the brain out and fix the crack in the dura, and I likely would not be typing here. But, the techniiques now available used miniature tools that entgered through the sinus to repair the crack and secure it, and only took a couple hours. While scans are done to assure no follow issues, all is well, and I am apparently fine. I guess my point is that we can moan and complain about what we may see as problems sith things, or we can find ways instead to use those thiings to move ahead and keep the youth involved. That is why we do rocketry and even pinewood. Still, we do need to get them to experience the orignianl stuff on occasion too. And kids are still little pyros, and many love to play with ropes and tie each other up or make things to climb. That is why letting them sometimes just play on their own, finding their own ideas and games is so important. Too much scheuling and no allowance for just fun or a challenge is not good for people, especially yoouth.

Time to share the real program that is still here and never really stopped. Enough with the negative nellies. This is the FB link for the Chumash District of the LC. The effort to post the one part seems to not want to work for whatever reason. But, interested parites might find the other post on the FB link on note too. The one this relates to is the one from Troop 111 and Craig Carey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/573954530008979

I have just reached out to Steve Schied who is involved on the national UMC Scouting committee in regard to this. We have been offered charter with the Masons and also the facilities aggreement. As has been discussed off and on, there is not complete confidence in LC sponsorship, especially with the idea of them owning our physical equipment and our bank accounts. I will share his response when I receive it. I also received an email from our church locally with what appears to be a similar opinion as stated in this recent comment. I am not sure that there are absolutes with it, only recognition of the LC with facility as viable. It would help if we were actually seeing the LC reach out to us directly, rather than just wait for us to move.

Do not think they can dictate that. If a unit wants a different charter but with the facility arrangement it should not be any business of the LC. And, since it appears LC's are balking in some areas anyway, not sure where they are coming from.

Thanks for this reminder and idea maker. I am going to give my SPL a "tarp challenge". Have various items available, such as poles and line, along with the rope. Include older tarps without metal rings and see how they might attach lines, and so on. Could be a great exercise for a meeting and even more of a chaollenge on an outing.

What is still not clear to me is why were they then at the Scout range? Were they trespassing on the range, or did they somehow get some kind of use pemission for the range? It the firearms are privatedly owned, what is the Scout connection beyond the range itself? What am I misssing?

Or simply use whatever works as a slide. Again, who says it has to be level/rank specific in appearance. We do not require Scouts, the older type, to use official Scout slides,so why the little ones. Use a curtain ring, or a rubber band, or a small vertebrae from an animal, something interesting attached to adevice; they are more fun anyway.

Ride to the Flags. Service today, and Honor and Rememberance https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160700391950798&set=pcb.1289504331787325

Is this an indication that Mr. Spielberg no longer has BSA on his bad list? Whatever, if done well, as he generally does, it should be a positive thing for BSA comingout of the bankruptcy.