mrjohns2

For Cubs, it is every year plus your Den can do a “Protect Yourself” adventure instead of Cyber Chip. So, 2x per year. For Scouts, it is at Scout and Tenderfoot.

I saw the hiking umbrellas. Seems so... unconventional. Maybe a rain coat, with a skirt, I mean a kilt, and an umbrella. 🙂

Well, there is info in every handbook. It is required to be covered in every cub rank and at least 2x in Scouts. It goes on and on about how abuse happens and how to prevent it. So, other than putting it on all flyers, it is pretty well covered. 100-015.pdf (scouting.org)

It took me a long time to get to the the spot of agreeing with this, but the forum was a big part. I am not sure if it was @ThenNow or just a combination of others and my thoughts, but I got there. This is how I think of it. BSA starts and moves along through time. We can see the cases of CSB and IVF file dates. So, at first, they get word of people that should be in the IVF for CSB. Ok, they fill out the form and put it in the file cabinet. Then, they get 10, then 100, then 200. Soon, the file cabinet is full. They didn't step back and say "something is up". Then they have to buy a new cabinet, they fill that one, they get another and another and another. They didn't step back and say "something is up". When they get to 10,000, then 20,000, then require a new room for the file cabinets. They didn't step back and say "something is up". It did start out small and just a bad thing to happen a few times. When it got to the hundreds upon hundreds and thousands upon thousands, they needed to say "somethings rotten in the state of Denmark." It was a chance to find out what draws the perpetrators, the volume of abuse, etc. It would be the same if there was a string of scouts cutting off a finger or 2. One would think when they got to 1000 fingers amputated, they would think something is wrong with the system and take action.

@David CO Sometimes, things end up being what you weren't trying to do. You may not think that your troop was a safe place, that you didn't adopt any of the scouts, and that it wasn't a big brother program. Some of your scouts might disagree. For some, a safe place is somewhere that people don't hit them and yell at them for no reason. A place where people listen when they talk and a place that gives them even a tiny bit of time and attention.

There are laws that allow people with certain disabilities in Wisconsin shoot with cross bows during normal bow season. I guess that could be covered. Growing up in a very liberal family, I have enjoyed being involved with shooting sports. I feel like there is a lot there from a background standpoint. Complicated to get into with broad DEI context.

No issues here. All Scoutbook issues are best resolved in the Scoutbook forums as there are tons of people ready to pounce on the issue.

Even a list of the committee structure would help. The same thing is missing from my council. Very opaque. I always wonder if groups like that sit around and say "the same people always do all the work, I wonder why no one else volunteers!"

My mom was the den leader. All of the cubs in my den were from my same school. It was 4 blocks from my house. We would walk home together (without adults!). Dues were collected in a coffee can. I think it was 50 cents a meeting. I had a pair of pants, but I only wore them to pack meetings. No one else had pants. My dad was an electrician, and at the time, my mom was a stay at home mom. So, we weren't wealthy, but my dad found them important. It may have been that he couldn't afford them as a Cub, so he wanted me to have them. Man, I feel like a grandpa, but I am only 44!

It is funny how long it takes (or took me, at least) to "see" beyond one's own group. I remember once I was a Wolf, there were a bunch of dens (10 or so). I couldn't tell you how much of each or what others. I know I was in Den 1 because we had a cheer of "we're number 1" and we had foam hands cut from carpeting foam.

The rain kilt is like a poncho for your lower half! Does anyone have a recommended brand? The one shown looks like a blue tarp sari.

Agreed. If they had asked CHILDUSA and other child advocacy organizations, they could have disabused them of that notion. Big time. Tim Kosnoff, even. With being off by an order of magnitude, all money is/was off by an order of magnitude. Huge difference.

This is what was generating current operating income for them, though, so they will need to make that up. With falling membership, I assume that means to cut staff? Could that be $150,000 of annual income?

I was a tiger that year! We had a poster with stickers, too, if I recall.

It is a national mechanism on the national forms site. So, your SE is either not telling the truth or ignorant of the alternative process. Annual Council Unit Registration Agreement https://www.scouting.org/resources/forms/

We are a weakly linked troop and it is going well. We have 11 registered, with 8 active. We have had 1-3 cross over each year. We meet on the same nights as the boy troop, but in a different room. It has worked well. I really dislike hearing about linked troops being a girl patrol within a boy troop. That isn’t the intent of the program. I feel like it is because adults didn’t like the program as designed and they are choosing to bastardize it.

The plan seems pretty simple. The Methodists have said that Scouts can still meet there. So, the council charters the units using the new "council charter" option. The units continue as though nothing changed.

Seems pretty clear, forced merger? How would you like to be on the council on receiving end of that bag o poop.

There were a couple of councils who refused merger. I believe both won the lawsuits. The cookie is crumbling: Girl Scouts face financial troubles, declining membership - New York Daily News (nydailynews.com)

I can't relate, directly, to being in the same room as my abuser. I was on a church board where a member was told to stay away from a particular 7 year old. The mom had bad vibes from the older man from when she was in 1st grade herself. He was then found tickling her, in public view. I had to be part of the board that questioned him. He did recall being told to not interact with the girl. The board voted unanimously to band him from being a Sunday school teacher (he was not one), that he should not interact with that family, and to always have a second adult with him. The church community blew up with 2/3'rds taking his side and 1/3 taking the side of the board and child protection. The arguments went on for 6 months. We ended up leaving the church as it was no longer a happy place for us. Was it hard being in the room with him or his main supporters? Yes. I had to have a "annual pledge drive" in house meeting with his main supporter. It was one of the hardest things I have done. Again, I have lived a very protected and sheltered life. Would I do it all over again? Yes. Would I ban someone I know to be a good person? It is hard to answer in a hypothetical. I would like to say yes. Then, I would like the acquisition to be very credible. It is all very hard stuff.

I see the situation. I still think action needs to be taken. SoL doesn't matter for being kicked out of Scouting. Ideally they would hire a person that isn't from the community, but then again, this is the job of the council executive. I read enough of the IVF to see an approximate process. The get creditable accusations, they fill out the forms, the notify the person and national that they are now in the IVF. This needs to be done.

I assumed they would all be on the IVF, but that is a big assumption. This process may have been the first time the victim has spoken out.

If I were a former CO, I wouldn’t sign the Facility Use Agreement. I would just treat the unit like any other outside group and have the unit sign MY facility use agreement.

It would have been good for him to do so as a balance to the grandstanding. Yes, the BSA has been around a long time and has helped so many. The other side of the coin is so many have been hurt. Too bad he didn’t take the chance to request it.

I am open to the entire district. I don’t get a lot of Scouts, so yes, talking with units may be key. I think Scouts should work with Scouters outside of one’s unit. So, your thought about introducing yourself to multiple units sounds good.