david_w_rahfeldt

I think this is a remarkably simple issue that everyone, from our BSA Legal Dept to non-scouting public is making way too complex ... often in an effort to use the issues involved as a forum for their preferences and politics. No surprise there, eh - welcome to America - land of opportunists - oops ... I mean opportunity ... rofl ... OK this is simple. Our constitution states clearly that religious discrimination is not allowed. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. " First Amendment - remember ? Both as Americans and as Scouters whose dedication to the rights of individuals and the development of a rational and mature value based society ... and individuals therein - is our mission ... should we shirk this responsibility to uphold the Constitution, human rights, and Scout Values ... by taking it on ourselves to decide what is, and is not, a valid religion or belief system for an individual, Youth or Adult, to hold. Simply put, we need to stick to our knitting, encourage value based lives and character development as we help EVERY boy willing to participate to have the opportunity to do so. I dont care if the individuals Higher Purpose or Context or God is advanced mathematics, Giaa, Paganism, Particle Physics, Christian Gods of one sort or another, Buddhism, Judism as a Philosophy, or whatever. We have a mission, how about we stick to the mission of helping boys learn, grow, achieve, and succeed in becoming mature, rational, self-actualizing, independent thinking adults? Let's leave the debate on the rest to others ... and keep it out of Scouting ... What do I say when I am asked about that religions are acceptable? I tell youth and parents that Scouting requires that everyone involved believe in a higher purpose or context for life, and that it is not my business, or that of Scouting, to police or judge what the individuals choice is, or the value of it. I reinforce that it IS important to aspire to a "higher purpose or context" to life and its value, and that might be a traditional recognized religion, a personal belief system, or whever he individual chooses ... but so long as they believe that there IS a purpose and value to life, and hence that living a "value based life" is desirable, they are welcome in Scouting. I state flat out that I dont want to know their flavor of choice in matters of religion or personal beliefs ... it simply is not relevant to Scouting ... unless they choose to pursue a religious award or achievement ... or unless they need an escort to or support for their religious belief or personal philosophy on an outing. I have been asked by Chartering Organizations or by Religious Leadership in the same, to encourage Scouts to come to or participate in their religious organizations or services and have always stood firm that while we encourage and support and individuals right to personal choice and active involvements in religious beliefs and activities, that we can not endorse or encourage one religion over another, or even make an active inquiry of a youth or adult, as to what their preference is. Folks, I think we need to keep Scouting dispassionate in such things ... and remain a NEUTRAL BUT SUPPORTIVE program. When on hikes, and asked to support folks religions as the Adult leader, I have read and conducted with equal repect for all, services and traditions including native american indian rites, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist Traditions, and many others. I make a simple statement that IF any adult or youth wishes to include a public or private religious or belief based ceremony during out hike that I would appreciate it if they can privately notify me of their needs so that we can work together to accomodate them, so long as they are consistent with safety and respect for all, during the hike. So my Mantra is ... SUPPORT ... per the 1st amendment each individuals rights, help proect and foster their rights and belief systems, so long as it does not compromise good ethics, or others rights, or the constitution. Some sponsoring church organizations are scrupulously disciplined, considerate, and ethical their behavior to non-members who are in their sponsored or chartered units (LDS is great in this way) ... and others (Catholics are notorious in this way) often see Scouting as "just another religious club or program" under their thumb ... or in a few cases, a recuiting branch for their Parishes. Now to be fair, I am sure that there are Catholic Parish or Dioceses that are strictly ethical in this and LDS Stakes that have offended sensibility by trying to be missionaries to their Chartered units ... Regardless of who is doing what normally, in terms of religious or chartering organizations behaviors, - - - as Scout leadership we need to make sure that our units remain supportive of individual choices, but resist endorsing any religion over another, even under presure from a chartering organization to do so. Only by remaining supportive but neutral can we ensure that Scouting will be a viable legacy available to all in the future.

In general, the best way to do scouting is to remember it always has to BE FUN and SIMPLE ... every activity needs to result in SUCCESS and has to be FUN ... KISMIF is a good acrynomn to remember ... KEEP IT SIMPLE - MAKE IT FUN I might add to that that as a program director, scoutmaster, trainer ... or any of the true planning and leadership roles ... your goal is to slip in INCREMENTAL and CONTINUOUS successes and achievements ... and provide reminders of SCOUT VALUES ... in choices as you engage the kids to take control and self actualize increasingly ... consistent with their increasing skills and judgement and maturity ... LEARN BY DOING - SITUATIONAL LEARNING - SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP - PATROL METHOD ... Is preferable to sit down lectures or learning, no matter how well done. If you have an academic super-geek to teach the kids, - say silva-culture (tree growing) ... try to get the lecturer and the kids together in the forest or on-site somewhere so that they experience the learning by DOING .. Even if you can not afford the time or investment to do a field trip, it is best to have something active for them to do ... games identifying trees or cones or parts, rewards, badges to earn, immediate recognition for success, etc. ... not passive lectures ... We had a lecture in which everyone who showed up for the meeting got a small aquarium, and everyone who correctly identified the parts of a fish got one for the aquarium, and so on ... some kids went home with LOTS of fish in their aquarium, some with a few, but everyone learned, everyone participated, everyone succeeded ... DOING ... and RECOGNITION After the event, before everyone went home, everyone got a chance to say (the scouts), how they would improve it NEXT year ... We then elicited volunteers - scouts and parents - to accept responsibility for it for the next year event ... thus giving a plus for scout retention, making the load easier on the next year adult leadership (a responsility already accepted for an event). While you have excited parents and kids, never pass up a chance for both feedback and for converting that entheusiasm into involvments and committments on their part. Do this regularly and your next year can become a "slam dunk" instead of a "who-dun-it"! As you are experiencing, it is so much nicer if the fella before ya left you with a "self running organization" ... so you dont have to "figure it all out" the first time you step up to leadership roles. Leave a legacy for your successor that is self running ... As SMALL roles of adults who that they will WANT to do more, rather than get overloaded and burn out ... better to have too many volunteers doing too little, chomping at the bit to do more, than too few you ask too much of, chomping at the bit to get out of the grind as soon as they can find some sucker to take over the onerous and overloaded roles ... For adult volunteers ... even for day camp ... KISMIF is still a good paradigm. You have parents coming with their kids for day camp ... it is a perfect time to get them engaged DOING things ... which will make it more fun for them, and ease the load on the other adult volunteers ... Reember to get the OA folks engaged fully for your day camp ... the OA is a key set of experienced and dedicated scouts who have the committment to assist in such leadership roles. Also remember that many High Schools have a REQUIREMENT for community service and that time spent volunteering, whether it is helping with logistics, cooking, or manning a post on a nature walk, counts for their community service hours. This can be a great way to get new kids into scouting ... and get existing scouts the community service hours they need for graduation ... doing something they enjoy. Be well - Do Good Unto All

Several good ideas have been presented ... HOWEVER .... With regard to the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronisms) ... folks who run around in randomly self-made body armour and swords (made from everything from chain to garbage cans) ... one needs to be careful ... these are mostly more robust kids and young adults who are college students ... and who often have pretty much free for all group "combat" fights in parks and woods ... and it is NOT unusual for folks to come away bruised and the occassional more serious injury is not unknown when some of the home made combat gear fails and injures themselves or someone else ... (a poke in the neck with a pvc pipe that just lost its padding can be serious) ... ergo they are a GREAT place for ideas, but I stongly recommend to leave out the COMBAT games that are their hallmark ... in most of the groups. There are many things we no longer do in scouting ... when I was a kid our Scoutmaster thought it fine to allow us to don eye protection and mouth protectors and have combat in the woods with actual bb guns ... he brought the tweezers, antibiotic, and bandaids ... for picking out the bbs from beneath our skin and patching the holes ... and of course, the parents laughed when johnny (or who-ever) came back with some holes ... and said "teach you to keep your ass down next time" - or - "shoot him first next time - ok?". That kind of reckless (though fun) scouting is long gone ... Combat games with homemade weapons and armor that could fail and maim or kill is probably an even worse idea than the bb guns were, by far. SO mine the SCA for "DECOR" ideas but leave out the "COMBAT" ... OK?