The Purpose of a Board of Review

[Eagledad]

>>No Retesting is the real meaning of "Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle:" A former Boy Scout's "values" (opinions) are more important than his ability to cook over a fire, or save a life.

[SeattlePioneer]

Ummm. Condemn "retesting" all you like, but a Scout who can't start a fire in the morning to cook breakfast has been retested and has discovered that his skills are wanting.

 

The Patrol Leader who CAN get the fire started is going to command respect for his skill. Those that can't are going to need to learn from someone who has the skill.

 

LIFE is going to retest Scouts, I hope. They are going to learn themselves the importance of learning a skill, not just passing a test.

 

If they learn that, they are learning an important element of Scouting, and an important element of good character for life.

[Venividi]

Barry,

 

A good thought provoking post. For years I have created and run a first aid skills scenario at our klondike derby. The scenario that I create is based on T-2-1 first aid skills. I find that very few know the skills at a basic level, let alone be proficient at them. I had always thought that we as scouters were letting the scouts down by not having higher expectations of scouts for skills that should be valuable to them in life. Your thoughts on the prevalence of accepting mediocrity sends them out into the world thinking they are high achievers, when in actuality, they may not be. Scouts that are strivers and achievers may more likely develop that attitude from programs that push them to do more than they thought they were capable of achieving (high honors courses in school, competitive sports, band, etc.)

[SR540Beaver]

Profeciency in first aid skills. Let me say this about that. If you are regularly having to use first aid skills enough to become profecient at them, you might be doing something wrong in the rest of your program. You really shouldn't have all that many people getting hurt on outings.

[acco40]

Some of the same folks who are touting "proficiency" in first aid are stating they only want "improvement" in the health initiative thread. That seems contradictory to me.