Venturing Age/Status Change Coming

[NJCubScouter]

Look at all the metaphorical elephants, going in different directions and bumping into each other. It's like there's a whole poorly-run virtual circus in the room, that half the people want to talk about, not just one elephant. And all the elephants are starting to cause a (metaphorical) waste disposal problem.

 

Anyway, the issue of an openly gay Eagle Scout who turns 18 was dealt with by the BSA when they made the so-called Big Policy Change in 2013, effective 1/1/14. When you turn 18, you're out. You can't be an Assistant Scoutmaster. Makes no sense to me at all, and I don't think it is viable as a policy in the long term, but that's the policy right now. (For anyone who hasn't read my posts on the subject back to 2002, I think CO's should be able to have openly gay adult leaders in their units.)

[qwazse]

... It's like there's a whole poorly-run virtual circus in the room ...

The big tent is ripping over this, regardless ... and will continue to do so as long as someone on one part of the country is bothered about the attitude of someone on the other part of the country. At some point we'll have to get out our thread and start stitching. Hopefully before the rain comes ...

[Stosh]

Okay, we know the circus is in town and the elephants are running all over the place, but who's keeping track of the clowns?

 

Stosh

[Twocubdad]

Even Ringling Brothers is getting rid of their elephants so they don't have to talk about them anymore.

[Fox 76]

I wish the BSA would have come down firmly on one end or the other of this travesty. The compromise that was made has caused more problems than was meant to solve. They should have opened participation in the BSA program to all (up to age 18), or taken the other stance, and maintained the status quo that existed before the compromise. Personally, I would have equally respected either position.

[TeddySlayerZA]

I think this is just more of a reason the BSA should follow the traditional international scouting program model(some of the names vary country to country) Under 10/11 Cubs 10/11-14/15 Boy Scouts 14/15-17 Venture Scouts 18-25/26 Rover Scouts

 

I'm from a country where we don't have the Venturer step, upon their 18th birthday a Scout has the option of going up to the Rover Crew, or to do adult training and come back to the troop as a junior adult leader. Works like a charm, as there are never issues of dating, smoking, drinking, permits (needed to take children on events), etc. in the Crew. I imagine the well placed age separation has saved us a ton of legal nightmares. (FYI - 18 is the age of majority for most things in South Africa).