When Doing Community Service

[Gone]

"go after"? Is there even have one case where that happened?

 

The only one I recall reading about (thanks to someone on this forum) was when a boy showed up in uniform at a town council meeting and made some frank comments that got in the paper. Seems like the kid was working on a MB requirement (communications or citizenship) and something on the docket struck his interest. The SE later sent a letter saying that the scout's views were his own and did not represent those of the BSA. No wet noodles for the unit leader, who should have been quite proud of his scout.

 

Now, there is nothing in BSA literature anywhere that speaks against properly addressing an assembly while wearing your uniform. Yet we hemmed and hawed over that one too.

 

A unit sent an honor guard to march in a gay parade. The unit lead and the TC got in trouble with national for allowing their unit to wear the Class A at the event, deemed political by national.

 

I think we all agree that national puts this prohibition out there (of wearing the uniform at certain functions) and then they do not list out entirely which functions are/are not allowable. Further, they compound the problem by saying they will hold unit leads accountable for deciding when to wear the uniform...without giving them said list. Typical of national.

 

I agree that if the unit lead uses good judgement and avoids events that are political in nature they will likely avoid national's wrath. Sadly, some unit leads' judgement is not what it should be, hence the need for national to make things clearer.

[Twocubdad]

Twocubdad, Do you suppose that might have happened once or twice, lol?

To me the question here is not so much your pragmatic 'what happens', but rather 'what should happen' which, evidently, no one here can answer to everyone's satisfaction. What's your guess, lol? Twenty lashes with a wet noodle? Require them to interpret into English something that G.W. Bush said? Or....once WE finally figure out what the answer is (unlikely given what I'm reading here) we gently remind them of what the protocol is supposed to be (as if we've known it all along)?

Well, yeah, Pack, something like that last part.

 

I was hoping someone would figure out the issue here is not who he asks or what he asks, or even the answer he receives, but who is doing the asking.

[qwazse]

A unit sent an honor guard to march in a gay parade. The unit lead and the TC got in trouble with national for allowing their unit to wear the Class A at the event, deemed political by national.

 

I think we all agree that national puts this prohibition out there (of wearing the uniform at certain functions) and then they do not list out entirely which functions are/are not allowable. Further, they compound the problem by saying they will hold unit leads accountable for deciding when to wear the uniform...without giving them said list. Typical of national.

 

I agree that if the unit lead uses good judgement and avoids events that are political in nature they will likely avoid national's wrath. Sadly, some unit leads' judgement is not what it should be, hence the need for national to make things clearer.

Yep, asking a leader really remedied that situation.

 

National has had decades to add "shall" and "shall not" uniform list to a handbook. If they thought that discernment was so inscrutible that every boy should ask permission from his leader, it would have been put in writing there. Most scouting things kids do including all kinds of public works, there is no problem. Even when there is one:

 

1. It's okay to dislike what a scout from some other part of the country did while in uniform.

2. It's okay to be that scout and have to put up with hearing why folks didn't like it.

3. It's okay if a central authority doles out disclaimers all around.

 

It's not okay if, because someone somewhere is reckoning with any of the above, someone says, "Whatch out kid. You don't wanna put that sash on by yourself!"

 

Somethimes, some nuanced rule in some obscure document needs to remain just that. Let kids live out their scouting carreer with enthusiasm.

[packsaddle]

A unit sent an honor guard to march in a gay parade. The unit lead and the TC got in trouble with national...

 

So was it 20 lashes with that wet noodle, or were they ejected? Just curious.

[Stosh]

A unit sent an honor guard to march in a gay parade. The unit lead and the TC got in trouble with national for allowing their unit to wear the Class A at the event, deemed political by national.

 

I wonder just how boy-led this unit was.  Using the boys to do something like this deserves the full attention of national and their reject stamp for the adults.  From my point of view, most of the boys I come across don't care about this issue one way or the other.  I'm thinking some adults put them up to it.

[Gone]

National has had decades to add "shall" and "shall not" uniform list to a handbook. If they thought that discernment was so inscrutible that every boy should ask permission from his leader, it would have been put in writing there.

  

BSA has a long track record of being late to the game. I don't trust their ability to articulate and document their intentions in this or any other matter.

 

So was it 20 lashes with that wet noodle, or were they ejected? Just curious.

As I recall the unit lead stepped down.

[christineka]

I sent the boy in his uniform.  Tomorrow I may have him wear his class B.  I told the director of the art yard, that if she wants him doing anything with paint to have him put another shirt over his uniform shirt.  I don't care about the pants.  The way he's growing, he'll need taller pants soon.