Transgender policy change

[Fehler]

Proud of the BSA. 

[Eagledad]

Proud of the BSA. 

Politics and pragmatism rarely go hand in hand.

 

Barry

[tyke]

yay to the BSA.  Reading posts on here sometimes make me face palm lots. Lots of the  fears / concerns are so alarmist. I run a coed scout group as they all are in the UK and have been for 35 years. I have got girls in my troop, both scouts and cubs,  we do not have any female ladies, do I worry about them getting pregnant, having a period on camp, separate tents, showers etc, no, as all of these are easily solved by being pragmatic and sensible and its nothing to worry about. If I had a trans kid, then nothing would change as generally the kids don't really care, its usually the adults that get all out of sorts about these things.

[perdidochas]

I'd hate to be on the campout when that boy has his first period.

 

I agree. 

[tyke]

I agree.

 

Why? What do you think would happen?

[DadScouts]

So what's the YPT protocol for "co-ed" units with male SM/ASM's? 

I imagine no different than all boy units with female SM/ASMs.  Regardless, BSA is asexual in my opinion.  Our unit has never had husband/wife leader team before but it has been discussed.  The Troop would insist on separate tents for even a married couple.

[Eagledad]

When I was a Scoutmaster, I directed the program so that if the patrol went on a campout in the woods without adults, the patrol would have the exact same experience they have with adults 100 yards away. I don't believe in "boys will be boys", I believe in developing the discipline of living by the Oath and Law. 

 

My approach may or may not appear realistic to many leaders, but it worked for me. However, I can understand the concern. I was talking to a professional once who told me that the high level professionals had some concerns about mixing genders at the older ages. I'm not really familiar with the camping policies of Crews today, but he did told me that there are a few scouting babies in the 90's from Crew outings and it cost the BSA dearly. He refuse to give any details other than the crews were camping without adults.

 

So with all due respect, when I hear someone from another country tell us that it's not a big deal and the adults are just over reacting, I don't believe we are getting the whole story. Our program is turning into an after school program that has to be heavily monitored by adults. With these new requirements on sexuality at all ages, how could it not!

 

Barry  

[tyke]

I imagine no different than all boy units with female SM/ASMs.  Regardless, BSA is asexual in my opinion.  Our unit has never had husband/wife leader team before but it has been discussed.  The Troop would insist on separate tents for even a married couple.

separate tents for a married couple thats well mad.

 

Would I be able to share a tent with my scout leader as we're a couple, but not married ? 

[tyke]

When I was a Scoutmaster, I directed the program so that if the patrol went on a campout in the woods without adults, the patrol would have the exact same experience they have with adults 100 yards away. I don't believe in "boys will be boys", I believe in developing the discipline of living by the Oath and Law. 

 

My approach may or may not appear realistic to many leaders, but it worked for me. However, I can understand the concern. I was talking to a professional once who told me that the high level professionals had some concerns about mixing genders at the older ages. I'm not really familiar with the camping policies of Crews today, but he did told me that there are a few scouting babies in the 90's from Crew outings and it cost the BSA dearly. He refuse to give any details other than the crews were camping without adults.

 

So with all due respect, when I hear someone from another country tell us that it's not a big deal and the adults are just over reacting, I don't believe we are getting the whole story. Our program is turning into an after school program that has to be heavily monitored by adults. With these new requirements on sexuality at all ages, how could it not!

 

Barry  

Out of interested why did a few 'scouting' babies cost the BSA dearly ? 

[krypton_son]

Out of interested why did a few 'scouting' babies cost the BSA dearly ? 

 

Imagine the lawsuits when the parents find out that their kids were having sex at BSA campouts. 

[Eagle94-A1]

As funny as this may appear at first, does anyone want to be the SM of the first scout that get pregnant because YPT protocol wasn't in place?  They are all boys and they need to be treated equally as such.  There is nothing going to protect the adult leaders in YPT because until it gets settled in court, to protect oneself, they have to make arrangements for being co-ed when in fact they say they aren't a co-ed organization.

 

The ice has become too thin that after 45+ years of working with youth, it's time to err on the side of self protection here.

 

 I have reservations, serious concerns about this. I know  for a fact that BSA will remove long time volunteers at the hint of misconduct, even if investigated by law enforcement and shown to be false charges.  

 

Out of interested why did a few 'scouting' babies cost the BSA dearly ? 

 

There have been lawsuits about Scouting babies. In my neck of the woods, we had one female Venturer whose parents tried to sue because she "ran away" to work at summer camp with her boyfriend. Only reason it didn't go anywhere was because she was 18. Thankfully it all worked out in the end; the two Venturers are now married and the parents and daughter are reconciled. But it got interesting.

 

As for me personally, I have no idea what I am going to do. I'm still shocked by the announcement coming out as it did. here I was concerned about "Helicopter Mom" going to summer camp with her just crossed over son, and this announcement happens. I have lots of reservations, and I see this as a precursor to  Scouting going completely co-ed (I am thinking by 2020 it will happen, especially with the language the current CSE has been, and continues to use) 

 

But I am really concerned about my sons, and all of the boys. It seems as if there are getting to be fewer and fewer 'boys only" organizations as they are constantly getting attacked, yet having girls only organizations are not only OK, but encouraged.

[krypton_son]

  It seems as if there are getting to be fewer and fewer 'boys only" organizations as they are constantly getting attacked, yet having girls only organizations are not only OK, but encouraged.

 

Hit the nail on the head.

[Stosh]

But I am really concerned about my sons, and all of the boys. It seems as if there are getting to be fewer and fewer 'boys only" organizations as they are constantly getting attacked, yet having girls only organizations are not only OK, but encouraged.

 

Because being male is toxic, overtly aggressive, dominant, and socially unacceptable.  The goal of equality is to make everyone the same i.e. feminine.  That's been the agenda now for 50 years.  The rise in ADD, ADHD being a male problem attests to the attempt to medicate the problem away.  Careers for all and paid child raising industry have become the new norm.  The traditional nuclear family has gone the way of the dinosaurs. 

 

Ever notice that all the ills we face today as a society have their root cause in the maleness of our culture?  Why would the BSA not be a target of disdain in that it promotes the male side of the human species.

[hendrickms24]

 In my neck of the woods, we had one female Venturer whose parents tried to sue because she "ran away" to work at summer camp with her boyfriend. Only reason it didn't go anywhere was because she was 18. Thankfully it all worked out in the end; the two Venturers are now married and the parents and daughter are reconciled. But it got interesting.

 

 

 

This issue in my eyes is not an issue.  She did not run away she left to work at a job.  Sounds like that the parents were way off base here.  

[Stosh]

People today have glossed over the reality that the law still states that parents of a pregnant minor can have the DNA proven father brought up on statutory rape charges.  This will put the boy in the National Sex Offender Database.  Parents tend to not do this, but there is still a legal possibility that this can happen.  How many times does the die get rolled to get the answer they want and what are the odds that it's not going to be that answer?  Everyone takes their chances.