RichardB Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 The html and pdf versions of the Guide to Safe Scouting are now updated and available for your use on www.scouting.org. Since you are excited to go review the updates, and will appreciate the positive, proactive guidance provided here is a direct link to the Table of Contents. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/toc.aspx (are additional commentary added) The updates are: Front Matter: Scouter Code of Conduct added. II. Aquatics Safety: The Safety Afloat section was updated. (Whitewater - Class II or above for helmets - matching industry best practice) IV. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs: The entire chapter was updated and renamed. (simplified, reference Scouter Code of Conduct) IX. Insurance: The Automobile Liability Insurance section was updated. (mostly due to updated auto coverages by councils, some wording for clarity) X. Transportation: The Automobiles, SUVs, and Vans section was updated. (simplified, removed exceptions that I believe have been debated on the forum) RichardB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCubScouter Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Thanks RichardB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blancmange Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Do we have to memorize and recite the Code of Conduct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Do we have to memorize and recite the Code of Conduct? If so, can we venturing wedded couples at least snicker at #6? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 (edited) Whew, no mention in #7 of embezzlement of troop funds. Silly or insulting to adult Scouters? Scout Oath and Law seem sufficient to me. My $0.02, Edited February 8, 2017 by RememberSchiff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick_in_CA Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 ... IV. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs: The entire chapter was updated and renamed. (simplified, reference Scouter Code of Conduct) ... RichardB @@RichardB I find the new section on Alcohol less clear. The old GTSS clearly stated: Alcohol The following statement was approved by the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America: It is the policy of the Boy Scouts of America that the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances is not permitted at encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members. i.e. not allowed around scouts or on BSA property. The new one says: As outlined in the Scouter Code of Conduct, Scouting activities are not a place to possess, distribute, transport, consume, or use any of the following items prohibited by law or in violation of any Scouting rules, regulations, and policies: alcoholic beverages or controlled substances, including marijuana. Which says alcohol is prohibited only when it's illegal or in violation of "any Scouting rules, regulations, and policies". But it doesn't say what the rules, regulations or policies about alcohol are. The Scouter Code of Conduct says basically the same thing. I find this new GTSS section significantly more ambiguous than the old one. How is the new one better than the old "no alcoholic beverages" statement? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Flagg Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I find this new GTSS section significantly more ambiguous than the old one. Thanks for this. I read it and was having the same thoughts. It seems more vague than the previous version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John-in-KC Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Thanks for this. I read it and was having the same thoughts. It seems more vague than the previous version. Call me cynical. The General Counsel needed more latitude to stick the bat up the volunteer's ### when a situation arises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Flagg Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Call me cynical. The General Counsel needed more latitude to stick the bat up the volunteer's ### when a situation arises. [heavysarcasm] ROFL...I thought it was agreed in the many other threads that BSA never pushes the liability and risk to the local level on purpose. [/heavysarcasm] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumbymaster Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 @@RichardB I find the new section on Alcohol less clear. The old GTSS clearly stated: i.e. not allowed around scouts or on BSA property. The new one says: Which says alcohol is prohibited only when it's illegal or in violation of "any Scouting rules, regulations, and policies". But it doesn't say what the rules, regulations or policies about alcohol are. The Scouter Code of Conduct says basically the same thing. I find this new GTSS section significantly more ambiguous than the old one. How is the new one better than the old "no alcoholic beverages" statement? I agree that it is not more clear than before, but I expect that the primary driver of the change was to remove the "no alcohol on Scout property" restriction, so that Summit would be able to rent itself out to other groups that did permit alcohol. Local councils probably would also benefit by being able to host fundraisers (like at their nearby camp or a rented facility) more in-line with common business practices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick_in_CA Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 I agree that it is not more clear than before, but I expect that the primary driver of the change was to remove the "no alcohol on Scout property" restriction, so that Summit would be able to rent itself out to other groups that did permit alcohol. Local councils probably would also benefit by being able to host fundraisers (like at their nearby camp or a rented facility) more in-line with common business practices. Which makes some sense. But they could have just replaced it with something that clearly said "no alcohol around the scouts". Instead we get "check the rules" without a listing of the rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 "They're more like 'guidelines'" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Could this have any significance vis a vis the Challenge Run scheduled for The Summit, where the website offers beer after the run? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I guess these adult codes of conduct are the new trend. For your comparison, here are the ones for other world scouting organizations that I could quickly find: Canada: http://www.scouts.ca/policies/Code-of-Conduct.pdf UK: http://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/3099/young-people-first-code-of-good-practice-for-adults-yellow-card Austraila: http://www.nsw.scouts.com.au/images/stories/LSG23_CodeOfConduct_Apr15.pdf South Africa: http://wiki.scouts.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Members-Code-of-Conduct.pdf They all seem to have popped up in the past three years. (Although maybe some of these are revisions of older documents.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCubScouter Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I guess these adult codes of conduct are the new trend. For your comparison, here are the ones for other world scouting organizations that I could quickly find: Canada: http://www.scouts.ca/policies/Code-of-Conduct.pdf UK: http://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/3099/young-people-first-code-of-good-practice-for-adults-yellow-card Austraila: http://www.nsw.scouts.com.au/images/stories/LSG23_CodeOfConduct_Apr15.pdf South Africa: http://wiki.scouts.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Members-Code-of-Conduct.pdf They all seem to have popped up in the past three years. (Although maybe some of these are revisions of older documents.) Qwasze, thank you for posting those. I decided to compare the statements on alcohol in each one and found the following: Canada: "I WILL NOT EVER:... Consume alcohol on Scouting activities for youth." UK: "Do not drink alcohol when you are directly responsible for young people and never allow young people on Scouting activities to drink alcohol." South Africa (two statements): "1.2 Members in SCOUTS South Africa are expected to;... 1.2.11 Refrain from drinking alcohol in front of youth and/or providing alcohol products for youth." "No member or other person who has a duty of care shall use or permit the use of alcohol, illegal drugs and chemical or related substances while supervising, partaking in or presenting any facet of SSA’s programmes." BSA: "I will not possess, distribute, transport, consume, or use any of the following items prohibited by law or in violation of any Scouting rules, regulations and policies: Alcoholic beverages or controlled substances, including marijuana." There was no specific statement for Australia; perhaps their policy is in a different document. The statements from Canada, UK and South Africa are clear statements about what is prohibited. The BSA policy confuses things by inserting the statement "prohibited by law or in violation of any Scouting rules, regulations and policies." So what are the rules, regulations and policies on the subject of alcohol? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now