New and comprehensive Family scouting FAQs issued:

[walk in the woods]

This just crossed one of the Commissioner FB pages https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/FAQ-Family-Program-061218-FINAL.pdf.  Some new-to-me info regarding YPT questions.  We've had so many threads going I figured, why not start another :)!

[Eagle94-A1]

Diagram on page 9 with the Cub Scout Diamond is mistake. Keeping with the traditional placement, just adding Lions Bar underneath. This came from the head staffer for Commissioner services, and was posted on facebook.

[NJCubScouter]

You know you're in trouble when a FAQ is so long that it needs a table of contents...

[Saltface]

Quote

Q: What research did the BSA conduct that informed this decision? 
To inform this decision, the Boy Scouts of America conducted extensive research. The BSA also  evaluated input from thousands of volunteers who participated in the nationwide family listening sessions. 
The results were overwhelmingly positive and supported the decision to welcome girls into Cub  Scouts and provide a path to earn the Eagle Scout rank. The research found that parents not  involved with Scouting showed high interest in getting their daughters signed up for programs like  Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, with 90 percent expressing interest in a program like Cub Scouts and  87 percent expressing interest in a program like Boy Scouts.

Still no definitive report on the results of the internal survey.

[NJCubScouter]

1 hour ago, Saltface said:

Still no definitive report on the results of the internal survey.

I think it is time for the BSA to stop "selling" their decision and instead look forward and say, here's how it's going to be, here's what volunteers are supposed to be doing about it, etc.  They are never going to convince a lot of people that the decision-making process was a good one, and that includes me.  If they keep pointing to one survey and not to others, they are just going to keep making people angry.  And they can keep talking about the meetings that were held for volunteers in each council, but then they're just inviting people (like me) to point out (again) that the meeting in my council was held in the middle of the summer at 6 pm on a weekday, and the flier that they sent out said not a single word about girls in Scouting as the subject of the meeting.  Instead it was "making Scouting more accessible to families."  I figured out what it was about, because I read this forum, but the large majority of Scouters do not read this or any other online Scouting forum.

So if I were National, I would stop talking about the process by which we got here, because I don't think very many people think it was a good process, except for those who are paid to think it was a good process.  They are not going to convince anybody at this point.  I think there are a lot of people like me who didn't really think this was a good idea in the first place, but are now willing to "live with it" and even help make it work if I am called upon to do so.  We had a discussion about this at last night's troop committee meeting, and we all seemed to be in basically the same boat:  Kind of wary of the whole thing, and we're not going out promoting it, but if a sufficient number of girls (and their parents who are willing to be SM/ASM of a girls' troop, and to join our committee) show up on our doorstep, and our CO is interested (which they probably will be), we all seem inclined to help them and become a "linked" troop.

So, National, let's focus on where we are and where we are going.  Too much looking back is not good for you, National.  Try to convince us of that which we know is not true (i.e. that this was a good decision-making process), and you just make us ticked off, which kind of interferes with our "enthusiasm" for helping to make this work.

(Or, as Rick says to Ilsa in "Casablanca," "I wouldn't bring up Paris if I were you.  It's poor salesmanship.")

Edited June 14, 2018 by NJCubScouter

[Eagle1993]

I would also say they need to stop wasting energy claiming this is not a coed program.  It reminds me of episode where Jerry Seinfeld continuously corrects everyone who called his bag a “purse” and telling them it was a “European Carryall”.  Eventually it was stolen and he called a police officer over... after trying to explain the proper name he gave up and yelled it’s a purse!   So much time and energy is being wasted by Nationals claiming this isn’t coed.  It’s a purse...now let’s see how we can make this work.

[ScouterNorth]

Q: What research did the BSA conduct that informed this decision? 
To inform this decision, the Boy Scouts of America conducted extensive research. 

 

You hear that?  Not just research, but Extensive Research.

 

I bet they have Top Men working on this as we speak:  

 

Edited June 15, 2018 by ScouterNorth

[Chisos]

24 minutes ago, ScouterNorth said:

 

I bet they have Top Men working on this as we speak:  

 

Well, Indy *was* a Boy Scout!

[gblotter]

Scouting is not co-ed. (1)

(1) Unless you attend a summer camp, or a merit badge university, or a Camporee, or a Cub Scout Day Camp, or an OA Induction, or NYLT, or any other event sponsored at the District, Council, or  National level.

[Saltface]

3 minutes ago, gblotter said:

Scouting is not co-ed. (1)

(1) Unless you attend a summer camp, or a merit badge university, or a Camporee, or a Cub Scout Day Camp, or an OA Induction, or NYLT, or any other event sponsored at the District, Council, or  National level.

I’m surprised how few people realize this.

[Jameson76]

On 6/14/2018 at 5:14 PM, Saltface said:

Still no definitive report on the results of the internal survey.

 

On 6/14/2018 at 5:14 PM, Saltface said:

Q: What research did the BSA conduct that informed this decision? 
To inform this decision, the Boy Scouts of America conducted extensive research. The BSA also  evaluated input from thousands of volunteers who participated in the nationwide family listening sessions. 
The results were overwhelmingly positive and supported the decision to welcome girls into Cub  Scouts and provide a path to earn the Eagle Scout rank. The research found that parents not  involved with Scouting showed high interest in getting their daughters signed up for programs like  Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, with 90 percent expressing interest in a program like Cub Scouts and  87 percent expressing interest in a program like Boy Scouts.

This has been BSA's stock answer - 

The research found that parents not  involved with Scouting showed high interest in getting their daughters signed up for programs like  Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, with 90 percent expressing interest in a program like Cub Scouts and  87 percent expressing interest in a program like Boy Scouts.

Now, note the subtle wording of the results "LIKE".  They did not say they would join BSA, just a program LIKE the BSA.  Also as we have not seen the actual questions, it is very easy to put in questions that will generate the needed results

 

SIDENOTE - Was at our Council Camp last week, troop had a great week.  Anyway, we have a leaders dinner on Thursday, literally 200 Scout leaders that are actually involved in Scouting at an actual camp event with actual Scouts.  The Scout Executive...sorry CEO of the Council was there, the Council President was there, a litany of the paid executive staff was there, some key volunteers, the CEO and Prez spoke, but ZERO mention of the program changes and updates, no mention of how these will impact camp operations next year and no time for questions or input

If the changes have this groundswell of support and people clamoring to join, why not own it, let us know what plans and support are in place.  You had an engaged group, but they are scared to death to mention it to actual Scouters.

The divide between National, Regional, council based paid staff, key volunteers AND those of us who are merely (in their view) working with units (the great unwashed) grows each day

[shortridge]

I really can’t wait until 2024 when the members of this forum look back and say “Geez, what were these people all upset about? Well, I’ve got to put my uniform on to go to Samantha’s Eagle Court. She’s been a great patrol leader, I’m so proud she was selected for the Vigil Honor, and I know she’ll do wonderful in her fourth year on camp staff next week.”

[NJCubScouter]

22 minutes ago, shortridge said:

I really can’t wait until 2024 when the members of this forum look back and say “Geez, what were these people all upset about? Well, I’ve got to put my uniform on to go to Samantha’s Eagle Court. She’s been a great patrol leader, I’m so proud she was selected for the Vigil Honor, and I know she’ll do wonderful in her fourth year on camp staff next week.”

The available evidence would suggest that some members of this forum might say that in 2024, but that others will not.

[gblotter]

On 6/18/2018 at 10:06 AM, shortridge said:

I really can’t wait until 2024 when the members of this forum look back and say ...

Speaking only for this forum member, I will be long gone by 2024. Many will be exiting Scouting over these issues.

The ones who choose to remain in Scouting are by definition the same ones who agree (or perhaps disagree less) with these decisions.

[mashmaster]

12 minutes ago, gblotter said:

Speaking only for this forum member, I will be long gone by 2024. Many will be exiting Scouting over these issues.

The ones who choose to remain in Scouting are by definition the same ones who agree (or perhaps disagree less) with these decisions.

I seem to remember a time when there were others we felt shouldn't be in the program or worse.  Discrimination throughout history has always been proven wrong by the test of time.