Proud papa

[mashmaster]

I love the fact that a merit badge counselor for cooking MB insists that requirements must be done with his troop.  He has already completed the patrol section of the merit badge.  So emails the merit badge counselor and tells her that the requirements in the merit badge book don't say that it has to be done with his troop.  The counselor replies back that he is correct and he can complete them on our family campout.

Both sides were respectful, btw, it was awesome to see a civil conversation via email between them where he pointed out a fact and it got accepted.    I think both of them learned a lesson and are better for it.

[qwazse]

Wow.

Two people communicate instead of ranting to strangers about it. Keep this up and the Internet will implode!

Youth does research and reports findings ... there's a word for that ... what is it? Oh, I remember ... SCOUTING!

[Jameson76]

6 hours ago, mashmaster said:

I love the fact that a merit badge counselor for cooking MB insists that requirements must be done with his troop.  He has already completed the patrol section of the merit badge.  So emails the merit badge counselor and tells her that the requirements in the merit badge book don't say that it has to be done with his troop.  The counselor replies back that he is correct and he can complete them on our family campout.

Both sides were respectful, btw, it was awesome to see a civil conversation via email between them where he pointed out a fact and it got accepted.    I think both of them learned a lesson and are better for it.

A common misconception and good resolution. 

Had a scout talk with me recently that he wanted to complete cooking but he had missed the troop backpacking outing.  Reminded him that the requirements did not specify the cooking had to be done with the troop, could be a patrol outing or he and some friends could be backpacking.  Cooking is a life skill, going to be needing it 2 to 3 times a day for a long long time, in and out of Scouts.

[Eagledad]

This debate was going 45 years ago. Same goes with the First Class cooking requirements. I don't think it's a power debate so much as program quality control. Once everyone gets an understanding of the long term objectives, most folks want to do what is best for the scouts. 

Barry