DRAFT: DE&I merit badge requirements

[CynicalScouter]

19 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

@CynicalScouter, I begin to see a way through this... I sign up as a Merit Badge Counselor for this badge.  I ask the parents to discuss all these topics and do any items with their Scout.  When they tell me it is complete, I sign off the badge.  I think I could do that ethically.  A Scout is Trustworthy!

Isn't that exactly what happens with Family Life Requirement #6 anyway and the required family meeting (I am not a MBC for that)?

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by CynicalScouter

[InquisitiveScouter]

@MattR for gauging, that video was not removed by moderators at my.scouting.org

https://discussions.scouting.org/t/diversity-and-inclusion-mb/172457/30

[TAHAWK]

12 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

@MattR for gauging, that video was not removed by moderators at my.scouting.org

https://discussions.scouting.org/t/diversity-and-inclusion-mb/172457/30

It probably will be when it is noticed.  It does not 100% support the "narrative."

[InquisitiveScouter]

35 minutes ago, TAHAWK said:

It probably will be when it is noticed.  It does not 100% support the "narrative."

Lol...then someone is asleep at their "narrative steering wheel". It's been there since June.

[TAHAWK]

I never said they were good at it.  😄

 

That's the really big problem.

[CynicalScouter]

5 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Lol...then someone is asleep at their "narrative steering wheel". It's been there since June.

They locked, archived, and unlisted that thread to hide it.

[InquisitiveScouter]

19 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

They locked, archived, and unlisted that thread to hide it.

No way!  I just found it today.  Maybe my computer hacking skilz are getting better

[TAHAWK]

"edavignonScoutbook User Advisory Council

Jun 24

 

The BSA does not monitor these forums. The moderators are volunteer members of the SUAC who spend considerably more than 1 hour per week (many more than 1 hour per day) helping users."

 

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

A to-the-point editorial today by Tucker Carlson on FoxNews.  Find and read/view The military goes woke, and the consequences could be disastrous

"Over time, identity politics will destroy our country. No nation can remain unified for long if people are encouraged to think of themselves as members of competing ethnic groups first and citizens second. Countries need a reason to hang together; unity doesn't happen by accident. The fixation on race that has seized our leadership class guarantees permanent disunity. It's terrifying if you think about it, but it could be much worse."

"The military, we have all been told since childhood, doesn't care what you look like, what your parents did, or where you're from. They care about your performance. That's why the U.S. military is impressive and why they've been able to keep us from being invaded, because they only care about what matters, and what matters is protecting the United States. Not any more."

[InquisitiveScouter]

A suggested PR release from BSA:

Scouts don't care about what you look like, what your parents did, or where you're from.  We care about your CHARACTER.  That's why Scouting is impressive and why Scouts in every country have been a force for good in the world for over 100 years, because we only care about what matters, and what matters is who you are on the inside.

[ParkMan]

21 hours ago, MattR said:

This country is tearing itself apart because most people can't talk about anything without jumping into personal insults. As for this MB, I don't like it because A) it's just school work and B) there are people here that are very much against it, so it won't work anyway. At the same time, a good friend of mine is black and there's some truth to a lot of what the black community is talking about. I don't think this MB will help but at the same time just saying follow the scout oath and law won't suffice either. I'm not sure what the answer is. But when a video comes along with the title along the lines of "what the left won't accept" I know it's not going to help move things forward.

Thank you for the thoughts on this. 

My primary complaint with this merit badge is that it is simply scope creep.  I simply don't agree with the continued movement that thinks Scouting needs to be all things to all people.  But, that's a discussion for another topic.

In this recent round of national debate on the topic, my kids who came to me and asked why I was not more concerned about discrimination.  Based on that, I took a step back and listened more intently.  I was struck not by listening to the fiery speeches, but I was struck by the quiet stories of people who still felt discriminated against today.  Those quiet stories impacted me.

I don't know the right answer politically either.  Yet, regardless of my politics I don't see a harm in letting kids listen to the stories out there and forming their own opinions.  Whether it's race, gender, orientation, preferenance, or something else I am ready for my teens to listen and form their own opinions.

I still think this MB can help.  In my mind every conversation helps a youth to enrich their own views of the world.

To me the challenge is what we see represented in this topic.  Our already polarized country leads people to have a need to be involved in this discussion.  I fear that people will simply not be able to let youth explore this on their own.  It's like the political version of "adult led".  This topic is simply one that adults think that they need to protect, guide, shelter youth on this subject.  Here I simply disagree.

[tnmule20]

No one can teach this MB without injecting their own biases (major, minor, micro, or whatever the new buzzword is, conscious or unconscious, perceived good or perceived bad) into the instruction.  Therefore you are influencing on very sensitive matters, and that is why I say it is up to the Parent or Guardian.

Edited December 22, 2020 by tnmule20
spelling

[ParkMan]

6 minutes ago, tnmule20 said:

No one can teach this MB without injecting their own biases (major, minor, micro, or whatever the new buzzword is, conscious or unconscious, perceived good or perceived bad) into the instruction.  Therefore you are influencing on very sensitive matters, and that is why I say it is up to the Parent or Guardian.

It does make we wonder though - what are the sensitive issues that people fear in the space of diversity, equality, and inclusion?

[qwazse]

23 minutes ago, tnmule20 said:

No one can teach this MB without injecting their own biases (major, minor, micro, or whatever the new buzzword is, conscious or unconscious, perceived good or perceived bad) into the instruction.  Therefore you are influencing on very sensitive matters, and that is why I say it is up to the Parent or Guardian.

How is it that counselors "injecting their own biases" is a problem here, but not for any of the other MBs? As I mentioned in other threads, MBC's are, by definition, selected because they have a "bias" in favor of the skill being taught. We literally want our youth to meet people outside of scouting so that they discover what and how they can learn stuff form folks who are not their SMs.

Edited December 22, 2020 by qwazse

[tnmule20]

21 minutes ago, ParkMan said:

what are the sensitive issues that people fear in the space of diversity, equality, and inclusion?

Think about the topics in the proposed requirements.  They may not be sensitive to you but to others they may be very sensitive or even offensive.  Your lack of sensitivity to their sensitivity is neither diverse, equal or inclusive.  All people do not think the same way.  I would hate to see the BSA turn into one big groupthink.