Scouting Urban Legends

[OneHour]

So ... I thought that this would be a great thread to have ... listing of the Scouting Urban Legends that you have heard or even created. Maybe this is where we can correct misconceptions or false assumptions about the scouting program. I'll start, but do correct me if I am wrong.

 

1)

a) ASM cannot sign off his own son's requirement. False.

 

- In our troop, we ask that the ASM to try not to sign off his own son's requirement if there is another ASM who can do it.

 

b) Only adults leader or the Scoutmaster can sign off rank requirements. False.

 

Yes, older scouts or scouts have already attained the rank can sign off requirements if they were given the task to do so.(We haven't given this ability back to our older boys yet ... after several of them were found to sign off requirements without even testing the scout's knowledge or ability.)

 

 

2) Merit Counselor cannot work on a merit badge with his/her own son. False.

 

- In our troop, we ask that merit badge counselor to try not to work on a merit badge with only his/her own son, but to offer it to at least another scout in addition to his/her own son. Besides it is always good to have two scouts. This will give another scout an opportunity to work on the mb while the mb counselor will meet the YPT requirement by having his/her son there as well.

 

1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

[Eagle92]

No scout, except driver's son in the front seat. Not the case

 

BSA banned fixed bladed knives. Nope, although some council's have and some municipalities and counties have outlawed them ( I wonder how they cook in those cities and counties.)

 

BSA banned electronics at events.

[ASM59]

And then there's the old, "you are not covered by the Troop insurance if you are traveling with Scouts that are not in uniform".

 

Now our Troop has a policy that we travel in uniform, but in the odd case that a Scout cannot, it's not the end of the world.

 

ASM59

[Beavah]

a) ASM cannot sign off his own son's requirement. False.

 

Well, could be true. Da SM gets to set who can sign off for things, and he/she can impose that stipulation.

 

2) Merit Counselor cannot work on a merit badge with his/her own son. False.

 

Well, again it's Scoutmaster's choice, eh? Could be true in a unit.

 

B(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[OneHour]

Agree with you Beavah ... it's all dependent on Scoutmaster's and/or Unit prerog, but there isn't a hard-coded, steadfast BSA rule. I was told these were the rules somewhere once-upon-a-time, but I personally was not able to find or cite the BSA rule.

 

 

Hey ... nice find Beavah ... I knew that there was a thread of sort. That's why you get the big pay! Let's build on the other one!

 

Ok ... I know ... I know ... I should have used the Search Engine! Sorry ... newbie's error ... ooops can't use that excuse either (been here since 2003)! Ok ... how about the sun was in my eyes! (This message has been edited by OneHour)

[CNYScouter]

The last few months Ive heard a few new ones and didnt see them posted in the threads.

I was told these were BSA or National Policy

 

-The length of a blade on a pocket knife could not be longer than the width of your palm.

 

- A Scoutmaster can sign for all Merit Badges

 

-A Eagle project must be completed within 6 month of getting it approved.

 

- Eagle reference letters must be in by your birthday. My son had someone on our advancement committee tell him they were due the day before his birthday.

 

-from my DE: a Cub Scout can go back and work on earlier ranks

 

Heres a conversation I had:

 

Person 1: BSA doesnt allow fixed blade knifes.

 

Me: what about my fish filleting knife? Thats a fixed blade.

 

Person 1: Thats not allowed because you dont need one. Boy Scouts has a catch and release policy.

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

I train MB Counselors. I ask them "Why would you want to counsel your own child? Why would you not want to expose him to others and how they do things?"

 

Permitted? Yes. Best Practice? I do not think so.

[Lisabob]

A few I've heard lately, about tents:

 

Troops all have to have the same tents, as part of the uniform method

 

Alternately - troops all have to have the same tents, and the tents must be small and a neutral color like green/grey/brown, so as to conform with LNT principles of blending in to the natural environment

 

Boys cannot ever sleep in a tent by themselves for any reason. Buddy system.

 

 

And one about the E-Prep merit badge:

 

The emergency service project requirement (#7) must be a disaster drill, it must be in your own community, and it must be done with your own troop.

[oldisnewagain1]

Now please do not think I am targeting anyone in these threads and I only offer this for discussion sake, but as I read this thread, Scouting Urban Legends Redux, and BSA Urban Myths- Busted I often wonder;

 

Are we refuting myths or spreading them?

 

and

 

Can we say with impunity that what has been posted as a myth is correct without something to corroborate the statement?

 

[BrentAllen]

Myth I had repeated to me last month, at our Camporee:

 

Scouts can't use liquid fuel stoves or lanterns.

[eghiglie]

These are a riot! Thanks for the chuckles.

[Pack212Scouter]

A flag can only be retired if it was flown on the day of retirement. (I think that this one was more of a desperate excuse because they weren't ready for the posted retirement).

[Scoutfish]

"The pack trainer must have been a previous scout who obtained his Eagle rank."

 

 

While not a bad idea at all if you can get this guy...still urban legend.

[Scoutfish]

And one that keeps rearing it's ugly head and is sooooo hard to kill:

 

"If the US flag touches the ground, you HAVE to burn it!"

 

NOOOOOOOOO! If a US flag that is on display or is being carried touches the ground or is dropped, you just adjust it or pick it up immediatley.

 

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/faq.htm#q09

 

I mean, we hate to drop it, but stuff hapens sometimes.

[FScouter]

No other flag except the United States flag is permitted to be folded in the triangular fold.