Cruel?

[Hawkrod]

I don't recall "fair" being in the Scout Law. It was announced ahead of time, it's part of the Troop Culture and it sounds like the kids were courteous about it. I see no problem with it.

 

I agree with the person who said "why don't we just hand out Eagle to everyone?" There need to be rewards for the boys who go the extra mile (complete the task, etc), whether it's a patch, a woggle, or a tasty frozen treat.

 

In my CS Pack, we gave all the boys a piece of leather thong as a necklace when they join the Pack and we hand out pony beads for participation at otherwise "optional" Pack Events--things like like parades, hikes, pack overnighters, service projects, etc. Not all boys get them as not all boys participate in everything.

 

By nature it is "exclusionary and unfair". It's a way to reward those who do more--it is NOT a method to punish kids who didn't. Although in the current "equality of outcome" mentality that seems to pervade American culture more and more every year, I'm waiting for the day that I get confronted like the OP did because "Timmy's daddy had to work and he couldn't go on the hike".

 

OP, carry on.

[Scoutfish]

I say screw it!

 

You rewarded those who went above and beyond doing the minimum.

 

Since when did we decide that doing more than average was a bad thing?

 

I've gotten quite a few raises more than my fellow workers and I am the Ss field supervisor for my company. Maybe I should give that pay, title and the responcibility back since it could be seen as gloating to the others or unfair they are not equal rto me.

 

Maybe the troop should have all SM's instead of those lowly ASM's.

 

Maybe the entire committee should be the CC so that it doesn't appear that one member is treated bettter or more important or worthy.

 

Go ahead and hand everybody an Eagle badge as mentioned before and hand all leaders their WB necker, beads and woggle.

 

Everybody wear silver shoulder loops ( including scouts) so as to not make a DE, SE, UC or anybody else seem more importants.

 

Go ahead and hand every adult ( and scout) all the knots available too.

 

You know what, just to save time, quit recruiting scouts at all, Just get the school roster and buy ALL the rank and award patche, pins, knots and medals for all students too...even the girls as we don't want to seem sexist.

 

Yes sire, anything that causes or leads to self motivation and betterment of one's self is definantly cruel indeed.

[qwazse]

Choco Taco deprivation. That's a new one to me.

 

Cruel would be lining up all the boys who did not go on the orienteering weekend, stripping them of their troop numbers, and saying "we'll give it back to you when you participate in the next troop activity!"

[Tampa Turtle]

I'm with ScoutFish! I have been passed over many times--even if it was unfair. That is life.

[lrsap]

I really have a hard time seeing how ones who earned a Choco Taco while enjoying a picture show with all the guys could cause any kind of issue. Well, with the boys at least. And therein lies the problem.

 

And I'm one of those softies that thinks singing for lost stuff is wrong. Sheesh.