OT (Eagle Scouts) Options

[Neal]

I just wanted to see if there were any Boy Scouts on this BBS or had kids that are Scouts.
I have a 17 year old Eagle Scout. I never was a scout and I thought it was just BS but after being a Scout dad for 5 years I have a new found respect for the insitution.

Neal

[mikester]

I am an Eagle Scout.

I think that at the time I was involved in Scouting (late 70's into the '90s) it was a very good organization. The Troop I was in was sponsored by an Air Force squadron. I had very good leaders who had excellent values and I believe I carry them to this day. I am friends to this day with many of the leaders I had and the boys I was in scouting with. One thing I learned that I don't know that a lot of people learn is the absolute value of honesty.

Now though, I have some trouble with the exclusivity of the organization. It's stance on homosexuals and religion while I believe it has every right to have based on our laws - I think that they are contrary to the values Scouts aims to teach. I was taught tolerance and respect - respect is in every aspect of scouting and as an organization it doesn't seem to really respect the differences in other people. that fact still remains that Scouting is a private organization and they have every right to deem who they allow into their membership.

Personally, I would have some trouble sending my children to an organization which states absolutely that you must believe in God and you must have a heterosexual orientation.

Those two things are not what makes a good scout.

Lastly, the organization in my observance of late is not about challenging young minds to be better it's about keeping boys busy and giving them awards. My first patrol leader, and one of the finest scouts I've ever had the honor of knowing is still a leader in the troop he was my first patrol leader. He has two daughters - but scouting and what that troop provides the community mean so much to him that he is the Scoutmaster of the troop to this day - well - at least until recently.

Recently he failed a scout on his "scoutmaster review" for Eagle scout. The boy had apparently failed to complete the community project he had gotten approved by the troop council (made up of the parents of the boys). Instead, he started another unapproved project. He didn't finish that one either and turned all his paperwork in anyway. So, this scoutmaster told him to go back and do things right - then he would sign off on the scout master review and the boy could go onto his "board of review" done by the troop's council. Well, the local representation of the BSA got a letter from the boy's parents explaining that the boy was going to turn 18 and he had already more or less completed all of the tasks but that the scoutmaster was being unreasonable. The local council instructed the troop to give him his council board of review AND then award him Eagle Scout. When I was a scout, the rank of Eagle was earned - NOT awarded and that is how it was always said. This is only an example of many other stories I have heard. Had this been my boy and those details true - I would NOT have pushed that scoutmaster to go against his principals. Failure is a much better lesson and I have learned it many times myself.

But, that's just my opinion - I'm only an Eagle Scout.

I am surprised when employers see it on my resume and are actually impressed though.

It was a good organization when it was about making the boy into a good man. Now it's about not getting sued. I've saved my books and I'll probably teach my children from it when the time comes.