Information, Observation, and Inspiration for Scouters
The worldwide health crisis has changed and is changing the way of life. It’s no surprise that it has touched Scouting and affected it in ways we could not have imagined. Even the “any old thing” that Baden-Powell suggested we Be Prepared for probably didn’t anticipate what we’re going through.
It should be evident that our traditional unit meetings need to be approached very cautiously. Continue reading “What to do instead”
We usually think of bullying as taking place between youth. Whether they lack the filter of age and experience or just don’t know that it’s wrong, young people – particularly teenagers – can be genuinely mean-spirited at times.
But it’s not just young people. One of my readers wrote to me a few weeks ago to relate a situation in his troop where the Scoutmaster was, in his description, verbally and mentally abusive to Scouts in the troop. He didn’t go into specific detail but from the circumstances surrounding the incidents, one could describe the behavior of the Scoutmaster as bullying.
After making progress toward greater awareness of bullying and its effects and consequences, it seems like the discourse is becoming less civilized. Continue reading “Bullying prevention: it’s our job”
By now, you’ve heard the news, along with the rest of the country, about the national Boy Scouts of America filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. “The Boy Scouts are bankrupt!” made its way across the country, along with allegations and suspicions and lots of finger-pointing.
While it’s bad news for our movement here in the US, it’s not entirely unexpected. We’ve known for months that the BSA retained a bankruptcy law firm to explore the Chapter 11 avenue. The US court system refers to Chapter 11 as “reorganization”, meaning that the corporation voluntarily petitions the court for the ability to restructure its debt while operating under the supervision of a court-appointed trustee.
In the case of the BSA, the reorganization was undertaken to be able to manage the pending and future cases of alleged child abuse against BSA volunteers and the way the organization handled them. Continue reading “What do we tell the children?”
Yesterday I gave the sermon in my church in observation of Scout Sunday. Here are some excerpts from my message.
Here in the US, Scout Sunday is observed on the Sunday closest to the February 8 anniversary of the founding of Scouting in America. It’s an opportunity to recognize Scouts and the blessings that Scouts bring to our nation and the world. And although Scouting is not a religious organization, Baden Powell emphasized that the whole of Scouting is based on religion in the form of the realization and service of a higher power. Continue reading “Scout Sunday”
As we move forward into 2020, the Boy Scouts of America’s advancement team is out with a few reminders and new advice on the ongoing quest for one of our most visible methods – advancement. Continue reading “Advancement news for the new year”