Boy Scouts?

[Alyssa]

I didn't want to hijack the Girl Scouts thread. :)

Anyone have a kid in Boy Scouts? Or for Jayne, who said in that thread that she pulled Tylor, what didn't you like? What did you like?

Aidan came home w/ a flyer last week for an informational mtg next week. Joe isn't into it but Aidan wanted to learn more. I thought it might be nice to have him in a non-sports organization but I really don't know much about Boy Scouts. I have some feelings that it might not be all good thanks to hearing about a show Penn & Teller did against the organization. (Or that is what is in my head - I hope I'm not making that up. :shuffle: )

I think we're leaning against it, but more information would be very welcome.

[TtownAnne]

I don't know boo about the Boy Scouts, but I wanted to reassure your memory on the Penn & Teller show; I saw that one too.

[Alyssa]

And if you had a boy, would you not do Boy Scouts as a result? (Maybe I should find the show and watch for myself!!)

[Karri]

No Boy Scouts. They don't start it till 1st grade here. Aside from that, I have a no BSA rule in my house that I won't budge on, due to their official stance they take on gay leaders & members.

[Jayne]

Tylor is not an outdoor kind of kid. We really hoped that putting him in boy scouts would help him explore new things outside and hopefully come to like them. Also we thought it be fun to meet a few new people and make new friends. He was in it for 2 years. The leadership was just not what it should have been and they lost many members in those two years. Tylor did what he was supposed to and went through the motions but it just wasn't for him. He went to the camp outs and while most of the kids were up exploring the woods or sitting by the fire he went to his camp and went to sleep at 8:30. He fished and thought that was boring he did all that they wanted him to but he just didn't enjoy it. The only thing he did like was making the wooden cars and raceing them. The thing is that is all in the machanics..well..Tylor is an engineer kind of kid. He loves how things work and computers and calibrations..So while he loved one part of scouts he didn't really love the main idea of them so we pulled them.

They also have some pretty hard beliefs if you get into it more and while those were not pushed on the kids ever I didn't know at what point they might be.

[Hilary]

My cousin was in Boy Scouts and became an Eagle Scout (the highest there is) and got a full ride to Texas A&M from it, so it could be worthwhile in the end. :nod:

[Connie1222]

I'm conflicted about it. Jack loves the outdoors and I think this would be right up his alley. But, I don't like their stance against gay members. On the other hand, I think this type of organization might be a magnet for pedophiles, and that really scares me. But, the same could be said for sleep away camps. Keith showed me an article recently about cover-ups in abuse against boys in the Boy Scouts, I can't remember which paper or magazine it was in though, I'll ask him.

[MamaGoofy]

Boy Scouts don't start until 1st grade here. David has already shown interest. If he is still interested next year we will look into it.

[Jayne]

You all do know that there are different levels..So their are Bob Cats (must get badge), Tiger Cubs (age 7), Wolf (age 8 & 9..must complete various levels of achievement), Bear (age 9), Then Webelos (age 10 and must complete all badges before)

Tylor was a Webelo when we quit. So he made it up through the ranks and just decided he didn't like it at all so how could I not pull him. :dunno:

[Connie1222]

They also have some pretty hard beliefs if you get into it more and while those were not pushed on the kids ever I didn't know at what point they might be.

What beliefs Jayne? I don't know much about the Boy Scouts and I'd like to look into it further.

[MrsPeacefrog]

I have seen too many shows on the CI channel about scout leaders taking advantage of young impressionable boys while away on camp :errr: It's scared me to half death.

In saying that though, I have no idea how I would react to one of my boys showing interest in it. I guess I would have to think I would atleast look into it for them :dunno:

[Kristen]

What was the Penn and Teller show about?

[Jayne]

What beliefs Jayne? I don't know much about the Boy Scouts and I'd like to look into it further.

I guess it would be their stand on Gay's and Gay members/leaders. For me I may be a christian but I also don't think I should discriminate when it comes to a person's preference so I don't agree with their beliefs on this.

[Becca]

Good for you, Karri & Jayne!! My best friend is gay & it seriously makes my blood boil when people discriminate & make ignorant comments about gay people.

What was the Penn and Teller show about? I was just thinking the same thing...thnx for asking!

[Karri]

What was the Penn and Teller show about?

Season 4, Episode 1: The Boy Scouts http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/season4/images/spacer.gif The Boy Scouts of America restricts scout membership and leadership opportunities to homosexuals and straight males who DON'T believe in God. According to the BSA, atheists and gays don't make good scouts or good role models. If the Boy Scouts of America were a privately funded group, it could discriminate against and hate anyone it damn well wanted to. But the Boy Scouts of America is dependent upon Federal, State and local government handouts. So, the BSA and their intolerance… are BULLSHIT!

Good for you, Karri & Jayne!! My best friend is gay & it seriously makes my blood boil when people discriminate & make ignorant comments about gay people.

Well, my uncle and cousin are gay, so it would be like a big fat slap in the face to them. And I would never, ever, ever do that in a million years.

And the whole athiest thing. That's me and could be my kid(s), so...

[Alyssa]

I'd be really interested to know how much those viewpoints come out in meetings and such. But not so interested to join to find out the answer. :) I didn't get a feeling it was a great fit for us, but it's too bad b/c I would like to find a non-sports thing for Aidan, and I think he'd like some of this like the outdoorsy stuff and the car thing.

[Jillian]

No Boy Scouts. They don't start it till 1st grade here. Aside from that, I have a no BSA rule in my house that I won't budge on, due to their official stance they take on gay leaders & members.

:nod:

[Jillian]

My dh is a service project away from being an Eagle scout and says that while in scouts he was not aware of views like that...it never was mentioned in meetings/camp.

For us it's more a "I don't want to support the BSA in anyway" then worry about them pushing their views on my kid...

[Jayne]

It really never did come out in meetings but I knew it was there. My brother tried being a scout for a few years and hated it as well. He said he never once talked about their stand on Gays but now that he is older knows about it. Tylor has no clue and I was at most of his meetings and there was not any talk of it but I just well..I am glad he is done with it.

[Girlo]

I'm in full agreement with Karri and Jillian as well. There will be NO BSA in our house. :nono:

That said, my dad and grandfather were Eagle scouts. My grandfather even got a trip to Denmark from it (from Hawaii) in the 1920's! Big deal back then...... :)

[MrsPeacefrog]

If that is the truth about their stance, then HELL NO in my house either. I wonder if that is a world wide thing or just an American thing?

Makes my blood boil just to think about it!

[Jillian]

I'd be intestested to learn if it is a worldwide view or a US thing if you do find out...my guess is US since they are boy scouts of america or something like that.

[MrsPeacefrog]

Yeah they are the boy scouts of America, but the scouts is the scouts no matter what country it's in. Here they are called Scouts Australia. They seem to follow the same uniform/badge code as all scouts do, but I wonder if different organizations have different laws and philosophies. I haven't ever heard anything about their stance on gay people until these boards so I am wondering if it is just an American thing :dunno:

[~Jenn]

I haven't ever heard anything about their stance on gay people until these boards so I am wondering if it is just an American thing :dunno:
I'm wondering this as well?!

We have a similar organization here, the youngest are Beavers, then Scouts, then something, and then Venturers (I think! :lol: ). Anyways, yes, we're involved. It's been nothing but a good and positive experience. I think it also depends on how involved the parents want to get.

[Jillian]

Yeah they are the boy scouts of America, but the scouts is the scouts no matter what country it's in. Here they are called Scouts Australia. They seem to follow the same uniform/badge code as all scouts do, but I wonder if different organizations have different laws and philosophies. I haven't ever heard anything about their stance on gay people until these boards so I am wondering if it is just an American thing :dunno:

Yea, that's what I was wondering I have no clue if BSA is then part of a bigger international organization or if each countries is independent of eachother...

[AmyP]

If I have a son, he will not be in Boy Scouts due to their beliefs. Like others said, it's more that I don't want to support them in any way than fear of their beliefs being pushed on my children.

[Shel]

I'm probably going to get a big ol' flame for this, but:

I work at a church that hosts the local Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts are a Christian based group that are mostly based in church settings (at least in the US) so they feel they can set their limitations based on their beliefs, and most Christians believe that the Bible says that being gay is a sin. Their oath states they will do their duty to honor God and country. One of their laws is that a Scout is:
REVERENT A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.
I know that here they don't push the no gay, no non-Christians because they are too busy helping kids get their badges, learning life skills etc, but the boys have to understand that part of their oaths, and part of their bylaws include Christianity.

[MrsPeacefrog]

Yea, that's what I was wondering I have no clue if BSA is then part of a bigger international organization or if each countries is independent of eachother...

After looking it up on wikipedia it does seem that all scouts branch from the same world scout organisation. So it does seem to be one massive scouting scheme, but with it's individual branches in each country that have set up their own bilaws and rules to suit what they want to portray. The basics are all the same though, uniform, badges and so on.



I didn't realise it was a christian based group, and I am wondering now if that is just an American thing or not, I will have to ask Tony if he remembers when he was a scout as a young boy if they made that oath.