Quotes of the Day Part 2: Day 11

Murphy's Laws:

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Law #1:

The smallest Scout will always end up packing the heaviest backpack in the group.

Law #2:

As an adult don't ever tell your Scouts that something isn't flammable because as soon as you do your Scouts will be determined to prove you wrong!

Law #3:

Even if you give 100 reminders about bringing a sack dinner on a campout, the Scout that is one of the older boys will always forget to bring there sack dinner for Friday Night.

Law #4:

The longer the drive to where the Troop is going camping the more likely a Scout will show up 45+ minutes late.

Law #5:

No matter how hard you try, you will never leave on-time. So, live with it and build extra time in anyways even though that extra time probably won't help.

Law #6:

The parent that leaves right after dropping their kid off will be the one who forgot to sign the outing permission slip.

Law #7:

The difficulty of setting up a tent increases exponentially as the number of new Scouts increases.

Law #8:

If there is any sort of body of water near the campsite, a Scout will always get wet if you say........."You can go run off now but I don't want anyone to get wet!"

Law #9:

The majority of first year Scouts will rip open there backpack and dump its contents onto the floor of his tent.

Law #10:

The oldest Scout on the campout will be the one that creates the biggest disaster and most damage to cooking equipment while cooking.

Law #11:

Parents are going to complain about how dirty you got their kids, no matter what you say about getting dirty before the campout, deal with it! Thats life! END of STORY!!

Law #12:

The newest parent to the Troop that drives will have the most rules to keep their car "CLEAN" but I'm here to tell you......."Resistance is Futile"!

Law #13:

If you know a parent that needs quiet to drive and has all sorts of rules when riding in their car avoid having them drive at all costs or give the parent their kid and the quietest Scout in the Troop.

Law #14:

New parents will believe you that Scouts is "Only a hour a week" even if experienced parents tell them otherwise.

Law #15:

The Scout with the newest ___________ while loose it or damage it, with the likelihood of it being lost or damaged as the price goes up with damage/loss probability increasing exponentially.

Law #16:

There will always be at least one Scout that gets soaked during a winter outing no matter how often that Scout is reminded to try to stay dry.

Law #17:

The weather forecast will never match the weather you receive, deal with it because again "RESISTANCE is FUTILE!"

Law #18:

If the parents plan on sharing a meal with Scouts always bring a back-up plan because the one time you forget will be the time that you get the most interesting result that is just barely considered "Edible" 

Quotes of the Day Part 1: Day 11

Bertrand Russell's

10 Commandments of Education

Commandment #1:

Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.

Commandment #2:

Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.

Commandment #3:

Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.

Commandment #4:

When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.

Commandment #5:

Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.

Commandment #6:

Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.

Commandment #7:

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Commandment #8:

Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.

Commandment #9:

Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.

Commandment #10:

Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.

Do you fear the wind?

Do you fear the force of the wind,

The slash of the rain?

Go face them and fight them,

Be savage again.

Go hungry and cold like the wolf,

Go wade like the crane.

The palms of your hands will thicken,

The skin of your cheek will tan.

You'll grow ragged and weary and swarthy,

But you'll walk like a man.

YPT Letter to Parents

WARNING: Due to recent news and legal action directed towards the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) it is important to remind all readers that this blog may or may not represent official BSA policy. If you are looking for official policy and guidance please refer to the National Council Website at: http://www.scouting.org and then by going to the "Youth Protection" link at the top right-hand side of the homepage. All opinions or information found on this blog is representative of ScoutingManiac. ScoutingManiac is based upon views of Mark West and several others affiliated with this organization as such we claim no liability in regards to the action or inaction of a Scout Leader or other adult that result in violations against Official BSA Policy or applicable laws and regulations that you are required to adhere to based upon your location.

For the remainder of this post the words that are black are the words of the BSA found in the letter known as "Open Letter to Parents" with a publication/release date of September 17, 2012. For the full text and additional resources can be found by going to:

http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/BSAYouthProtection/BSA_Communications/parent_letter.aspx

This link is currently working as of Sunday October 7, 2012 but  may not work at a date in the future due to removal of the content or a change in the exact web address where this letter can be found. 

Again as a reminder black text found in this post represent the exact wording found in the letter mentioned above. Any text that is found in red is based upon the opinions of ScoutingManiac or other authorized agents. Thank you for your service and commitment to our youth in Scouting found around the world.

Open Letter to Parents

September 17, 2012

Dear Scouting Parent,

We recognize you have entrusted to Scouting the development and safety of your child. (Thank you to all the parents out there that have given us Scout Leaders the privilege of working with your child. We as Scout Leaders even though we come from so many different backgrounds we also share a common goal which is to help the young people in our world to become capable and productive members of the global society we all live, work, and play in. Some adults may only be leaders because their child is involved but that in no way diminishes the impact each and every parent makes who serves their child and their child's peers as a Scout Leader. Other Scout Leaders including those who may have never had their own child in Scouting participate because we know that young people are the future and that we are dependent upon these persons to help guide our global society further into the 21st century.) We are honored by your faith in this organization and want you to know these are top priorities.

In this period of heightened awareness about youth safety (This heightened period of awareness about youth safety is directly associated with the release of the files known as the "IV Files" or more properly known as the "Ineligible Volunteer Files" and the recent news coverage of how a Scout Leader with purposeful intent to harm abused young people in both the Boy Scouts of America and the National Scout Organization (NSO) of Canada which is known as "Scouts Canada" over a period of about 30 years.), we want to share with you Scouting’s many important programs, policies, and procedures (All of the relevant programs, policies, and procedures used in the BSA are outlined in detail in the Youth Protection Policy or can also be found in the "Guide to Safe Scouting". Both of these documents are reviewed on a regular basis with updates occurring at least once per quarter unless the Health and Safety/Risk Management Staff at National determines that a policy update or health and safety advisory is necessary to prevent incidents from occurring.) that help protect our members. (While the Health and Safety/Risk Management Group at National Council has made many good decisions in the past they have recently released policies that are quite frankly absolutely ridiculous. In my opinion these absolutely ridiculous policies are interfering with my ability to provide the best possible scouting experience to our current youth members.) We are committed to consistently strengthening and enhancing our Youth Protection measures, and in recent decades, have expanded our programs significantly as more information and new techniques and technologies have become available to us. Recently, experts in youth safety and the media have acknowledged the strength of our Youth Protection programs in place today:

• “The Boy Scouts of America is one group advocates say has gone farthest to institute such measures to safeguard kids.” (MSNBC, November 2011)
• “The Scouts’ current prevention policies are considered state of the art and several independent child-protection experts told The Associated Press that the Scouts—though buffeted in the past by many abuse-related lawsuits—are now considered a leader in combating sexual abuse. ‘The Boy Scouts have the most advanced policies and training,’ said Victor Vieth, a former prosecutor who heads the National Child Protection Training Center in Minnesota.” (Associated Press, January 2012).

While we continuously evaluate and strengthen our Youth Protection programs, we recognize that abuse can happen anywhere, even in Scouting. (While we would like to think that these policies are foolproof we would be lying to ourselves if we thought this way. As Scout Leaders we have a responsibility to realize that even if we follow the policies to the letter, there is going to be abuse. This is not to say that we can have a nonchalant attitude towards the rules but instead is intended to be a reminder that everyone has a part to play in the protection of young people including the young people themselves.) You may have heard recent news surrounding the release of certain Ineligible Volunteer Files. BSA Ineligible Volunteer Files, still in use today, help keep people deemed to be unfit leaders out of Scouting. Still, we believe constant vigilance is the best protection. (More or less the BSA is admitting that abuse is going to occur even if we take all the appropriate precautions.) In Scouting, we tell everyone involved with our programs that “Youth protection begins with you.” (While the saying "Youth Protection Begins with You" seems to be silly in reality it is the most important underlying concept behind ensuring our young people are protected from harm.) That means that each of us has a role to play in keeping kids safe.

We want to ensure that you are aware of our Youth Protection programs, policies, and procedures, so you know what to expect of our organization. Our safeguards include the following:

• All volunteers must complete a rigorous application and screening process before joining Scouting. As part of this requirement, applicants must provide references and submit to a national criminal background check. We also verify that our organization has not received any prior allegations of misconduct on the volunteer’s part by checking names in our Ineligible Volunteer Files. Our goal is to ensure that all adult volunteers represent the values and character outlined in the Scout Oath and Scout Law and are good leaders for your child.
• All volunteers are required to complete Youth Protection training and must renew the training every two years. This training is accessible to the general public online at www.Scouting.org, under the Youth Protection tab. Please review the training, as it provides important information about detecting and preventing abuse, no matter where it may occur.
• Scouting’s two-deep leadership policy requires at least two adults to be present for all Scouting activities. No youth should ever be alone with a Scout leader for any reason.
• Every Boy Scout and Cub Scout handbook includes a pamphlet to help parents teach their children how to recognize, resist, and report abuse. (If at any time you would like to review the information covered in the "Parents Guide to Youth Protection" please contact one of your unit leaders or you can request a copy from your Local Council.) If you haven’t done so already, please immediately review and discuss this information with your child. A copy of the pamphlet and other youth-oriented literature is available under the Youth Protection tab on our website.
• All Scouting activities are open to parents, (While all Scouting activities are open to parents and must be open at anytime to parents, please understand that it is sometimes in the best interest of the young person to do certain things without the parent being present or actively participating in that part of the Scouting experience. Again I would like to reiterate that all aspects no matter what are open to parents as per BSA policy. If you feel that access is being denied to you as a parent please immediately contact the top leader or the the committee chair of your unit. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with the results or you believe that questionable behavior has occurred please contact your Council Scout Executive immediately without any hesitation.) and we encourage families to enjoy Scouting together.
• Anyone suspected of inappropriate behavior will be immediately and permanently banned from Scouting. (Personally speaking I think that this policy has the potential to cause severe harm to some Scout Leaders (SL's), I do understand the reasoning behind while the BSA National Council has implemented this policy. Sadly though this policy is going to get SL's banned from membership that do not deserve to be banned. An example of this is that a parent who has a grudge against a SL could make up false accusations in order to get back for any negatively perceived action or behavior. This in my opinion is a policy that could set into motion a very dangerous and damaging precedence in Scouting especially, in a country where you can sue anyone for anything you want no matter how ridiculous the damages seem.)  If you ever have any concerns about your child’s safety, please contact the BSA immediately through your local council. You can find the contact information by typing “Local Council Locator” into the search bar on our website.
• Internationally recognized child abuse prevention expert and former law enforcement professional Mike Johnson today leads Scouting’s Youth Protection program. Johnson, formerly a police detective investigating child abuse, working in close coordination with other experts in law enforcement, psychology, and other disciplines, is building upon these and other existing policies to further enhance Scouting’s safety, educational, and training programs.

These measures are by no means the full extent of our efforts, but given the media attention youth-serving organizations including Scouting have recently received, we wanted to share some of the most important aspects of our program. Additional information and resources can be accessed by visiting www.Scouting.org and clicking on the Youth Protection tab.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your local Scout executive. Thanks for all you do to support Scouting and help us keep kids safe.

Sincerely,

Wayne Brock

Chief Scout Executive

Boy Scouts of America