Posted on 10/05/2012 7:27:25 AM PDT by Zakeet
Ryan Andresen has spent a decade completing the requirements for the coveted Eagle Scout award, and now that he is just about turn 18 -- the cut-off date for attaining the highest honor -- his Boy Scout troop won't approve it because he is gay.
His project, a "tolerance wall," was inspired by the years of hazing he endured in middle school in Moraga, Calif., and later at Boy Scout summer camp, where his nicknames were "Tinkerbell" and "faggot."
"I had I had no idea what gay was at that point," said Andresen, who described hazing that included, among other rituals, having the word "fag" written in charcoal across his chest.
"It was really embarrassing and humiliating," he said. "And I was terrified."
[Snip]
A senior and honors student who hopes to go the University of San Francisco, Ryan joined the Boy Scouts at age 6. "He just liked the outdoors and hiking," said Karen Andresen, 49.
Ryan came out to his parents when he was "around 16," said his mother. In July, he wrote a letter to the troop in response to a bullying incident and "thought he could help," disclosing he was gay.
But just this week the scoutmaster of Troop 212, Rainer Del Valle, refused to give the final signature on Ryan's project, one that he had initially approved, according to the Andresens.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
I think one of the best demonstrations of that was from one of my fellow Scouts. There were over thirty people involved in his project, and only a dozen of us were Scouts. He had friends from school, church, baseball, and soccer all there giving a helping hand. What would have taken the twelve Scouts almost all day to complete was actually accomplished in less than three hours through teamwork and everyone pulling together.
His father joined the troop as chief administrator...and then resigned when his son wasn’t given his eagle. So, it look like there was a lot of planning here. The question is...who is the kid’s gay partner who has likely been having illegal sex with the kid...Don’t have any idea what Ca law allows...
Father joined the scouts as chief administrator.....Set-up is right.
Please see post #72.
“I do not believe that a “tolerance wall” meets the minimal standards for an Eagle Scout Project.”
You are correct. Was the proposed Eagle Scout Project basically a giant poster? As the proud mom of an Eagle Scout, I know that a giant poster or even a large mural does not meet the requirements for Eagle Scout. Not even close. There are very specific requirements for an Eagle Scout project.
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927_fillable.pdf
Cub Scouts are a “Pack”
Boy Scouts are a “Troop”
I think Girl Scouts are also a “Troop”
A couple of weeks ago a young teenage girl came to my house wearing a boy scout uniform. She said they were in the neighborhood selling popcorn for their troop. I bought some but I was surprised that boy scouts now allow girls. Her troop leader came with the product and it had boy scouts on it so I know it wasn’t a fake.
When were girls admitted.
I think post #61 describes the Eagle Project very well.
Explorer Posts have been co-ed for several years. Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are still off limits to girls (thankfully).
That's a tricky question. Over 60 years ago (Exploring) or February 1998 (Venturing).
Explorers was previously part of the Boy Scouts of America, and was created over 60 years ago. It was a co-ed program and introduced youth to such vocational education possibilities as law enforcement, aviation, and similar professions.
Although the BSA was generally successful against the ACLU for its other programs, it repeatedly lost attacks against Exploring. Fire Departments or stations, or Police Stations, would sponsor an Explorer Post. Because Explorers required a belief in God, the ACLU argued against the relationships on separation of church and state grounds.
Exploring is now part of the BSA's affiliated Learning for Life nonprofit, which does not require religious beliefs.
Venturing is a co-ed program for youth 14-21. The uniform you saw shouldn't have been a Boy Scout Uniform. The top should have been dark forest green and the pants or shorts, grey.
That's if the youth lady wore a uniform. Venturers select their uniforms - which can be t-shirts, hawaiian shirts, polo shirts, the official uniform, or no uniform at all.
Most Venturing Crews are involved in high adventure.
I'm a huge fan of the Venturing program and will be staffing the next Powder Horn training session for my Council - Powder Horn trains Venturing and Boy Scout leaders, and Venturing Youth (which is new) in high adventure activities. Not quite Wood Badge, but a multi-day program.
Boy Scouts are a “Troop”
I think Girl Scouts are also a “Troop”
Venturers are a "Crew"
Sea Scouts are a "Ship"
Varsity Scouts are a "Team"
Explorers are a "Post"
As I said, this story is a complete fabrication.
But, coming from a homosexual, why should we be surprised?
Scouting laws forbid both. Which only makes sense if you stop and think about it; how can gays be OK as Scouts and not OK as Scout Leaders, or vice-versa?
I recently spoke to a Venture leader (they are a "crew" instead of a troop). He stresses survival skills, extended backpack camping with very little equipment, tomahawk skills, and sheath knives. Very impressive and he has had some success with inner-city boys and girls. Sounds like a great program.
The reporters probably don’t know the difference between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and are way too left-wing to bother to check facts and find out something about Scouting before they write their report.
That “tolerance wall” doesn’t look like much of a project. What kind of leadership and planning effort did he have to put into it?
I don’t buy the 6 year old tripe either. Cub Scouts starts ay age 8. Boy Scouts at age 11. All requirements for Eagle Scout must be completed before you turn 18. I made Eagle at age 15 in April 1972. Nixon’s signature is on my card. Lots of agenda driven tripe here. The Eagle project has to be approved before you sfart it. Well before you face of Board of Review for Eagle Scout.
The B.S.A.’s policy is that “avowed homosexuals” are not to be registered in Scouting. Basically, if you come out publicly you are not longer eligible to be in the B.S.A. The policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” is strictly enforced; there is at least one instance of a Scout having been asked, tossed out, and then reinstated by National. But what we see here is that this young man put it in writing to his Scoutmaster that he was gay. At that point he became ineligible - but not before.
Eagle Scouts do not automatically become an adult leader on their 18th birthday, nor does any Scout. They have to fill out an Adult application just like anyone else. It’s pretty common, though, that Scouts who have stayed in their Troop through their 18th birthday are encouraged to become Assistant Scoutmasters.
I’m a little suspicious of “His Scoutmaster refused to sign off on his project” as well. If the project was completed the Scoutmaster should sign off on the project workbook’s completion form. However, after the project is completed the Scoutmaster would then - as part of the standard requirements for Eagle - have a Scoutmaster conference with the Scout to review his progress and accomplishments to that point and then sign off that the Scout fulfills the Scout Oath, Law and Spirit in his daily life on the Eagle Scout Rank application. THAT I can see the Scoutmaster in this case would not sign.
Eagle projects do not have to involve the entire Troop. They don’t have to involve anyone from the Troop, although it is certainly customary. They do have to involve enough other people that the Eagle candidate has to demonstrate leadership of those people, as opposed to doing all or the majority of the work himself.
“When I was in Scouts, our most popular form of hazing was swiping the clothes of fellow scouters, tossing them up in a tree then seeing the owner climb up after them.”
When I was a Scout the deal was to grab clothing that had been left where it should not have been left and running it up the flagpole at night, where it would be discovered by the Troop when they assembled for flag raising the next morning.
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