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Originally Posted by Jim in CT
TDF, if a large number of scout units are chatrered through, say, the Catholic church. Does that mean that all of those units (chartered by the Catholic Church) would automatically expel a kid for being gay?
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Not automatically...but all it takes, as of now, is for one parent to make it an issue. Our troop is Chartered by the Catholic Church (Actually the K of C holds our Charter). Each unit is different though. The BSA sets a set of Guidelines on how to run a unit. Some units may embrace the outdoors as their basis of their program, some may embrace the religious beliefs as their basis.
A civic organization, such as the 4-H, may make Animal Husbandry and Gardening the basis of their program
The Mormon Church, who is the largest holder of unit charters, makes scouts mandatory for their youth as part of their youth development. They are required to do 2 years of it.
Advancement is advancement....what ever is written is what needs to be done to advance...no more, no less.
Never saw anything written down in the BSA handbook about sexuality....my Job as Scoutmaster is to make sure they do the requirements as written....all the way from Scout to Eagle...not up to me to pass judgement...last time I looked there was only one that was Qualified to do that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in CT
Or does the local scoutmaster have any discretion in that case?
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Just like every program can be different, every Scoutmaster can be as well. Some, unfortunately, are on a big Power/Ego trip and think they call all the shots. What a lot of parents don't realize is that the scoutmaster can be removed. He is assigned that position by the Chartered Organization, and if they don't want you they are well in their rights to remove you...no questions asked. So parents can speak up if they are dissastisfied.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in CT
TDF, you know way more about this than I do...would you be OK with your kids going camping with fellow teenagers, or scoutmasters, who were gay? Even if you could not be there? I have to admit that would worry me.
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Myself, I would not have a problem with a gay Scoutmaster. The same rules of Youth Protection Training apply. No 1 on 1 situations, 2 deep at all times. and as far as a Gay scout...BSA does Venture Scouts which is Coed, so you go Camping with Heterosexual teens of both sexes...they aren't allowed to fraternize when camping so the same would apply for Gay scouts....this is a camping trip not a singles cruise.
I am also on pretty much every campout...I'm the 1st one up and the last one asleep.
Not on my Watch