posted
I know we have some professional Scouts on line, for you I am truly sorry.
It seems that beaurocrats will be beaurocrats--even in Scout colors. Some Boyscout leaders got caught playing with the numbers. I think they were going for their Chicago Politics De-Merit Badge.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Stupid scout leaders. Why must they tamper with the program? And so close to the National Jamboree too? Man, some of those guys have no sense of honesty.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Amazing. High ideals do not always translate into perfect behavior. An organization of millions run by human beings is subject to sabotage by common human failings. Alert the media.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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On a less snarky note, this does suck, and Scout executives have been canned for considerably less. If you want more scandal, I have lots more stories of bad behavior by professional Scouters.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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While the first part of the Scout Oath ("On my honor" -- emphasis mine) could indeed apply, I suspect you were thinking of the first point of the Scout Law ("A Scout is trustworthy" -- emphasis mine again), Dan. Just, y'know, sayin'.
posted
If y'all want the inside story from the BSA point of view, what we were told is that some staffers inflated the numbers, probably in response to high goals (probably too-high, although nothing excuses what they did). The Scout executive, the main guy in charge, was not directly involved and not aware of the numbers-inflation, but he felt he should have known and has voluntarily resigned. The national office sent a guy from national to take charge for a few months, clean things up, try to repair the damage, and they'll find a new Scout executive.
It does happen. It's sometimes a whole lot worse. This is sad on many levels - the Scout executive is/was very highly thought of. I've met him before - he came to a user panel to plan some tech projects for us. I don't know what he'll do next.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Kath I was trying to report this in a way that said, some people who happened to be scout leaders, did wrong. I hope you or any other scout employees, supporters, or members didn't think I was saying Scouting was bad.
I didn't know about the leader who resigned, but if true, that resignation was the definition of scoutings "Be Responsible" attitude.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Dan, I'm sorry. I'm rereading what I wrote, and it was really snarky. I'm sorry. I shouldn't assumed that you were.
The Scout executive has definitely voluntarily resigned. I suppose the part of the story that may or may not be true is that he didn't know about it before, but the story my boss heard and told us was that he didn't. I don't think Scouting is perfect, and it wouldn't rock my world if it all turned out to be corrupt, but I really don't think it is. The executives I have gotten to know and the parts of the organization that I know about are often inefficiently run, but painfully honest.
This is especially true of the people who have come up through the councils. The BSA promotes from within, and the opening salary of a professional Scouter is about $21,000 (adjusted for area of the country they live in). It's just not a job that is appealing unless someone really believes in what they are doing.
It does happen that sometimes someone gets into a position of authority and decides it's "their time" to profit a little from all their hard work or that good intentions are the same as good results, but I think that happens everywhere. It's not tolerated when it's discovered, at least as far as I know.
My group does training as well as documentation, and I've edited the book and some of the training materials on the financial aspects of councils and fundraising. They are just so careful to be honest about it, and consider it a trust. I guess it's a possibility that it's all done for show, but I really don't think so.
I'm so sorry for being snarky. I knew better. I promise to be more careful.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I think it's amazing that there are so many honest people in scouting (and elsewhere) in a society that largely seems to promote dishonesty in business. So, good for honest folks. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I would not say that our culture promotes dishonesty so much as it promotes success by any mean. The fact is its considered all right in so many portions of our society that if you don't get caught its all right. Though the fact is if you ask me our society is a lot better on average today than it was a hundred years ago etc. The fact is that we judge our society so much against our romantic coneceptions of what our world used to be.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: May 2001
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