<p>Anyone who would look negatively at participation in the Boy Scouts is not a true liberal. Then again, most liberals are anything but.</p>
<p>Nonsense.</p>
<p>I take a dim view of the national organization. Nevertheless, I have known several Eagle Scouts and other kids involved in scouting who did not share the prejudices of the national organization. If I were on an admissions committee, I would not regard Eagle Scout status as an automatic positive OR automatic negative. It would depend on what the kid had to say about their participation and its meaning in their life–just like any other activity.</p>
<p>I believe that what I said earlier was that I would endeavor not to hold my grievances with the national organization against the kid. I would also hope that an adcom who was a Republican would endeavor not to hold it against a kid that s/he was an active volunteer for the Democratic Party, but instead look at what the place that volunteering has in the kid’s life. Get it?</p>
<p>I would like to note that not all scout groups treat homosexuality in the same way. More than one council (local/regional level) has/is openly defying the ban.</p>
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<p>Thank you for supporting my argument, I.E., Anyone who would look negatively at participation in the Boy Scouts is not a true liberal. Then again, most liberals are anything but.</p>
<p>Nice job with selective snipping to distort the point, toblin. </p>
<p>My point, and I will reiterate it again in hopes that you will actually attempt to understand it, is that if I were an adccom, which I am not, I would endeavor to make sure that my personal beliefs and prejudices–and we ALL have them, including YOU–did not lead me to negatively and unfairly judge a kid because he or she was associated with a cause or group I personally do not admire.</p>
<p>Could you say the same? I strongly doubt it.</p>
<p>Why should a kid who hates being in boy scouts stay in boy scouts? I just don’t see any plus side to it if the kid doesn’t like it.</p>
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<p>I certainly agree with that. Why should a kid stay in any activity they don’t like?<br>
Sometimes parents do “make” their kids do ECs they don’t like long after the try-out period is over. Piano lessons, sports and scouting all have kids who are there because their parents think it’s good for them.<br>
Homework, chores and jobs are all things we have to do because they need to be done. Extracurricular activities don’t fall under that category, imo. </p>
<p>I hope Ginger’s son was allowed to quit.</p>
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<p>I would hope that this would be accurate since one can first join the Boy Scouts at 10 years old (I think it is 10.5 to be exact). One can become a Tiger Cub in first grade.</p>
<p>It’s been my observation after years of involvement that the religious background and particular parental views are what shape the boys’ views and prejudices, not the Boy Scout Organization itself.</p>
<p>In parts of the country where the Mormon religion is predominant, you’ll find the Scouts are more conservative generally. In Los Angeles, on the other hand, there is a lot of diversity in religion and culture of kids that are involved, and you’ll have more acceptance and tolerance for differences of all types.</p>
<p>My son is an Eagle Scout. Any college that would look negatively upon this accomplishment would almost certainly not be a fit for my son anyway.</p>
<p>I think if a kid signs up for something he should see it through until the end. Letting kids quit 1/2 way through teaches nothing.</p>
<p>^^^People aren’t allowed to try things out and see if they fit? That sounds very inflexible and unreasonable. I hope that you’ll be a bit more flexible when you’re a parent.
Scouting takes years to “complete”- from Tiger Cubs at age 6 to senior Scouts. Don’t you think that some boys might grow and change during the years, and perhaps find other interests that compete for their time?<br>
Or is “the end” just the end of the year? I could see that. One year at a time, and then revaluate.</p>
<p>I’ve been a parent for over 25 years. Both my kids a grown and very responsible adults.</p>
<p>Regarding Scouting, you have to recharter every year. So if a boy doesn’t want to sign-up the next year he doesn’t have to.</p>
<p>I feel if your son signs up for something he should see it though until he has to sign up again. Nothing wrong with this.</p>
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This is my observation as well. On the specific issue of homosexuality, I’m not aware of it ever having been mentioned in front of boys by any adult leader I’ve ever encountered. I’ve never seen a boy put on the spot about his religious views, either.</p>
<p>I agree with both moonchild and BalconyBoy–I don’t think a kid should quit an activity midstream, especially when others depend on his participation–but I think “midstream” is the middle of any specific program year (or season, for something like a team).</p>
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<p>Boy Scouts is not an “activity” in the same way that sports and clubs are, even though they all instill good values.</p>
<p>Having participated in all three, I know that it cannot be lumped with other ECs in any way whatsoever outside of the fact that it takes time.</p>
<p>"Boy Scouts is not an “activity” in the same way that sports and clubs are, even though they all instill good values.</p>
<p>Having participated in all three, I know that it cannot be lumped with other ECs in any way whatsoever outside of the fact that it takes time." </p>
<p>Sports are now 12 months a year as are most clubs. Just like Scouting.</p>
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<p>That’s not what distinguishes them.</p>
<p>Having a full-time job as an adult is also 12 months a year. That doesn’t mean it’s anything like playing a sport.</p>
<p>That sort of thinking is exactly why I said what I said (it needed to be).</p>
<p>Then I’m missing your point.</p>
<p>“Boy Scouts” is basically its own category, in the same way that “sports” is a category, “musical instrument” is a category, “academic clubs” is a category, etc. But it is also more (and in my opinion, better) than just a way to spend time, given that it is basically an unhindered leadership formation program, in a way that most other activities are not (they instill values, but the framework is much more prominent than in Scouting). Furthermore, Scouting has all sorts of components – e.g. outdoors activities, MBs, leadership, community service, academic performance, world citizenship. It is a much broader program than, say, Science Olympiad or a baseball team.</p>
<p>Well, Girl Scouts should be in the same category. I agree that they are broader than other typical activities.</p>