SFE-Golden Gate Philmont 
Scout Parents and Leaders against discrimination.
 

Actually I think my immediate family was starting to plan for an intervention in early June...

  
But as the scouting season starts up again things have changed -- and we need to BE PREPARED.

 

I think all troops need to come up with policies for dealing with gay youth. (We've had one since October 5, 2012.) Too many boys are being hurt because the adults who are supposed to be protecting them are to afraid to discuss the issue.

 

I am trying to find additional content for the website I am setting up as a resource.

 

 

So far I only have our troop's policy, it works for us but it isn't going to work for everyone. If you are willing to share your troop's policy please send it to me to add. 
  
Rex Tillerson in his speech at the Boy Scout meeting said:  "This train's going where we're going to save lives."
  
As I did research it became apparent how closely linked teen suicide and bullying are.   Our troops need to be safe for all boys.  We need to be the place where everybody fits in.
  
I started to put together a web site of resources and then late one night doing Google searches I found this....

 

Campolindo is our local high school and they made this video in March of 2012:

 

It Gets Better: Campolindo High School
It Gets Better: Campolindo High School

 

 

I'd never seen it before. I showed it to my son who was a freshman at Campo last year and he'd never seen it. I showed it to his friends and they'd never seen it. 

 

The youth of our communities are speaking out and we aren't listening. We need let their voices be heard.  What is the point of giving them the resources to speak out if we aren't going to listen?

 

This is a compilation of other videos that someone made and posted on youtube:

 

"It Gets Better" - Truest Colors

 

 

When Kermit the frog asks you to "do something" how can you say no?

 

So this is the website of resources I came up with:

 

 

There are lots of resources, for example: Scouts Canada has troop programs dealing with bullying for both boy scouts and cub scouts.  The UK Scouts have a program were every troop is encouraged to develop their own "Anti-Bullying Code" they advise:
  
DO involve young people in anti-bullying work, as this is far more likely to succeed than if ideas are imposed on them. Ask young people what they feel constitutes bullying - you can relate bullying to the Promise and Law. Discussions about what is and is not bullying can help form the basis for your Group/section's Anti-Bullying Code.
  
If strategies and codes are created with and supported by young people they are more likely to stick to them and they will become more responsible and more aware of other people's needs. Young people often have the best approaches to solving problems within their peer groups.
  
DO consider how your Group's Anti-Bullying Code should be publicized, including making it known to parents and care givers.
  
DO regularly review the Code with the youth Members of your Group or section.
  

I am picturing this website as a resource for adults and leaders. You can forward the links that you think are suitable for your scouts. Those links can also be used to help youth webmasters and instructors develop their own web pages for troop websites.

 

And when your troop makes a website send me the link and let me know if I can add it to my collection.

 

This is just a start. Together we can make a difference. Together we can save lives...  

  

and that is the power of scouting. 

 

Yours in scouting,
  
Wendell Baker
Scoutmaster - Troop 234
SFE - Golden Gate
  
  
 

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The opinions expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the opinions of their unit, the local council, or the national headquarters.