LOCAL BOY SCOUTS NEEDN’T WORRY

Although one sexual abuse case is one too many, priests in the Catholic Church who have perpetrated such actions do not mean the church as a whole does not and has not done enormous good through the years. Although one case of excessive violence is one too many, officers in the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office who have committed such acts do not mean the force has not and does not go out and attempt to keep local citizens safe every day.

And although one incident of sexual misconduct is one too many, Scout leaders in the Boy Scouts of America who have taken advantage of their position do not mean the organization — both locally and across the country — has not and does not strengthen and broaden the lives of other boys.

On Tuesday, many Boy Scouts in the Cherokee Area Council, their parents and guardians, and their Scout leaders learned that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it confronts increasing costs associated with lawsuits over hundreds of cases of alleged child sex abuse.

What they should know, though, is that the national organization will continue, that the Cherokee Area Council is not filing for bankruptcy (and is a legally separate, not-for-profit chapter organization), and that all that they know and love about Scouting will continue.

Their trip to Skymont? That’s still on. The Pinewood Derby for the Cub Scouts? That’s still on. The upcoming Eagle Scout ceremony? That’s still on.

Speculation about BSA filing for bankruptcy surfaced about 14 months ago, but you know how we all are. Something explodes into the news, with charges and innuendos, and it spooks us about what might be happening to local Boy Scout councils.

But the local Scout chapter receives no funding from the national organization and is financially independent from it, other than paying it for specific services. The local chapter owns Skymont and owns its Scout Service Center.

The national bankruptcy filing simply gives BSA the ability to push the Pause button. It stops the lawsuits for now and allows the national organization time to set up a Victims Compensation Trust that the organization says will provide “equitable compensation to victims.”

In an open letter to victims, which will be printed as a fullpage ad in Thursday’s USA Today, Jim Turley, national chairman of the organization, apologizes “that predators harmed innocent children,” admits “we didn’t do enough to protect the children in our care,” and says “we are committed to supporting you and to doing everything in our power to prevent it from happening to others.”

Sadly, the draw to Scouting is not what it once was. Today, the lure of electronic gadgets and internet gaming keeps many boys inside rather than pulling them to the outdoors, where Scouting teaches them how to build campfires, how to read the stars, how to tie knots and how to be physically fit.

Year-round sports leagues and the overprotection of children by their parents — separate of the sexual abuse charges — also have taken their toll.

Nationally, the 2014 decision to admit openly gay boys (before some even understand their sexuality), the 2015 vote to allow gay men to be Scout leaders and the 2019 announcement that girls can join the Boy Scouts have soured some parents and guardians on the organization, Scouts officials have acknowledged.

But we believe Tuesday’s announcement is no reason either to back out of participation in Scouts or not to consider future local participation. The program that now serves 11 counties in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia and more than 6,000 children is nearly 110 years old and has a storied history of service and training.

After all, Scouting still builds character, still stresses citizenship, still develops personal fitness, and still offers fun, excitement, adventure and education.

And while only 4% of Scouts ever retain the level of Eagle Scout, the organization’s highest rank, a Baylor University study says that compared to men who were never Scouts, Eagle Scouts indicate they have built character traits related to work, ethics, morality, tolerance and respect for diversity; show a greater connection to siblings, neighbors, religious community, friends, coworkers, formal and informal groups and a spiritual presence in nature; show higher levels of planning and preparedness; are committed to setting and achieving personal, professional, spiritual and financial goals; exhibit higher levels of participation in a variety of health and recreational activities; share a greater belief in duty to God, service to others, service to the community and leadership; and engage in behaviors designed to enhance and protect the environment.

If just a few of those attributes rub off on your Scouts along the way, imagine how much better prepared for life they’ll be.