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BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:50 pm
by Raylan Givens
I just received an email from the national head scouter. It confirmed their support for victims of abuse. They plan on seeing victims of abuse through, and providing whatever support they can.

They also confirmed that they will need to restructure things so they can continue operations as normal.

I just saw a WSJ article confirming they might have to declare bankruptcy because of current lawsuits and awards already handed down.

The Church dodged this one. This might have seen the sinking ship. I am sure BSA is asking prominent organizations to help out. If Monson was around and of sound mind, the Church would have probably cut them a big fat check.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:12 pm
by Evil_Bert
I read that article too. I wonder if the BSA would sue the church for some of these payouts. A number of them are LDS units that ran half-assed programs.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:44 am
by Just This Guy
Raylan Givens wrote:
Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:50 pm
The Church dodged this one. This might have seen the sinking ship. I am sure BSA is asking prominent organizations to help out. If Monson was around and of sound mind, the Church would have probably cut them a big fat check.

Given that there were GAs in the upper management of the BSA, it is very likely that they saw the writing on the wall and that was a major contributing factor in their break from them.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:12 am
by Corsair
Just This Guy wrote:
Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:44 am
Given that there were GAs in the upper management of the BSA, it is very likely that they saw the writing on the wall and that was a major contributing factor in their break from them.
It makes me wonder about the writing on their own walls. I fear that the church has a frighteningly effective process for taking care of their own abuse cases. I'm not at all claiming that the church has either more or fewer cases than any other church, but they are very efficient at keeping them quiet.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:18 am
by Just This Guy
The LDS church as always struggled with seeing the writing on their walls. Polygamy, priesthood ban for blacks, gay marriage, etc.

With Sam Young, Gina Colvin, McKenna Denson, Tommy Stollings, IT looks like we have a wave of focus on the abuse the church causes and covers up. It will be interesting to watch it unfold.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:10 pm
by Raylan Givens
Just This Guy wrote:
Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:44 am
Raylan Givens wrote:
Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:50 pm
The Church dodged this one. This might have seen the sinking ship. I am sure BSA is asking prominent organizations to help out. If Monson was around and of sound mind, the Church would have probably cut them a big fat check.

Given that there were GAs in the upper management of the BSA, it is very likely that they saw the writing on the wall and that was a major contributing factor in their break from them.
I would think so. I also think the Church has been thrown under the bus before by BSA when one of the leaders abuses, since the Church is "choosing" the leader, they have to take responsibility. Probably in some contract language with BSA.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:26 am
by Just This Guy
So is the church just responding to the writing on the wall, or are they trying to insulate themselves from liability.

That begs the question, if a lot of BSA's financial trouble is due to lawsuit payouts, could the BSA go after LDS Inc. for reimbursing settlements due to leaders that the church put into the positions to start with?

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:05 pm
by Raylan Givens
Just This Guy wrote:
Fri Dec 14, 2018 5:26 am
So is the church just responding to the writing on the wall, or are they trying to insulate themselves from liability.

That begs the question, if a lot of BSA's financial trouble is due to lawsuit payouts, could the BSA go after LDS Inc. for reimbursing settlements due to leaders that the church put into the positions to start with?
I know that when abuse happens under the LDS watch, the two are tied together. Their current BIG issues don't involve LDS packs (or at least I assume) they are in the Midwest somewhere.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 9:31 pm
by HighMaintenance
I'm so torn on this issue. I fully support abuse victims but I also don't like to see a possible downfall of the BSA. It is an inherently good organization that has a lot to offer. It's awful that people get into positions that they can abuse.

I hate to think that places like Philmont will fall into the hands of developers or mining interests if BSA has to start selling off property.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:26 am
by Corsair
I am the scout advancement chair in my ward. That position will obviously disappear next December, but I have done this job for several years and plan to support the young men for as long as scouting remains supported nominally in the LDS church. And I'm disappointed in the decline in the BSA. I'm not sure how it can be saved, but a period of decline might be useful to get onto a new track that makes sense for the 21st century.

Calling someone a "Boy Scout" has long been a term of respect implying inherent goodness even if some small level of naivety might also be implied. We could use a lot more basic Boy Scouts within public life and especially among elected officials.

Re: BSA considering bankruptcy

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:29 pm
by Raylan Givens
Corsair wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:26 am
I am the scout advancement chair in my ward. That position will obviously disappear next December, but I have done this job for several years and plan to support the young men for as long as scouting remains supported nominally in the LDS church. And I'm disappointed in the decline in the BSA. I'm not sure how it can be saved, but a period of decline might be useful to get onto a new track that makes sense for the 21st century.

Calling someone a "Boy Scout" has long been a term of respect implying inherent goodness even if some small level of naivety might also be implied. We could use a lot more basic Boy Scouts within public life and especially among elected officials.
Well said Corsair. I am a Cubmaster and I like it. I have some boys and this is one of their only outlets. I think they would lock themselves in their room and play Fortnight instead.

I am already starting to see the retreat from scouting. Some won't even start, they don't see the point, "it's going to be disbanded anyway."

I will be having a few local non-lds Cub groups visit toward the end of next year to aid them in recruiting our guys