ScoutNut

It sounds like this incident happened a year ago. Why is it coming back up now? Is it just because the injured Scout now does not want to continue in Cubs? Was the "beating" done during a Scout activity? Did the injured Scout need medical treatment? What did the parents of the injured Scout do? Were there any witnesses, or is it just one boys word over another's? Where do the Charter Organization(CO), the Charter Organization Representative(COR), and the Committee Chair(CC) stand on this? Anything done at this point will have to have the backing of the CO. Physical violence is never allowed by BSA in any form. If this happened during a Scouting event the Pack, and the CO, should have stepped up immediately. Unfortunately, since it happened last year, and nothing was ever done, it is going to be difficult to come back now and "punish" the youth. The Pack's best bet would be to get the COR, CC, and CM, together, go over the facts, and decide what they would like to see happen. Then, when they are all on the same page, they need to have a meeting with the "bully" Scout, and his parents, and discuss the problem, and the solutions.

From what I understand, this was allowed to specifically help new start-ups, and small units without good volunteer bases. It basically eliminates one extra person. A Scouting unit is always, basically, a dictatorship, it does not matter if the COR is multiple registered or not. The Chartering Organization(CO), and it's Representative(COR), always have the final say. They are the owners of the unit, even if they do not know it, exercise it, or even have any actual contact with their unit at all. However, Scouting units should not be RUN like a dictatorship. Everyone has their jobs to do. Opinions should be sought, and discussions settled by consensus. It should never be "do what I say only-no questions asked", or "my way or the highway". All leaders in a BSA unit should be working TOGETHER for the good of the youth in their care. However, anyone who has spent any time on any Scout Forums knows that that is not always the case. There are plenty of units out there that twist the BSA program. Everything from minor, rather inconsequential, things, to changing the program into something entirely different. It is up to you to decide what you are comfortable with. If you do not like the direction your unit is taking, I suggest you visit others in your area, and switch to one that is a better fit for you, and your son.

>>"He was very pleased and actually more or less said that he was impressed with the boy. He said he met with him on several occasions about the project and that the boys Father was not present.">"One thing that irks me a little is the boys father put in almost as much time himself as the other participants did put together."

>>"As CC I am being asked to sign off on a Scouts Eagle project.">"I was there at the project and I really did not see him provide what I would call a leadership position to a great degree. His father has been the main thrust in the project.">"Besides that this kid does not care about scouting."

The unit money-earning application does not ask about unit participation in council sponsored money-earning activities. I know of no BSA council that requires participation in council money-earning activities before they will approve unit money-earning activities.

I'm all for finesse, and weaning. However K1986 decided to do it his way. Not the way I would have chosen to do it, especially with a Pack of only 11 Scouts that all meet together for their meetings (a tidbit that was left out of the original post). However, it was how he decided to handle it. I suspect he did it this way in part because he simply can not work with the one dad and wants him gone. No, BSA is not Babysitters of America. However one of the purposes of Cub Scouting is to prepare the Cubs for Boy Scouts. You can't do that by extending the Tiger meeting format of 1-1 to the Wolf, Bear, and Webelos dens. Doing so is why you have parents and boys who suffer such culture shock on entering a Boy Scout Troop that they do not last even one year there. Or, they end up turning the Troop into an older boy extension of Cub Scouting with the parents doing everything. BSA specifically states that Wolf thru Webelos den meetings should be for the boys, and NOT be a family activity. This does not mean den meetings are "secret", or closed to any/all parent participation. However, it does mean that the only parents (Wolf, Bear, or Webelos) who should be at den meetings are those who have a specific job to do there (such as acting as a Webelos Activity Badge Counselor).

As the opening poster put his question in the Cub Scout forum, and specifically mentioned Tigers in his post title, I think he expected to get feedback from Scouters familiar with the Cub Scout program, and the Tiger program in particular. The PSA (Public Service Announcement) Tiger Elective is not new. It has always been an Elective in the Tiger Handbook. Renax127 - Get ideas from your Tiger Teams. Ask them what they like about being a Tiger. What they like about the Pack. Maybe have each Team do a poster illustrating what they like best about Cub Scouts. Display the posters at the next Pack meeting. Have your Cubmaster (CM) invite the boys in the kindergarten class to the Pack meeting so they can see the fun they can have as a Tiger Cub. Happy Tigering! Remember - Tigers are G-R-R-R-R-R-E-A-T !!

Talk to your principal to get permission before the boy talk. Talk to your DE. Doing boy talks is one of the things they do, and they usually have a bunch of "goodies" to give away. Even if you would prefer to do the talk yourself, your DE can give you ideas on what to include in your presentation.

I doubt that you will find any tent with a vestibule that is large enough to let you zip it closed behind you before you enter the tent itself. The purpose of the vestibule is as an extra, protected, storage place, especially for things like muddy shoes, not as an entire extra room.

While parents are usually encouraged to accompany Webelos on campouts, it is not required. The Webelos in question could come with his aunt instead of his father. Parents should not be attending Webelos den meetings unless they are the one in charge of running that specific meeting. The Webelos should be preparing for Boy Scouts by getting more independent. Let ALL parents know that, from now on, den meetings are for Webelos only. The only exception would be a parent who is acting as a Webelos Activity Badge Counselor for that meeting. Unless you suspect abuse (which should be reported to the proper authority), there is not a whole lot you can do about how "super-dad" treats his son. You can, however, make sure you keep him in line any time he is around the den (which should not be a whole lot). By the way, BSA has no rule against using lighters. Is the banning of lighters a local rule of your Pack, or your council?

>>"the parent should be told the Scouters will not be responsible for the boy's transportation to den and pack meetings."

If you are afraid of being sued then it is not just scout functions you should be wary of. So, what to do? Put up a large, locked, gate around your property. Never allow any of your, or your kids, friends on your property, or in your house for any reason. Never give anyone a ride in your car for any reason. Never allow anyone (including delivery/repair men on your property or in your house. Never go anywhere, or do anything with friends. Homeschool your kids. Actually, you had just better put a protective bubble around you and your family and have no interaction at all with the outside world because any time that you have even the slightest interaction you put yourself at risk of being sued. Is this really how you want to live?

Many DEs will accept boys registrations, even though the Pack is not viable, and will keep a unit chartered even if it means 95% of the registered leaders are fake/on paper only, because their paycheck is based in part on the number of registered Scouts, and the number of chartered units in their District. Wow, 110 Cubs is a BIG Pack! We usually run between 35-45, and I like that size. Before you settle on this Pack, visit at least one Pack meeting to see how they handle themselves. Do the same for as many other area Packs as you can.

It is the DE who has fundraising goals to meet, not the volunteer District Popcorn Kernal. The District Kernal has plenty enough work to do coordinating - training, popcorn info packet distribution, popcorn paperwork, popcorn distribution (show/sell and final), popcorn return, volunteers (unit and district), popcorn problem followups, etc, etc. As your District's mileage may vary, talk to your DE to find out EXACTLY what they expect from you.

Just something to keep in mind - You said you live in a small town. Folks in your town must be aware, at least somewhat, of the problems in your Pack, and Troop. Why would anyone, in their right mind, want to register their child in that dysfunctional hornets nest? Especially if there are other, better, options around? I simply do not see the Pack getting very many new families willing to deal with this Pack's MAJOR leadership, and program (why register with a Pack when you are basically doing Lone Scouting), issues.

I am confused. The mom is visually disabled. She also has other unnamed disabilities. The son is fine. He has no disabilities, or problems, at all - other than a disabled single mother. So, why does the boy need a "mentor"? It sounds like what the boy needs is a ride to meetings, and a den leader who is willing to make sure a parent is clearly communicated with on den and Pack issues/events.

I have gotta ask, what did the former CM do that was so bad that it got him blackballed by the Pack (sort of), but not bad enough to get his registration pulled by your council? Don't feel that you have to be a martyr to/for this Pack. If the church, and the Pack families, are not really committed to making the Pack work, then there is no reason for you to burn yourself out, and run yourself ragged, trying to do it all yourself. Start visiting area Packs with your son NOW. You don't have to join yet, but visit them, get to know them. See what kind of volunteer base they have. See what kind of program they are running. Find one that you think your son would enjoy. That way if/when you decide you have had enough of being a one-woman Pack, you will already have your son's new Pack picked out.

I would say that if you had 11 of the 12 Scouts turn in ballots, you would still need at least 6 votes to get elected.

Take the BSA online Webelos Leader Specific training. Read your son's Webelos Handbook. Purchase, and read, the Cub Scout Webelos Leader Guide. Encourage your son's Webelos den leader to utilize community resources along with den parent resources. Many places have in place, or will put together for you if you give them the requirements, Webelos Activity Badge workshops. People/places to consider - Fire Dept EMT's, State/County/Local parks/nature centers, quarries, Community Colleges, museums, YMCA.

So the church's new Youth Guy, who wants to be "involved in Scouting", doesn't REALLY want to be involved? What a shame. Sounds like if your church really wants to have a successful BSA charter it needs to get off it's haunches and find someone, who is actually interested in Scouting, to really do the job of COR. When do you have to re-charter? If push, comes to shove, you can leave the current lady's name on the charter as Committee Chair until you find a replacement. Yours would not be the first BSA unit with a leader in "name only". This would not get you the help you need, but it would give you some time to find it. By the way - How did you manage to get your Council Scout Executive to get involved in your unit's problem? I'm impressed, usually they are way to busy running the entire council to get involved at the unit level. That is like having a company CEO helping out in the mail room! Or are you talking about your District Executive? Even with DE's, many will leave the unit problem solving to the District/Unit Commissioners. Good luck with tonight's meeting!

Form a Yahoo Group. They can be set as private. I know of many Scout/school/etc groups that use them. You could have a link to the group on your Troop site.

I have an Alps Taurus 4 and love it. Had a wind shear (almost tornado) go thru camp along with torrential rains, and I was high and dry. If you suspect bad weather just guy it down, and you will be fine. Also, sign up on Alps ScoutDirect site for reduced prices for Scouts.

Per the opening poster - this is NOT about a parent signing off on Webelos work. The parent turned in their Scouts badgework to the Webelos den leader for the DEN LEADER to approve it, and sign it off. Pvtjoker - If the work is there, and the requirements have been completed, you are correct that you should award the activity badge. Remember, den meetings are only about one hour each. What might take 2-3, one hour den meetings, to complete, can easily be done at home in 1-2 days, especially if those days were over a weekend when the Scout could put in most of the day working on them.

There is really no BSA standard, or usual protocol. Every Pack, and Troop does it differently based on their own traditions. We try to have all of the 5th grade Webelos ready to cross to Boy Scouts in February-March. Even 5th grade Webelos new to Scouting in September. We have a Crossover ceremony of some kind. We have done a number of different kinds, however the boys really liked the ones put on by the OA Ceremony Team. Unfortunately, all of those Scouts aged out and the Ceremony Team has not been reformed. The last 4-5 years the Boy Scouts from our Troop have put on the ceremony for the crossing Webelos. The Pack gives the Webelos a compass, their new shoulder tabs, and their Boy Scout Handbook. The Webelos cross a wooden bridge, and are met on the other side by their new Scoutmaster, and Senior Patrol Leader. If they are going to more than one Troop we group them by Troops to cross the bridge. The Troops give their new Boy Scouts their neckerchief (some then, some at their first Court of Honor).

Good Lord! A 4-page legal form to create a temporary legal guardian? Sounds like you really did not want this boy to attend, and did all you could to put obstacles in his path. First of all, NOWHERE, does BSA state that the person in charge of a Cub Scout MUST be a LEGAL guardian. If we run into your "actual" situation we have the parents find one of their son's buddies to attend with. It is up to them to talk to the other family, and sort stuff out. All we really need from them is a written note of permission signed by the parents, and the adult who is to be in charge of the boy. We let the families know that, per BSA Youth protection, the boy is NOT allowed to sleep in the other families tent with the adults. They can have separate tents for the boys, and adult(s). To stretch it a bit, a tent with more than one room could work too. A boy attending with a family member other than his parents is a bit gray. However, I would allow them to share a tent if I had written permission from the boy's parents for them to do so.