ShutterbugMom

The first person I called was someone on the committee. She felt it should be left up to the troop.

Thanks for all the replies. I did talk to our Scoutmaster last night and he is opposed to them also. The female leader that took the phones also sends out the emails and I see she has now added a #6 rule to the list of no phones allowed whatsoever at meetings or camp outs. It was not there before. There has also been a rule for years of no flip flops or sandals. I assume this to include slides and crocs. A small group met last night to finish geocaching and 3/8 of them had on unapproved footwear....yet nothing was said. So I feel as thought all rules need to be enforced or none. I am firmly in disagreement with not taking their phones but I guess I am powerless to change anything.

That sounds how I would expect it.....using it for what it is needed for. Not for video games or social media. (My scout does not have social media.) But for information, scout skills and taking pictures I would be in favor of it.

I checked on that right away and they said it was up to the Troop.

Thank you for all the replies. I am glad to hear it isn't in the scout handbook and I am thankful most of the units let them use them responsibly. I feel like that is the best course of action. They are usually banned in our unit but we were told that they could take them for SeaBase. I am very disappointed this leader took it upon herself to take them from the boys and none of the other three leaders stood up to her and told her it had already been discussed that they could have them. So, most of the boys had NO cameras. My son had a waterproof camera and did take pictures, but there is only one underwater selfie of him and one the captain took of him from the side. I am so disappointed to not have more pictures to make him a photo book. But this is an important point for me to bring up at the planning meeting, and I will also suggest they start trusting the kids with the phones according to the scout law.

I thought someone here with more knowledge than me might know. Does it state in the Scout Handbook or the Troop Leaders handbooks that scouts may not have cell phones? I cannot find it, but we were told by a certain leader that this is the case. Let me be clear that I have no problem with cell phones not being allowed if it is announced ahead of time. I do have a problem with a leader that takes my son's phone when he didn't have it out and she made him (and the rest) dig it out of their bags. These are all high school age boys at a high adventure camp and they had them for pictures as we were told there was no cell phone reception. And now there are few pictures and the parents were in the dark about what was going on for nearly a week. I would just like to know where this is the handbook for my own sanity. Thanks!

Wow! Thankfully he doesn't have asthma. That is really scary. It was sunny and in the 50s this weekend -- but went down to freezing overnight, so I am guessing he was near it in the evening. He said he tried to stay away and stay upwind, but it got realy smoky once because someone put a green log on it. They were cooking over a camp stove. He should have been well dressed enough to not really need to be near it. I don't think he changed clothes all weekend. He had on his class As with a shirt underneath, plus he had a hoodie he wore a lot. And he had a winter coat and hat for evening. Now, whether he wore them or not.......that I cannot attest to......

He got allergy shots for 5 years and they really helped. He rarely gets season allergies symptoms now -- maybe a day or two in the spring and again in the fall. We have him use Flonase most of the year and Xyzal during peak times. Hmmm. That might help, but he would probably not want to stand out like that.

I am looking for suggestions for someone who may have encountered this before. My son is a 3rd year, although he took a year off last year. Anyway, he has very bad seasonal allergies, which we can deal with, but he is super sensitive to the campfire smoke. He is very excited about Scouts now and wants to finish his Eagle, but needs 11 more nights of camping. In the fall, he was a bonfire party on a Saturday and was so sick that he was out of school until Thursday. He went to a camp out this weekend, and wasn't too bad when I picked him up in the late morning, but went rapidly downhill with a headache, sinus congestion, and fever over 100F. Needless to say, he is home today. I do not think the doctors believe me when I tell them this happens instantly...but it does. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has encountered a scout like this? I am thinking he needs to avoid any campouts when it is cold so he can stay away from the fire. Any other suggestions? Thanks so much.

Many aspects of the world in general nowadays seem to think that white males, including boys, are the enemy. And I tell you I did have to report it to the school when these little middle school girls who think they are high and mighty (again just a select few) told my son they wanted to cut line (while playing a game) and he said "No, I was in line in front of you." The girl and her friends replied "You have to let her, because you know about "Ladies First." He said "No, I don't. We are playing a game and we are equal." and he held his hands out to keep them from going around him and some of the little girls said "You can't do that!! You are HARASSSING her!" Yep. Had to contact the teacher about that. But there is a certain subset of people in this world that blame boys for everything now and I am very tired of it. It has gotten to the point where boys are allowed to have NOTHING for themselves. No organizations. Nothing. That's just my feeling. And I truly know not all girls and women are like that. Actually most are not. But that small minority are loud and have to have their own way.

Well, we have several girls in the pack that mostly feeds our troop with several girls and moms that can't wait for their girls to join the troop so I am afraid we will basically be coed. I am not thrilled and neither is my son. And I am truly not anti-girl but I am sick of all the girls and their moms out to prove "anything boys can do, I can do better." Strong girls who see themselves as equals I am all for. Women and girls that continually put down men, I am not. And that is what I see happening. My youngest quit for a year over bad behavior of other boys but has just rejoined (his choice) and honestly I am not very thrilled. I never thought I would say that having been involved with Scouts for 12 years as an adult. (and I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid.) That is exactly how I think it should be.

I so disagree with this. If BSA wants to start a separate girls program, that doesn't both me at all. And that is what they say, but that is NOT what is being done. I am a mom of boys only, so I am sure that colors my view. The rights of boys are slowing being eroded. Boys are not allowed to have ANYTHING to themselves. Girls are allowed now in Boys Scouts, football, and baseball. But boys are expressly forbidden from volleyball, softball, Girl Scouts and Girls on the Run. I should be clear that my boys don't want to join any of the traditionally girls groups but the rights of boys are being taken away. At the same time, on the middle school playground, tween girls expect to be allowed to cut line and go first because "after all it IS ladies first." I am seriously rolling my eyes here. Obviously, this is not all the girls, but a select group that are being taught they are superior to boys. But why in the world are boys not allowed to have any sort of boys only organization. I am SO tired of seeing all the girl power stuff on social media, and now the BSA has joined the chant. Boys matter also and the BSA should be the first one to champion that.

I have a general question for girls joining a troop now. Didn't I read that girls would have separate troops with different Scout Masters, etc, although the same committee could have two different troops -- one for girls, and one for boys? Right? But then I read that the girls can meet at the same place and same time. Would they be in a separate area or would they be mixed with the boys? Just asking because I thought they would be separate, but now it seems like they won't? Thanks!

This is exactly the issue I have with adding girls. I have two boys, 6th and 11th grade, who have been scouts since first grade. My youngest, for two years in elementary school, was subjected to teaching assistants / teachers who had them line up girls in one line, boys in another. And then they said "Ladies First" and the girls ALWAYS went first -- which means they were first to activities and first back to prepare at their desks. After this went one for awhile, he was very upset. As he said "I thought you said we were EQUAL!" Which is what we have always taught the boys. (Of course we teach them how to treat their friends, male and female, and good behavior for future dating / marriage, etc.) But school is their work and every is and should be equal. He notices that boys are excluded from Girls on the Run, and realizes that as a boy he cannot run until 6th grade (cross country) and then he has to try out. Also, girls are allowed to play football and baseball, but boys are NOT allowed to play softball or volleyball. Not that he wants to -- but boys are not allowed anyway. He even had girls tell him that "girls were oppressed and boys have so many more opportunities." Yes, 9 and 10 year old girls. I think this girl empowerment movement has gone overboard to the point where boys are sometimes discriminated against and that isn't right either.

Wow. That was really not helpful and kind of mean spirited to be honest. I'm sorry I asked. There are 4 of them moving as a patrol and they have been arguing among themselves for several weeks about the best patrol yell. I thought if I had a few fresh ideas for them maybe they could all agree and get started on the right foot. And FYI our troop patrols use their yell at the end of every meeting.