Cheating to make Eagle Scout!

[EagleInKY]

I've had a challenge in my troop for some time. A lad who's family has been a sore-spot in my backside for some time. Their main goal is for him to earn Eagle FIRST so they can brag about it, and then have him quit and get the h*** out of our troop. They haven't been so brazen to say that to my face, but they have alluded to it to others so many times that I have absolute confidence in it being true.

 

To do so, they've pushed and pulled every switch to try and get their boy along the path. He's working on his service project now, and I really believe he is rushing it on their account.

 

My son and some others are frustrated by this. They know I wouldn't be as accommodating to others. In his mind, I'm letting him get away with things that I shouldn't. And, perhaps I am. Some fights just aren't worth fighting.

 

My son - and others - have taken the high road. They've basically backed off and said that they are not going to race him to Eagle. (I think this is frustrating to the lad). He (or at least his dad) wants the others to try and beat him.

 

I agree with E's comment: "The Lad in question here will receive a ribbon, a chunk of metal and an embroidered scrap of material. Sure he can brag that he is an Eagle Scout, but sadly deep down he has to know that it's all very hollow."

 

Veni also made a great point - "he will, however, be in for a rude awakening when he has an employer that has higher standards than the revised BOR did."

 

These remind me of a boy that held a grudge against me when we were scouts. Like the boy in our troop, he was determined to beat me to Eagle. Unlike my son, I actually tried to beat him, but my dad (the SM) held me back. The boy did a half-baked project that got him through the process. He got his ribbon, left the troop, barely graduagted from high school and now he's a janitor at that very same school. A paper Eagle? More or less. Is he a model we'll put on high to be proud of? No way. Did HE get out of scouting what HE could have? Not a chance. Does anyone (but him or me) remember that he got his Eagle first? Nope.

[ScoutNut]

There is no requirement for Eagle at all that states that a Scout has to be active in the Troop for a specified time period IMMEDIATELY PRIOR to receiving his Eagle, simply for 6 months any time after earning Life.

 

So Backwood, you are saying that this SM-Dad BOUGHT the CC's signature on the Eagle application, the good references of 6 people, and the District/Council Advancement Commitee's approval?

 

While the BOR that you described did sound rather strange (there should not be 5 votes - only 1), perhaps you are viewing the whole process from the skewed perspecitve of one who very obviously does not like this boy or his family. Consider for a moment - what if he really did earn it?

 

 

[Fuzzy Bear]

backwood,

As injustices pass before our eyes, we hope we do not become jaded or that we go silently down one of those slippery slopes that leads to nowhere. Sometimes I wonder about those that come here in this Forum that have never witnessed any form of problem in Scouting. I suppose that if a person is new, they may be spared the grief or it is possible that they may have a near perfect District. Generally with tenure, one will have an awakening and a few scars that will remain. The counter to these problems is the multitude of good, hard working, honest Scouts and Scouters that we find everywhere. It is not just a thin silver lining but the majority of what we generally experience. FB

 

[purcelce]

Mr Backwood,

So you are a committee member for your troop. Good for you.

But I'm raising the b.s. flag. It appears that you have a grudge against this scout and his SM dad.

The kid earned Eagle and he should be congratulated. Then I suggest you find another troop that would be a good fit for you and your son. No need in having bad vibes and taking the fun out of scouting for you and your son.

 

my 2 cents.

 

Cary P

[Hunt]

I suspect we all know people who "sleaze" their way through--they may have done all the requirements, but they have done the absolute minimum and have persuaded decisionmakers to accept borderline achievement.

I use such people as an object lesson for my son--do you want to be like that, or do you want to proud of your achievements? I also don't allow anybody to sleaze their way through when I am the one who has to sign off, but I leave others to make their own ethical decisions.

[evmori]

Did HE get out of scouting what HE could have? Not a chance.

 

He might not have gotten what he could have but he got what he wanted.

 

I gotta wonder why some posters are so quick to jump on the other Troop folk. From the info in the original post it seems clear this Scout was "given" his Eagle and not because he earned it.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[backwood]

Well lots of opinions, I really don't dislike this boy. I just feel that he has put no effort into making Eagle. He has 2 brothers in our troop that are doing a very good job. They are active and I am helping them without any ill feelings. As a matter of fact I was asked to sit on a Board of review making the youngest a Star after leaving the Eagle Board of review. I gladly approved him. I hope that neither one of them decides to follow in their older brother's foot steps.

[dan]

To start this I must say that I have never sat on a BOR I am a ASM.

 

There are a few things in this thread that I do not understand.

How would a BOR know that a scout did not complete merit badges? How would this even come up in a BOR?

How would it ever come out in a BOR that the scout really did not complete the POR, if the scoutmaster has already signed off of the requirement?

Is it not common to ask the question what POR did you have while you have been a Life scout, and maybe a discussion with the scout on how it went. How would you even start the discussion about the scout not really having a POR.

 

Backwood

Did this BOR start with the knowledge that these things where not done?

 

It seems like the BOR tried to punish the scout for adults mistakes.

 

[backwood]

The committee was not responsable for this scouts slipping through the cracks, his Dad showed up with his Eagle project 8 weeks before his 18th birthday, The questions were raised at that time what he needed to complete and also his role as a active leader during his term as a Life scout. We were told he needed to complete his Communication, He could not have done a 90 day chart in 8 weeks, The nextthingthe committee knows we show up for a meeting and are told he was having a Eagle Court of Review, all the paper work was properly filled out, it showed he had been an instructor. That was on paper only!

[Lisabob]

Backwoods,

 

I'm a merit badge counselor for communications. There is no 90 day chart requirement for that badge so I'm not sure what you are referring to here? Maybe a different mb? Just shows the difficulty of verifying all information so as to reach correct conclusions.

 

Lisa'bob

[Vicki]

Agreed, Lisa'bob - I, too, am a Communications MB counselor. No 90 day requirement.

 

It is extremely important to have details right in this biz.

 

Vicki

[acco40]

I'm a little hazy on an Eagle Court of Review. Can someone enlighten me?(This message has been edited by acco40)

[emb021]

"I'm a little hazy on an Eagle Court of Review. Can someone elighten me?"

 

Am sure that was a typo, and he meant "Eagle Board of Review".

 

 

[packsaddle]

I agree with Eamonn's thoughtful comments. I have never confronted a situation like this at the level of an eagle BOR but have frequently detected similar elements for some merit badges (usually from summer camp). I ask the boy what he did for certain requirements (duration of activity, papers written, etc.) and then I ask him if he thinks he fully met the requirements. Having planted the question, I pay little attention to the answer...that is more important for him to answer for his own conscience.

 

As for future employment, one of the recent eagles from this unit was interviewed at his university by prospective employers for a prestigious internship. He proudly told me that the interviewer informed him that he was the only candidate who knew, and could express, the importance of teamwork and similar virtues.

Life is good.

[scoutmom111]

My husband was sm when our son got Eagle. He didn't want anyone to question our boys work so he didn't sign off on the SM conference, he had one of the ASM do it. There is a loop hole that an ASM can be acting SM on outings if the SM isn't available.

 

We have also had young men that didn't participate in recent years. My husband told them that they must be an active member of the group for him to sign off on their leadership capability. We even had a young man that cheated on his eagle. His dad was ... shall we say... strong willed and controlling... he did the eagle for the boy. We finally set down with the boy and his mom. (I'm the advancement chair so I was part of it all) We told him what our concern was... he had even done part of his eagle with out any adult leader but his parents there... We explained what we needed him to do in order for my husband to sign off on his eagle. We then told him that if he didn't want to do the required steps we would help him to go around the troop and go directly to council. We just didn't feel that it would be honest to sign off on the eagle as it currently stood. I am proud to say that the boy did the extra work and is one FINE eagle!!!