Board of Review Question

[AT1988]

A couple of weeks ago our troop had a board of review. Two of the scouts were 1st Class going for Star. Both did fine, except for the fact that neither one of them had quite finished the requirements for Star. One lacked an Eagle required merit badge, the other had not finished his service hours.

 

It's been ten days, and in that time both scouts have fulfilled their requirements. Do we need to hold ANOTHER board of review for these boys, or can the committee chair and scoutmaster just approve?

[sherminator505]

Purely for fairness' sake, I'd have them go through a second BOR. While in this instance they may have been very close, it may not always be this way, and the moment you start making exceptions, then everyone will consider himself an exception.

[NealOnWheels]

Proper procedure would mean you need to schedule a "follow up board of review". If they have completed their requirements it should go quickly.

 

You might want to look at what happened prior to the original board of review. Most issues as this could have been prevented at a Scoutmaster's Conference.

[baschram645]

You have to hold the Board of Review because you didn't have one. The scouts had not met the requirements for the next rank therefore they were not eligible for a BOR. If these two scouts get to the point where they are going up for Eagle Scout and dates for Merit Badges and Ranks don't jive they could be told no before that BOR.

Need 4 Eagle required Merit Badges for Star and 1 is after the date of Rank guess what boy would not have a leg to stand on and it would be the SM and Committees Fault, period.

I think your Adult leader's need training. If they don't know the requirements then read the Handbook. Keep better records and then read them.

[evmori]

Why would you hold a BOR if a Scout hasn't completed the requirements for rank?

[Eagle92]

E,

Sometimes something isn't caught until the BOR. Best example I can give is that 1 Life Scout I knew found out on the nite of his scheduleed EBOR that he missed the deadline for council approval of his EBOR by a few days and he had to appeal to national for his EBOR (FYI no EBOR could be scheduled before he left for Boot Camp and I believe specialty school)

[John-in-KC]

The Troop Committee can hold a Board of Review at any time, for any reason. It's part of their duty to the Troop to evaluate and give feedback to the Scoutmaster about the program.

 

In this case, the Committee should have deferred the boy for not having requirements complete, and continued the Board until the last was done. THEN, the CC and SM should have had a friendly cup of coffee.

 

 

[FScouter]

The purpose of the board of review is to determine if the requirements have been met. If they have not, advancement is deferred, and the board spells out in writing exactly what must be completed.

[AT1988]

First Id like to answer WHY we have ALL our scouts have a BOR every three months whether they are advancing or not.

 

baschram645 stated:

 

"The scouts had not met the requirements for the next rank therefore they were not eligible for a BOR."

 

And Evmori asked:

 

"Why would you hold a BOR if a Scout hasn't completed the requirements for rank?"

 

My answer is, according to BSA policy:

 

A board should be set up to review accomplishment and lack of accomplishment. The board can counsel with Scouts who are not advancing to determine reasons for lack of progress and to stimulate these Scouts to greater participation in the program. This function is of equal importance to the function of reviewing boys who present themselves for advancement.

 

http://www.scouter.com/Forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=272614

 

Thank you all for your input. Its rare that there is such a consensus about anything on this forum. As NealOnWheels summed it up so well:

 

Proper procedure would mean you need to schedule a "follow up board of review. If they have completed their requirements it should go quickly.

 

This is what I felt was right. We are a new troop and are committed to doing things the right way.

 

Regarding what baschram645 wrote about, . . .your Adult leader's need training. If they don't know the requirements then read the Handbook. Well, I did, but I still had questionsthats why I came here.

 

Thank you all.

 

[evmori]

Ah but this BOR was for rank advancement and as soon as the fact came to light that the Scout hadn't completed all the requirements, the BOR should have been stopped and the Scout told to reschedule when he had completed all the requirements.

 

My prior question was a little misleading. I know you can hold a BOR for other reasons. Sorry about that.

 

Ed

[Beavah]

Ah but this BOR was for rank advancement and as soon as the fact came to light that the Scout hadn't completed all the requirements, the BOR should have been stopped

 

Fiddlesticks.

 

Yeh have the lad all there and trussed up and nervous, and yeh have a group of adults who came out to give their time to the lad. Why in da world would you stop da BOR? Seems like a waste, eh? Yeh just keep goin'. Look at other things, give him encouragement, talk some more about his experience in da troop and what his interests are, encourage him to look at some fun merit badges or to get involved in da next step of leadership. Not "I don't want to talk to you, you're not done!". Advancement is just a small part of our program, eh? Consider the time without workin' advancement as a gift to spend on Adult Association and Values and Personal Growth and all that. You remember, da other methods!

 

Beavah

[evmori]

Why in da world would you stop da BOR? Seems like a waste

 

Because the Scout has not completed all the requirements for rank. Teaching point. If ya ain't finished, ya can't get credit for finishing.

[Eamonn]

I'm very much with Beavah and what he posted.

 

Even if I think he didn't asnswer what was asked!

It seems to me that if the only reason for having a BOR is for advancement, that the SM should have noticed that the requirements had not been met and the Board should not have met.

While once the Scouts were there rather than just saying this is a waste of time, the time could be spent as Beavah has posted.

Now that everything is in order and ship shape the Board can and should meet again.

Not meeting? Would send the wrong message to the Scouts, not just in Scouting but there is a Life Message in all of this (If a job is worth doing...)

Ea.

 

 

[Eagle92]

I've known a scout or two to find out something was missing at the BOR last minute. My Eagle buddy above is my most memorable, But i also know a guy who was a little early for a BOR for rank, by a few days. Long story short BOR was still held for the rank, the youth was informed that while he is doing a great job, he needed X number of days to finish off, and that the BOR would reconvene only to sign the AR on that date.

[Scoutfish]

Correct me if I am wrong, and I do not mean to be only "technical" about it, but isn't the whole point of "review" being to go over stuff?

 

If it comes down to a scout being absolutely done, finished and having met all of "X" requirements..wouldn't that be a "checkoff board" instead of a board of review? And in that same case, couldn't a SM or ASM do the same job and just sign off the paperwork as is?

 

Granted,I have not one minute in Boy Scouts, but some day I might. Hopefully my son will. I am trying to learn this stuff either way.

 

It would seem to me that a BOR would be a place to talk to a scout about what he has achieved so far, what he hasn't,and recommendations about what direction he might want to put more or less emphasis on and then checking back in at a later date to see how he is progressing.

 

I mean, point blank..if you wait til he has done everything..including crossing all his "T's" and dotting all his "I's"...then it's not "reviewing" it's just "finishing".

 

Besides that, if the scout has shown that he can do all that without ANY guidance from a BOR, it seems that the BOR has just outlived it's justifiable need to exist.

 

Not trying to be insulting , mind you, but making an honest observation.

 

Please feel free to correct any and all misunderstandings I have. I encourage it!