T-Shirt regulating

[Diver66]

I was informed at our troop meeting that a Scout can only wear Scout t-shirts or plain (no writing on them) at camp. They can not wear anything that has advertising on it, I understand vulgar or offensive t-shirts. This was told to parents that it is a National Policy that just came down. I was wondering if anyone knows where this policy is at, as I am the District trainer and I have yet to find it anywhere and I need to accurately portray it to the people I am training.

[Gold Winger]

That might be a camp policy. I think that it even sounds like a good one.

 

 

[FScouter]

Ahh, the old "cite a higher authority" ruse. That's your first clue it's a lot of bunk.

 

Why don't you ask the person that did the telling ?

[Eamonn]

I have never seen or heard of such a thing.

I'm 99.9% sure it's a load of bull.

 

My understanding of the Activity Uniform, which is also called the Class B uniform is that the T-shirt should be some sort of a Scout shirt.

 

Clothes at camp and in fact at all Scouting events should reflect the values of Scouting. Some t-shirts don't.

Shirts that promote drug use, alcohol and that sort of thing are best left at home.

Our school district has a similar policy.

But a shirt with Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck? Come on!! What's the harm?

Eamonn.

 

[Gold Winger]

"But a shirt with Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck? Come on!! What's the harm?"

 

How about that Donald Duck wears no pants?

[scoutldr]

I doubt that this is a "National Policy", as it has not been disseminated in my Council. If it is, I continue to be amazed at the ways BSA thinks up to alienate it's customers.

[FScouter]

"I was informed at our troop meeting ..."

 

"If it is, I continue to be amazed at the ways BSA thinks up to alienate it's customers."

 

What has BSA done here? Nothing at all. Let's not even think about disparaging BSA because somebody at a troop meeting made a silly comment. Because some uninformed person made an unsubstantiated comment does NOT mean BSA has thought up a new way to alienate it's customers.

[acco40]

To stir the pot what is a "Scout t-shirt?"

 

The activity uniform allows for a different shirt than the field uniform. I've always interpreted the phrase Scout t-shirt as something scout appropriate. My kids had an Old Navy t-shirt that was basically white with the US flag in the front, some simple patriotic phrase under it, and in some place in small print was Old Navy. In my book, scout appropriate. My oldest son, 17, Eagle Scout, NYLT SPL, is partial to death metal music (don't ask. It is predominated by Scandinavian bands and no, he is not suicidal). I've told him many of his t-shirts with the bands depicted on them are not scout appropriate - the imagery is questionable.. But how about a White Stripes t-shirt with two pandas, one playing drums, another a guitar? Not a problem in my view. By allowing him to wear these things I don't alienate him from Scouting (his dad is already SM so that's one knock against scouting right there for a 17 year old) and because of his involvement (and guitar playing skills, long hair, and "coolness" factor) in the program many of the middle school kids surmize that Scouting while not "cool" in and of itself, surely is not mutually exclusive with the coolness factor. Now, that may all seem very trivial to most sane adults but the kids from 13 - 16 are massively influenced by what the most casual comment their peers make.

[jmwalston]

I would presume that "Scout T-shirt" refers to one designed or approved by the Troop and incorporating the fleur-de-li and troop name, etc. Some camps have a stated policy on what is appropriate for wear, others are more open.

[infoscouter]

It seems logical to think that the camp/council instituted sort of a "dress code" policy for activity shirts, so that the camp commissioners/counselors weren't placed in the continual position of choosing which shirts are appropriate or not. If the camp has had a rash of kids (or adults) wearing shirts that were problematic, and were spending staff time on making kids change, or turn the shirts inside out; they may have thrown up their hands and 'made a rule', so as not to expend resources on the issue.

 

I'd think that the unit leaders would have dealt with the issue, but as we know, we don't always agree ;-0.

[evmori]

Would that mean plain color t-shirts with nothing on them are not allowed? I agree there are certain t-shirts that aren't appropriate anywhere, but this does seem like a camp policy, not National.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Gold Winger]

"Would that mean plain color t-shirts with nothing on them are not allowed?"

 

Not according to the original post.

[Gonzo1]

I think a "scout t-shirt" is one that is scout related, like a shirt from the scout shop or a scout event like a camp-o-ree or Webelos Woods or JLT or Woodbadge or something like that.

 

My son is going to camp with a different troop this year due to a schedule conflict with his busy summer schedule. He knows many of the boys in the troop. THEIR policy is that scouts do not wear t-shirts advertising tobacco, drugs or alcohol and encourages scouts to wear scout oriented shirts when not in "class A"

 

 

[Diver66]

Thank you to all that replied. I will be contacting my council next week to clearify whether this is a camp or council policy. What I ment by a scout t-shirt is one from a day camp, comporee, another camp, ect.

[Stosh]

I guess I'm a little stuck-in-the-mud kinda person. I have only three rules for my scouts 1) Safety First, 2) Look and Act like a Scout, and 3) Have Fun.

 

When it comes to #2 I like my boys to have enough pride in their unit to make an effort to look like a scout. Now that may not always imply full uniform, but when the activity calls for a more relaxed dress code, it still should reflect a sense of ownership in the scouting program. If they wish to wear 4-H, Boy & Girls Club, school sports and other competitive organizations, it reminds me that even my business casual I wear to work does not allow me to wear a shirt with a logo of our competition on it.

 

There's some truth to the idea that "the clothes make the man". I feel different when I wear different clothing. I wouldn't show up at church in blue jeans and a t-shirt, nor would I show up with a suit and tie to scouts.

 

If boys wish to wear non-scout t-shirts at a scouting event, I am always wondering why that boy finds it necessary to show everyone some kind of clever joke, sports logo, or some other form of Madison Avenue gimmick on their clothing other than Scouting. If one is that embarassed about it, maybe they are in the wrong group. When I have a boy wearing a non-scout t-shirt, for example, a school t-shirt, I simply ask if they would be willing to wear their scout t-shirt to school? If they answer no, then there's something serious wrong about how that scout views their attitude towards scouts. Boys who find it difficult to wear a scout t-shirt at a scout event must also have serious problems with wearing their uniform as well.

 

Stosh