Married couple as adult leaders on a campout

[jark]

Does anyone know of any BSA policy, preferably National in nature, that would prohibit a married couple as being the only two adult leaders at a Boy Scout summer camp?

Due to leadership availability these were the only two adults (both registered leaders) that are available for the entire week.

One parent/committee member presented some information from the Guide to Safe Scouting that seemed to indicate that this was not allowed, but in reviewing the Guide, I cannot find the same indications.

Thanks for any hard facts that would support this position one way or the other.

[DugNevius]

Never had this in my troop, but the woman who ran the youth protection program that i attended was at summer camp this past summer with her husband the SM, so, im thinking its not all that bad.

[frank10]

I don't think BSA has any rule against it. Our troop will not allow it based on the fact that one spouse can not be compeled to testify against the other. To me that's the same thing as having only one adult in the room.

But as I said, I don't know of any by the book reason you can't do it.

[nldscout]

There is no rule against it. I would say since its summer camp where there are lots of adults agound I would be ok if there was no other choice.

[packsaddle]

Just to clarify, are they male and female married or gay married? And are they atheists?

[evmori]

Good question, packsaddle! But they couldn't be legally married if they were gay.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[jark]

The couple is heterosexual, married to each other and active church members.

[FScouter]

Your reading of the part of the Guide to Safe Scouting that talks about leadership requirements for trips and outings is correct. There is no prohibition about married couples. Not sure how anyone could read otherwise.

[Prairie_Scouter]

I don't know of any formal prohibition in Safe Scouting. Especially in the context of summer camp, you have lots of other leaders around, so I don't think you'd have any problems. It's just a shame that we even have to worry about that kind of thing.

[falcon93]

Last year this was the boat I was in, I have since grown so it isn't an issue this year.

 

It was myself and my wife handling a troop of 6 boys. She and I both handled summer camp. We did stay in seperate tents, not sure if that is something that "has to be done" or if it was something she chose/ asked us to do. At either rate, seperate tents was a good idea and a cooler one at night.

 

 

[acco40]

Back in the old days before YPT was on-line, I attended many a YPT in a forum like session. We watched videos, and a discussion ensued led by a qualified professional. We were always taught that a husband and wife combination did not constitute two-deep leadership from a YPT perspective. Now, I admit that is not stated in the G2SS or in any other BSA publication that I could find.

 

Just a few weeks ago I had my annual Merit Badge Counselor training and the trainer stated that when a scout comes to your house have him bring a buddy because having you and your wife present doesn't fulfill the no one-on-one contact rule (two-deep leadership is not required for non-outings but no one-on-one contact, excluding intra-family, is always in effect).

 

So, we've got two issues - does a husband wife only team constitute two deep leadership and fulfill the no one-on-one contact rule in the eyes of the BSA? My guess is that yes it does. Does it in the eyes of the US judicial systems? I don't know. Is it wise? No.

 

The talk about the husband and wife sleeping in separate tents brought to mind another question. Usually, a husband and wife may share the same tent on a BSA outing. However, not always. A set of newly-weds who are 20 yr old may share a tent on a BSA outing but not on an OA or Venture outing. Youth may not share a tent with a member of the opposite sex. Youth in Boy Scouts is under the age of 18. Youth in the OA and Venture is under 21.

 

Riddle me this Batman!(This message has been edited by acco40)

[jark]

The main point of the parent complaining about the arrangement appeared to be centered on the fact that since this husband/wife team and their boys were going out that this somehow turned the summer camp experience into a family camp for the rest of the troop that would be out there.

YPL issues were not the centerpoint of the discussion, mostly this family camp aspect of the outing.

[frank10]

In that case tell them to give up a week of their vacation and make it right!

[OldGreyEagle]

I wonder if these are the same whiners that Nutz4Scouting is delaing with, in the same genetic pool (shallow end) at the very least.

 

A husband and wife are willing to take a week off both jobs (presumably) and move the household out to Camp for 7 days and becuse their kids are all scouts this somehow makes it wrong? or bad? As wingnut says, let the whiners come out and balance off the leadership or shut up

[EagleInKY]

I agree with wingnut, it's not the problem of this couple, the problem is with the other parents who aren't willing to go.