A Rotten Eagle - What should be done?

[Bob White]

Scouter, You are wrong about the bully and having only one way to deal with it. Your unit simply picked the incorrect way.

 

Bullying is a violation of the BSA Youth Protection policies. There are specific steps that must be taken within the unit when bullying takes place. By your description, your unit did not follow those steps. They are outlined in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[evmori]

One of the ways I think would be helpful in preventing "paper Eagles" would be to stress the importance of the Scout learning independence. I also feel parents should not sign off on Eagle required merit badges.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[slontwovvy]

A big step involves pushing a more joint parent/Scout advancement approach. Put the Scouts in charge of doing BORs for Tenderfoot through First Class, allow older Scouts to sign off on requirements for Tenderfoot through First Class, allow for greater testing of knowledge. Let the parents and adult leaders do BORs for higher ranks. This two-test system can help eliminate people who don't learn what they are supposed to, who take the easy way out.

[Bob White]

slontwovvy,

 

It has been several years since youth were allowed to do Board of Reviews.

 

All BORs are to be done by 3 to 5 troop committee members except for the Eagle Board.

 

This has been the advancement policy for a long time now.

 

In addition, BORs may not re-test on skills.

The time to make sure the scouts know the skill is before the book is signed, not after.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[slontwovvy]

Then I guess my troop is rather old-fashioned. We still do it that way, and it has never been raised as an issue.

[Bob White]

It is less a matter of old fashioned and more a matter of correct of incorrect. Advancement policies and procedures are set by national and may not be unaltered by a unit.

 

If 15 years ago your town changed the speed limit on a road from 40 mph to 30 mph and you continued to drive for because you are "old fashioned. Does that make you ant less guilty of breaking the law?

 

What rule do you want your scouts to follow, The rules your troop has today or the rules they used 2 decades ago?

 

Be careful of the example you set?

 

Bob White

[nldscout]

I wonder all this time who has been signing the advancement reports and what names are being put on there for the Board of reveiw? I am surprised the registrar has not noticed something.

[Salra]

An update on our 'situation'. The Eagle scout has acknowledged that the incident happened. Inappropriate talk about sex with 10/11 year olds for those of you who didn't read the beginning of this post. Now, what is the appropriate consquence for this older boy?

 

It has also been bandied about that the Troop is too big (70+ boys or thereabouts). What can be done to be sure this doesn't happen again to any other younger boys.

 

Thanks for everyone's input.

[Rooster7]

It has also been bandied about that the Troop is too big (70+ boys or thereabouts).

 

Whatever is decided, the above statement should be a non-factor. In regard to discipline, you should never allow logistically issues (such as the size of the troop) to determine a boy's fate.

 

What can be done to be sure this doesn't happen again to any other younger boys.

 

Boys tend to be curiousespecially at this age, and especially about this subject. I'm not so sure anyone can do anything "to be sure this doesn't happen again". The best you can hope for is that the boys understand the seriousness of the subject matter and that they have open and thoughtful discussions with their parents. I agree that there should be consequences for inappropriate talk. The PLC and the committee should work together on this task. Can a policy be implemented which will ensure that it will never happen again? I seriously doubt it. On the other hand, the troop could develop a disciplinary system, which escalates the consequences for repeat offenders (including eventual expulsion). Regardless, every situation is different and deserves close examination by the PLC...and if necessary, the troop's committee.

 

[Rooster7]

Now, what is the appropriate consequence for this older boy?

 

I'm not sure we know enough details to make the call. Nevertheless, I'm assuming your SM is a mature and reasonable adult. I'm also assuming your committee is comprised of mature and reasonable adults. If that is the case, and this issue is going to committee, I feel fairly comfortable in saying that your troop can probably come up with a reasonable consequence. There are many variables that should be weighed. What exactly was said? What were the boy's intentions? Was he attempting to solicit these boys' participation in something? Is this boy immature for his age? What is his history? I really think no one on this board can give you a good answer unless they have first hand knowledge of the troop and the boy in question.

 

[scouter]

Bob White- I didn't know that there was another way to deal with it. Our scoutmaster, though, never seemed like he dealt with anything the right way. But that was in the past and our bully has moved out of town.