When to call the police vs. parents

[sctmom]

As a high school senior, our class went on a trip to the Carribean with teachers and other chaperones. One of the adults found one of the boys in possession of a small amount of pot. I just happened to be standing there when he was confronted. They didn't know I overheard them. They did quickly remove him from the rest of us to continue the discussion and dispose of the substance. I don't know what happened when we returned home.

 

Not informing the whole class was a good thing to do. It would have just given this boy more of the kind of attention he loved (negative reinforcement). He would have then been bragging when the teachers walked off.

 

Complete suspension from scouting over such? I think again, everyone needs to look at the whole situation. Would that be in the best interest of the boy? Especially if this was his first such offense and other "punishment" was used. Suspension for 60 days? That sounds more reasonable.

 

[jmcquillan]

While not thought of as "illegal" in the same way pot is, fireworks of any sort are illegal here in Massachusetts. My only experience with this type of situation is with possession of fireworks...at summer camp. While not a member of the troop who had this problem, I was directly involved.

 

A Scout came to summer camp with fireworks in his possession. It seems his family had just returned from a visit to North Carolina, where the stuff is quite legal, and brought home a supply, knowing all the while that it was illegal at home. (What kind of example is that?) The stuff was stacked on the dining room table, and the kids were told by the parents not to touch it. (That's an invitation if I've ever heard one.) Naturally, our young Scout decided that bringing some to summer camp would be a great idea...he'd be a local hero with his fellow Scouts...even though he and all the Scouts had been told by the Troop leaders that the stuff was illegal. They were attending camp during the 4th of July week.

 

Once at camp, the Scout showed his limited wisdom, and showed the stuff off to friends within hearing and sight of a camp counselor. Upon realizing that he had been caught, he hurried to "sell" the stuff to a fellow troop member, thereby thinking he'd be free and clear. Both were caught. The situation was brought to the attention of the troop leaders by the camp staff. Together they had to decide how to handle the situation. The guidelines for camp were clear...the Scouts would have to leave camp. "How"...was the question. Should the police be called in addition to the parents, or just the parents. In the end, it was decided to call only the parents and send the boys home. (This was day 2 of camp. No refunds...nothing...the rules had been broken.) The parents were, needless to say, quite upset, and those who had brought the stuff home from NC did not understand at all. That was as close as we came to needing the police...if for no other reason, to explain the definition of "illegal". Eventually, both families left camp with their sons in tow. The fireworks were delivered to the local police station for disposal by camp staff. The police told them that they had made the correct decision in handling the situation.

 

One of the boys, the one who got caught "holding the bag" after "buying" the stuff, never came back to Scouting. The troop thought they knew why, but never expounded upon that. The other boy, the one who brought the stuff from home, ended up staying in the troop, and became somewhat the better for it. Although most feel he never got to his "true potential" as a young man, he did become a better Scout and a better kid in general. Having the police involved, and thus a police record, might have made things generally worse for all. We'll never know.

 

Now, for sure, pot might be looked upon as being "more" illegal by some, and "less" illegal by others. But I'll leave that to the differing camps on whether it should be legalized or not. In my mind, illegal is illegal. The decision on how to handle the situation comes from knowing all the people who will handle the situation without the police. Are Mom & Dad known to the troop leadership? Are Mom & Dad the kind of folks who will take the matter and "fix" it? Are they not? Is there a need to pursue the matter through the police, or can it be resolved by the parties involved (M&D and Scout Leaders) without a police record? Is the boy simply a victim of his age and inexperience, or is he more sinister? Only those involved can tell whether treating the situation through "all" appropriate channels means involving the harshest. Sometimes that will, indeed, be necessary. Sometimes not. Is this taking the law into our own hands? Perhaps. But we're dealing with children, and our best judgement. That's all we have to work with. We hope it's enough, and we hope we're right.

 

In the situation I described, the police couild have been called, but after the fact, even they admitted that their involvement was probably unnecessary.

[Quixote]

sctmom, i believe i did write depending on the severity and the attitude of the scout - while i have every desire to help provide scouting to every boy that wants to be in scouts, i firmly believe that drugs and alcohol have absolutely no place in scouting.

 

Assuming the boy in question realized what he did was wrong and was genuinly remorseful, 60 days doesn't sound too bad, but if the attitude is "hey, it's only pot", my recommendation would be complete expulsion from any troop i am an adult leader in.

 

YIS

Quixote

(This message has been edited by Quixote)

[sctmom]

Quixote,

I understand. I was referring to someone else's comment of wanting to "revoke the scout's membership."

 

It does depend a lot on the severity of the crime and the attitude toward changing. If the same scout gets caught a second time, then revoking membership is probably the only thing to do. The risks to the adults and other scouts becomes to great.

 

[packsaddle]

In a similar situation I thought I detected a scout using tobacco (also illegal at that age and against regulations) at summer camp. He was in another troop and when asked, one of his fellow scouts confirmed my suspicions. I asked to meet with his scoutmaster. The scoutmaster was extreeemely confrontational and aggressive when I asked him about it. I left the matter with him. At the end of camp, I found out that the boy had been a source of other mischief as well and I felt sympathy for the scoutmaster. If it had been one of mine, I would have taken the issue to the parents immediately. I would probably do the same for pot if it was the first offense. A phone call, arrange transportation through the parents and send him home.

[evmori]

packsaddle,

I have run into confrontational Scoutmasters like the one you described. I would have gone to the camp director & explained the situation and asked him to deal with it since it happened at his camp.

 

sctmom,

I feel everyone deserves a second chance. If a Scout in my Troop has an illegal substance, then he will be sent home ASAP. He will also be suspended from the Troop for 30 days. (this also applies to Scouts who steal). Before the Scout can come back to the Troop, he and his parents will be required to meet with me and the other adult leaders at camp to discuss what happened and obtain the assurance this will not happen again. The Scout will also be required to apologize at for his behavior. Also, the Scout and his parents will be told if this or a similar offense (theft, alcohol, etc.) occurs again, the Scouts membership will be revoked. If this is done satisfactorly, then and only then, the Scout will be allowed to return to the Troop.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[scomman]

Personally as someone who works with former drug users i would call parents and notify police. The matter comes down a law was broken and it has to be handled accordingly. I have had friends who told me they got their pot from their parents and that their parents didn't care. If we as scout leaders wink at the law and don't report violations we are saying thats ok you believe pot to be harmless and that is ok for you.