Eagle BOR participants

[isvirtual]

For years, our troop has had ASMs sit on Eagle board of reviews. This year, I became the Eagle Advisor and discovered this is not allowed. When I told my first Life scout some of his BOR candidates were not eligible, his father, the scoutmaster, became livid. He has accused me of setting a double standard and says his son is held to a higher standard in spite of the fact that this requirement is written in several BSA policy manuals and was presented to over 50 people at a troop meeting.

 

What would happen to the former Eagles if this was escalated to the district or council level?

 

How can I explain to an irrational parent that everyone will begin playing by the same rules?

 

I fear he, as scoutmaster, will retaliate against my own son who is also preparing for his Eagle board. Should we do anything proactive to prevent this?

 

YiS

[EagleInKY]

Nothing would happen to the boys who have already earned Eagle. There is no revocation of ranks.

 

I'm surprised your troop runs its own Eagle BORs. I thought most councils had gone to district-level BORs. I think it's much better to go the district route. You're much less likely to run into the local political issues such as yours.

[isvirtual]

This is run at the district level. The scouts are told to bring 3-4 "friendly" board members. The district provides a district member who is the board chair.

[EagleInKY]

Okay. That's fairly similar to ours. Except our DAC recruits the at-large members. He usually does not get people that the boy would know very well. If the boy comes from a large troop, he may ask for some people that from it to do it. He also tries to get at least one person who has no connection to the boy or troop.

 

So, to your question, you are correct. The SM and SAs cannot sit on the BOR. I would speak to your DAC and make sure he is aware of that. Let him be the one to enforce the rule.

[eagleSM]

 

 

it is my understanding , as well, that Districts run Eagle BOR's on behalf of Council.

 

SM & ASMs do not sit on BOR's.

 

SM's do, however, "sit in on" Eagle BOR's. this is so that if there is any question that may be outside of the candidates knowledge, the SM is there to answer. as SM, other than introductions, i am not allowed to speak unless directly asked a question by the DAC or his/her rep.

 

your District should publish some type of "Life to Eagle" guideline booklet. this should be all you need to quell any questions to an upset parent. otherwise, i agree, send to the DAC

 

locally, our candidates invite members for their boards. this would include clergy, teachers, coaches, or other mentors (& of course, the District rep).

 

i can remember my own BOR. i knew absolutely no one there (in a far distant place and time). i felt like i was the guest of honor at a Dean Martin roast. while its up to Districts, and not just another dumb old volunteer, i dont think its fair for a Scout to go thru his Scouting career looking at known faces at BOR's; and then, at the pinnacle of his career, having to face a room full of unknown individuals.

 

if i were that concerned about the SM and my owns son Eagle, i would "click out" of the forums and contact my Unit/District Commissioner immediately.

 

eSM

 

 

[acco40]

Eagle BOR are organized by the Troop advancement chair - not the district, not the Scout. A district advancement representative is required to be present. Eagle BORs are the only BORs that may have non-troop committee members (i.e. non-registered Scouters) sit on the board. However, no Scoutmasters sit on the Eagle boards of review although the Scoutmaster may witness the Eagle Board of Review IN SILENCE if the Life Scout under review is NOT his/her son. Parents may not sit on BORs for their sons at any level.

[eisely]

I am not sure that you are correct that parents cannot even witness an Eagle BOR. I was under the impression that parents can observe any scouting activity if they choose to do so.

 

Some of you may recall a controversy about a year ago about an Eagle Scout who claimed that he had been an atheist throughout his scouting career. In his instance the Eagle BOR was conducted at the troop level. This was somewhere in the state of Washington. As I recall his Eagle was not revoked, even though his mother was apparently involved in pushing him through the unit Eagle BOR.

 

While all the Eagle BORs I have seen have been at the district level, I am not aware of any prohibition against the unit doing Eagle BORs. In some more sparsely populated or inaccessible parts of the country, staffing a BOR out of the boy's unit may be the only feasible way to do it.

[EagleInKY]

I've googled the topic and found several references to the fact that the council sets the policy regarding the process, not national. Therefore, when acco mentions that the troop is responsible for it, you have to realize that is his council's procedure. It's not that way in my council.

 

However, from what I read, one of the national standards is that the SM may observe the Eagle BOR, if it is not his son. He is only allowed to speak if he is asked to clarify some information. Parents are never allowed in the BOR.

[Eamonn]

The other 3 districts in our council have a member of the district advancement committee sit in on Eagle Scout BOR's.

We have a committee member sit in with the advancement committee.

I have been led to believe that both ways are correct. So as we don't scare the living day lights out of the poor kid, who is nervous enough to start with we limit the size of the board to no more than five. After the Lad has been reviewed, he is asked to leave for a couple of minutes while the board members discuss and reach a decision. This decision has to be unanimous. Once the board have reached this decision the Lad and whoever else came with him: Scoutmaster, parent - You name it are invited to hear what it was. If the outcome is favorable, the board chairman explains what happens next. If the board has found reason to reach an unfavorable decision, the chair, will explain why and will cover what could be done to change the decision and how to go about appealing the decision of the board.

The Troop has no say in how an Eagle Board Of Review is managed. This is up to the District Advancement Chairman, who works with the District Committee, following the guide lines set by National.

Eamonn.

[Proud Eagle]

In my council the District Advancement Chairs organizes the Eagle BORs.

 

This is great for my troop, since our DAC is also our unit's COR.

 

In other districts, this is not so good, such as the one where the DAC spends a couple months every year down south on vacation.

 

Now, I have the experience of my own Eagle BOR, as well as two others to draw on.

 

The SM for the Scout was invited to attend, however, some choose not to.

 

Generally, the other board members are often the District Commisioner, and some leaders from other troops.

 

For my Eagle BOR, the DAC, my SM, the SM of another troop in town, my former SM, the CCs from two troops, a District committee member, and the District Commish were present. Also, a good friend of mine sent in a list of question by email through his father, who was one of the CCs. This seemed to work quite well. It was certainly the best BOR I had ever been before.

 

Now, our DAC also asked me to sit in on two Eagle BORs since then, for members of other troops. Both had similar composition, though one was much smaller. As to weather or not all the people on the board were technically members of the BOR, I couldn't say.

 

I will say, those BORs were by far the best I have ever seen. No other BOR I have seen even come close.

 

Now, was all of this within policy? I don't know. I have certainly never read anything to indicate it wasn't. I know for unit level BOR it is the committee that must do it. However, I have never seen anything on district or council boards that would indicate the policy, other than the SM of the Scout is only supposed to be an observer. I certainly think these boards were better than if they had simply gotten some unit committee members to do it, since most of them are not really competent to do a review for a Tenderfoot scout, let alone an Eagle. (That goes for all the troop committees in my home town.)(This message has been edited by Proud Eagle)