SPL Election

[CubsRgr8]

Last night my son's troop elected a new SPL. Eight scouts were nominated and four accepted. The PLC determined that a summary sheet would be posted for each candidate: rank, leadership position history, training history, nights camping and service projects attended in the last 12 months. Then three pre-determined questions were to be asked of each candidate, one at a time, in front of the entire troop.

 

Finally, the PLC determined that it would require 50% +1 vote to be elected. Each ballot, the candidate with the least number of votes was dropped. On the third ballot, they settled on a personable Life scout, the one with the more extensive POR history, attendance record, and training. Wow! Too bad California can't use this same method!

 

(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

[frank10]

Need to ask.... what were the three questions?

[NJCubScouter]

I wish my son's troop had 4 candidates, or even 2 candidates, for SPL. It is my understanding that only 1 boy has expressed interest in running for SPL, namely the current ASPL. After spending a week with him at summer camp, my son (11 years old, still finishing up Tenderfoot) described this ASPL as "irresponsible" and said he "spent the entire week setting things on fire." That sounds really great. But I guess I should see the bright side for my own son, that he recognizes how people are supposed to behave, and sets a higher standard for himself than what he sees going on around him.

[CubsRgr8]

Q1) What would you do if you saw older scouts: behaving in an unsafe manner; harrassing younger scouts; avoiding their work?

 

Yes, we're a troop with a younger demographic - fully half the members are entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade this fall, with a big bulge at 7th grade.

 

Q2) How would you handle a scout in a troop leadership POR who wasn't doing their job?

 

Oh, delicious irony! One of the candidates was removed from his POR last spring (Troop Guide) because he wasn't showing up to meet with his assigned NSP.

 

Q3) Why are you the best scout for the job?

 

Surprisingly, the scout with the best answer to this question (Mr. Former TG) was not elected SPL. Hmmm, those younger scouts must have built-in BS detectors!

 

NJ - Who does your son think would make a good SPL? Encourage him to talk up that scout with his friends and then, as a group, ask that scout to run. We have a 15 year old Eagle in the troop and some of the NSP scouts wanted him to run for SPL, but none of them approached him, so he didn't run.