Go tell it on the....

[Eamonn]

A long time ago!! Well it seems a long time ago, in these forums I asked if when we post our rants/pet peeves/ stuff we are upset about are we guilty of not being loyal to the BSA?

A week or so back, one of our Sea Scouts was having a bad day and decided to "Sound Off" on the Ship's Yahoo Group page.

He wrote:

"Taking responsibility is not that easy. but like me i have a life other

then Sea Scouts and boy scouts. i am not trying to be rude but having a

meeting every monday is kinda stupid and it is also stupid to have the

meetings downstairs. What if i would bring a friend that could not walk

down the stairs then what ?????? give me an answer for that!!!!!! And

allen would or could even come to the meetings if we did not have one

every stupid monday of every week!!!!!!! and i think that TJ would be a

good boatswin but i think that sarah would do a much better job but

that is just my opinion in the matter..."

He ranted on for a while.

I did put it all down to him just having a bad day and when I called him he said that he had indeed been fighting with his Mom.

The Lad is of course welcome to his opinions and can through the QD see about changing the things that he doesn't like.

I was a little upset that his negativity (As I seen it.) is now out there for everyone to see.

We have seen the Web site which someone has started to voice his pet peeves. Again being as it is where it is, it's out there for anyone to look at.

At times I think many of us - Yes I do include my-self forget that once we post something or place something on the WWW we have little or no control over who might see it.

In another Scouting forum, someone with the best will in the world mentioned that they would accept a partial for a Climbing MB from one of our Sea Scouts, but not from OJ.

Which is very true OJ isn't that good and the other Lad has done this at Camp Staff for a number of years.

OJ found out about it from another youth member and thought he was being put down.

(I explained that this wasn't the case and everything is fine)

But I was lucky I knew all the details.

Most people who visit non-official web sites I hope do understand that the people who write them or post in them are just expressing an opinion.

Sadly one or two that have a lot of good stuff don't know when to stop and do venture into adding their take and opinions.

Eamonn.

[Stosh]

Hmmm, we don't allow the boys to post to the Yahoo Group site. Only the leaders (moderators). We prefer the face-to-face situations for sounding off as this young man did, so that it can be dealt with at that time and in that place.

[Eamonn]

"Hmmm, we don't allow the boys to post to the Yahoo Group site. Only the leaders"

While that works!!

What sort of example do we set when we (adults) sound off in a forum like this one?

Is it better to Trust the Scout and risk that he /she might not get it right and learn from the mistake?

I do think this Lad did learn.

Eamonn.

[Stosh]

The boys are more than welcome to start a yahoo group of their own. Not a problem, easy to do and any boy in the troop wishing to do that is okay with all the leadership of the troop.

 

However, the Yahoo group we use is not just for the kids. It's for the parents and anyone else connected with the council/troop/feeder packs that wish information regarding our troop. It is not designed nor ever intended for a chat/blog/forum.

 

The boys want to know where they are with advancement? We have the info. If his parents want to know what's on the calendar? They can go look.

 

One must decide before they put it on the web the intent, scope, goal, they intend to fulfil with their web communications. We have chosen to provide information to the troop members and their families.

[Eamonn]

"The boys are more than welcome to start a yahoo group of their own. Not a problem, easy to do and any boy in the troop wishing to do that is okay with all the leadership of the troop."

Sounds great.

But what happens when the leadership finds out a Scout has a site on which he has listed all the things he find fault with and is complaining?

What happens when a group of Scouts all post how unhappy they are?

Eamonn.

[scoutldr]

"But what happens when the leadership finds out a Scout has a site on which he has listed all the things he find fault with and is complaining? What happens when a group of Scouts all post how unhappy they are?"

 

The First Amendment is a wonderful thing. Are we suggesting that it should not apply to Scouts who are unhappy or have an opposing opinion? In answer to the questions above, it presents a teaching moment. Have a talk with the scouts about their opinions and ideas, and the proper ways to effect change within an organization. Some can be accomodated, others can't, within the guidelines and rules of the program. The Serenity Prayer comes to mind...

 

[Stosh]

If a scout program has gone so far down the toilet that the boys have to start a blog site to air their complaints, then there's probably no reason for that troop to continue on.

 

If the adult leadership has become so disconnected from his boys that he/she doesn't know what's going on, he/she ought to be replaced.

 

Any leadership that feels threatened by a boy's created blog site probably needs some serious training, soul searching, etc. to correct the serious problems facing that troop.

 

I'm not afraid of what my boys would or would not say on the site because they have the opportunity to express their opinions any time any place to me directly. They do just that. I constantly ask them, I quiz them in BOR's. I get into discussions around campfires, and keep my ear to the ground constantly. I am involved in three entirely different youth groups and all are basically the same when it comes to this issue. If they don't like what they are experiencing, the vote with their feet. One has to stay ahead of the game or you'll lose them.

 

Yet in the past year alone, I have helped 4 boys with their eagle project and have been harping on 3 more to get started. To more are under 15 and have been getting the "You'd better start thinking about your project" speech already. With 9 boys in line for Eagle and 5 more boys in their second year working on their life rank, they haven't much time to sit around and complain about things in the troop.

 

I had one boy actually thank me for the constant push. He's in the USAF now and told me the night of his Eagle COH that except for his dad, I had spent more time with him growing up than any other man in his life. No teacher, no coach, no pastor, not even the scoutmaster. I had been his scouting leader from Webelos I through Eagle.

 

Do the boys ever complain? Sure, all the time. That's how I learn.

 

Stosh