National Review Committee Procedures

[scout_98]

 

Sorry everyone, I think I posted too much informatoin about a unique situation.

 

[packsaddle]

Seems like the SE should know the answer to this question better than we do. Has the request already been submitted to the National Review process? It seems like they should acknowledge receipt and respond with an estimate of when a decision would be made. I could be wrong.

[scout_98]

Thanks for your reply. This scout executive has never been through the appeals process. Yes, National has acknowledged receipt of our appeal and said, "we anticipate the next National Review Committee to be sometime in July" and I was wondering why it would take that long? No timeframe was given.

[packsaddle]

Actually, I owe you an apology for not saying, "Welcome to the forums!"

It's the most useful online info source for Scouting that I have ever seen and sometimes it can also be fun (or frustrating, lol). Anyway, there's probably no good way to explain the time frame. It could be as simple as, "they only meet three times a year", to "they wait until they have XX number of requests." Either alternative is plausible and, anyway, since you know the time frame (and presumably can't speed it up), does it really matter what the reason(s) is(are)? You're stuck with it regardless. Sorry, I know this isn't a very satisfying response but "Welcome to the forums"...anyway. Nice to have you.

[King Ding Dong]

I don't know his rank but that does not mean in the meantime you cannot work on some Scoutcraft skills with him so when he is reinstated he can fly through some of the requirements. If has first class you need to be careful with some of the merit badges, but he could certainly pick a few and get the book learning part done. Swimming, life saving, first aid, knots and lashings for pioneering can be practiced at home, practice some cooking skills, put a 30lb pack on him and go up and down some hills.

 

With some MBs if you know the material once you meet a counselor they can be knocked out quickly. Don't let him just sit in limbo and loose interest.

[acco40]

Not trying to pry but when you use the work "counselor" in your post, I'm guessing you are referencing a person who provides counseling (social worker of some sort) and not a camp counselor or merit badge counselor.

 

Now, was your son removed due to an overt action or threat of an action or for a self expressed belief? If this is a physician-patient privilege issue, that is out of the realm of my expertise.

[Scouter99]

Did you try phoning the committee and asking them?

 

Anyway, I'm curious as to how your son got kicked out to begin with if everyone within 500 miles of him thinks he should not have been.

You say he was kicked out by "BSA" which I would interpret as National, but under what circumstances besides homosexuality or atheism would National reach down from On High to kick a kid out? If it was anything else, you'd think the troop, district, or council acted on the incident. If it was National, why would the Regional committee hear an appeal; can a region overturn a decision that National made? If the Region and Scout Executive are so supportive, why didn't they just adjourn until you could find a psych that would testify instead of ruling against you and kicking you up to National?

If he was just kicked out of his troop, you could join another troop, considering you say that "some scoutmasters" don't think he should have been kicked out.

 

It's understandable that you don't want to broadcast whatever special crime your boy committed, but I don't understand how the process side of things has played out. Who, precisely, kicked him out?

[packsaddle]

According to the OP, there was nothing criminal.

The question was about the time frame. The OP indicated that the details were not 'on the table'. I'm good with that.

[Scouter99]

According to the OP, there was nothing criminal.

The question was about the time frame. The OP indicated that the details were not 'on the table'. I'm good with that.

Of course by "special crime" I mean whatever he did, and you will see that I did not ask what it was.

[Kristian]

My question: does ANYONE know the National Review process and how it works? When we submitted our review request to the Regional, they convened a committee pretty much right away. However, I've been told that National doesn't operate that way, that they collected review requests and hear them all at once. can anyone confirm[/url=http://www.scouter.com/#] that? I was just told that the next National review won't be until sometime in July?

 

There are no publicly available documents and bsa has never revealed this type of information in any post, website, or explanation regarding the appeals process. There is only a single document released by bsa that actually mentions the regional, and national review processes but it makes no mention of how to actually successfully mount an appeal or how the committees make their decisions who are on them, or how to fix these problems that you are now facing. Many people as you likely would have found chose to pursue their appeals through the court system. There are at least a dozen or so out there on issues besides the god/gays issue. You should know however that no publicly available cases have been successful. A significant number of people in situations like yourself ended up spending tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars on court appeals and the bsa process. The end result generally seems to be even if your only crime in bsa's eyes if reporting that a pro scouter engaged in membership fraud, or you tried to stop the sale of a council owned property donated specifically for scout use you don't stand much of a chance. But fighting for whats right is more important and in these cases fighting bullying (exclusion) is worth the fight.

 

Based on the limited info you provided having the se's support seems to be a positive factor, as well as having a team of experts to assist in your case.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

[packsaddle]

As I was often informed and later reminded by an old forum member whose moniker was a type of partridge, BSA can revoke membership for any or 'no' reason and furthermore owes no one an explanation.

I'm paraphrasing his message and it used to 'get under my skin' more than just a little bit, I admit. But the truth of this statement is difficult to deny. BSA is a private club. The leadership can take action that is even arbitrary if they like and there is nothing that can be 'done' about it short of making noise.

At that time, years ago, I was also informed of this in somewhat similar terms, by my council, as a thinly-veiled warning of what could happen if I went public with my opposition to the membership policy. I weighed the pros and cons of actions and decided that my duty to the boys in my unit outweighed any outcome of a public protest of some kind. So I haven't tested that threat...yet.

But I can only offer that if BSA is willing to employ this tactic to stifle 'speech' it probably can apply the approach to any other membership situation. I hope the appeal process is an honest and objective one. But based on what I was told, it doesn't have to be.

[scout_98]

Too much information about a unique situation

 

[scout_98]

By the way, the boys involved were 12-13 years old.

[packsaddle]

Eight boys unsupervised can happen fairly easily, depending on the setting. Patrol camping comes to mind. Anyway, I sincerely hope you didn't reveal those details due to pressure you felt from this forum. I know you're concerned about your son and I would be too if I were in your place. But like you say, these are early teen boys and the kind of thing you describe seems to fall into the 'stupid things kids do' category. I wish you and your son the best. Keep us posted if there is more news.

[Basementdweller]

In the zero tolerance era of sexual misconduct I can see why the membership got pulled.

 

I would assume both boys memberships were revoked.

 

This could be our future with gay youth possibly being allowed membership.....