Advancement problems in Troop

[ScoutNut]

* Told the Troop parents to totally ignore keeping a personal record in Scout Handbook (you know the places where an adult signs in a kid's book). She said the only official record is the data in TroopMaster and told parents "The initials in the book do not matter."

 

This is the only issue that has any merit. That merit, however, is very limited.

 

Parents have no business keeping any kind of record for their Scout. The Scouts are the ones who are responsible for their own records. The sign-offs in a Scout's Handbook should be made only by the person(s) the SCOUTMASTER has approved to do those sign-offs (see section 4.2.1.2 in the BSA Guide to Advancement).

 

As others have stated - it is WAY PAST time to have a in-depth discussion with your COR (Charter Organization Representative), and get both the Advancement, and Committee, Chairs to start following the BSA program.

[CherokeeScouter]

I'm the OP. On my honor, it's a fairly accurate portrayal. In fact, I'm a little worried that the problems are so specific, someone from the troop may be able to identify it. But maybe that's not a bad thing. One thing I was wrong on, however. She is ATTEMPTING to disallow the Swimming MB. It's actually going on this month and she and instructor are feuding. At this point in time, nothing has been taken away from the kids. She simply threatened to do this, which I don't think she can do if the SM signed the blue cards before they started. The counselor has been approved by Council.

 

[King Ding Dong]

I'm the OP. On my honor, it's a fairly accurate portrayal. In fact, I'm a little worried that the problems are so specific, someone from the troop may be able to identify it. But maybe that's not a bad thing. One thing I was wrong on, however. She is ATTEMPTING to disallow the Swimming MB. It's actually going on this month and she and instructor are feuding. At this point in time, nothing has been taken away from the kids. She simply threatened to do this, which I don't think she can do if the SM signed the blue cards before they started. The counselor has been approved by Council.

That swimming thing really has me perplexed. The requirements are almost entirely about DOING. An accomplished swimmer would need to read nothing to earn the badge, except a few safety and FA things.

 

What kind of offending information did the instructor provide? Do the boys have the MB pamphlet? Providing additional knowledge beyond what is in the pamphlet is the whole point of having a counselor and not just reading the book.

 

Listen, there is no " I don't think she can do this ". She can't.

 

I would love to see her try and then have the all the Scouts appeal to Council and embarrass the heck out of her.

[King Ding Dong]

* Told the Troop parents to totally ignore keeping a personal record in Scout Handbook (you know the places where an adult signs in a kid's book). She said the only official record is the data in TroopMaster and told parents "The initials in the book do not matter."

 

This is the only issue that has any merit. That merit, however, is very limited.

 

Parents have no business keeping any kind of record for their Scout. The Scouts are the ones who are responsible for their own records. The sign-offs in a Scout's Handbook should be made only by the person(s) the SCOUTMASTER has approved to do those sign-offs (see section 4.2.1.2 in the BSA Guide to Advancement).

 

As others have stated - it is WAY PAST time to have a in-depth discussion with your COR (Charter Organization Representative), and get both the Advancement, and Committee, Chairs to start following the BSA program.

My only difference of opinion is that the parent can assist the scout keep a backup record of his book if the scout does not have the means to do so. For instance a cell phone photo of the requirements pages once a month or so, just in case the book gets lost or wet. Believe it or not there are some kids out there without cell phones, digital cameras or scanners.