Can a parent with felony convictions attend troop meetings?

[Basementdweller]

By all means, marginalize the person. Make absolutely certain that the parent and family never feel or become a part of society again. It doesn't matter if they've 'paid their debt', make 'em pay, and their kids pay, forever. Write them off.

My pack, you have been reading my post too much.

[King Ding Dong]

I can tell you they are drug convictions that included distributing to minors. However they are from over ten years ago. What concerns people is the possibility that he hasn't changed his ways, as he seems to spend a lot of time with other known offenders. I just wasn't sure if there was a specific policy regarding parents as there is for Adult Leaders. I have tried to put my personal feelings aside when investigating this. I have many years of law enforcement experience, and sadly that has soured my opinion on the rehabilitation of repeat felons.

 

I am very grateful for your input, and I apologize for the poll, wasn't very clear on that.

Not other parents, the felon.

[Baseballfan]

my hubby is a convicted felon,and he comes to CoH etc. although he is not a leader of any kind. The red flag to me was when the OP said he "seems to" spend time with other offenders.???

 

[Basementdweller]

Guessing old Kay didn't like our responses......so she bailed.

[King Ding Dong]

Guessing old Kay didn't like our responses......so she bailed.

Come on. Maybe she fixed dinner, read to the kids and went to bed. Good night.

[ScoutNut]

A convicted felon will - most likely - not pass a background check, and will not be accepted by BSA as a registered leader. However - depending on the circumstances of the conviction, and if the Charter Organization goes to bat for them, a person with a felony conviction in their past - MIGHT - be accepted by BSA as a registered member. Not very probable, but it is possible.

 

As for banning a felon parent from meetings - BSA says that you can NOT do that to a parent of a youth member.

 

From the Guide To Safe Scouting - "All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders".

 

A few things I am curious about -

 

Did this parent offer up information on his past, and present, activities? How do you know what he was convicted of, when he was convicted, and who he hangs out with? Did you use your law enforcement contacts to look into this man? Have you had him followed? Did you spread the "story" of his past to other families?

 

If this father is "rallying" parents to help the Troop, that you state has "little to no parental support", why are you so against it? Most Troops that need help would be THRILLED if one parent got the uninvolved parents off their backsides! Yet you are against ANY of the parents actually being involved in their son's Troop.

 

Gotta say - the whole thing sounds very fishy to me. It sounds like you have a personal issue with the one parent (however stalking, and gossip, is not the way to handle it). It also sounds like you and the other leaders (without any sons in the Troop) are afraid of losing your own personal Scouting group.

[Basementdweller]

A convicted felon will - most likely - not pass a background check, and will not be accepted by BSA as a registered leader. However - depending on the circumstances of the conviction, and if the Charter Organization goes to bat for them, a person with a felony conviction in their past - MIGHT - be accepted by BSA as a registered member. Not very probable, but it is possible.

 

As for banning a felon parent from meetings - BSA says that you can NOT do that to a parent of a youth member.

 

From the Guide To Safe Scouting - "All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders".

 

A few things I am curious about -

 

Did this parent offer up information on his past, and present, activities? How do you know what he was convicted of, when he was convicted, and who he hangs out with? Did you use your law enforcement contacts to look into this man? Have you had him followed? Did you spread the "story" of his past to other families?

 

If this father is "rallying" parents to help the Troop, that you state has "little to no parental support", why are you so against it? Most Troops that need help would be THRILLED if one parent got the uninvolved parents off their backsides! Yet you are against ANY of the parents actually being involved in their son's Troop.

 

Gotta say - the whole thing sounds very fishy to me. It sounds like you have a personal issue with the one parent (however stalking, and gossip, is not the way to handle it). It also sounds like you and the other leaders (without any sons in the Troop) are afraid of losing your own personal Scouting group.

I asked the Felony conviction thing to the DE as I had a parent that was up front with me about it and was worried about failing the background check.

 

The DE's response was the only disqualifiers were violent and sexual convictions. True or not????

[Basementdweller]

Guessing old Kay didn't like our responses......so she bailed.

Come on how could she do that......It was Call of Duty Ghost release night. Had 4 boys with me and went to the party.....12am release, the Activision trailer was there, 16 man tourney for Black ops 2. Scout son impressed me he placed 5th out of 48. How could you possibly sleep last night????

 

I did, got home in be by 12:50.

[gsdad]

my hubby is a convicted felon,and he comes to CoH etc. although he is not a leader of any kind. The red flag to me was when the OP said he "seems to" spend time with other offenders.???

This could mean he attends NA meetings for all we know. Distributing to minors over 10 years ago, for all we he could have been an 18yo slinging weed to his buddies. I am not defending him, and will readily admit I am jaded when it comes to drug users, dealers, etc... But the OP doesn't have enough information.

[Nike]

BD, I've gotten the same response from other DEs.

[King Ding Dong]

A convicted felon will - most likely - not pass a background check, and will not be accepted by BSA as a registered leader. However - depending on the circumstances of the conviction, and if the Charter Organization goes to bat for them, a person with a felony conviction in their past - MIGHT - be accepted by BSA as a registered member. Not very probable, but it is possible.

 

As for banning a felon parent from meetings - BSA says that you can NOT do that to a parent of a youth member.

 

From the Guide To Safe Scouting - "All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders".

 

A few things I am curious about -

 

Did this parent offer up information on his past, and present, activities? How do you know what he was convicted of, when he was convicted, and who he hangs out with? Did you use your law enforcement contacts to look into this man? Have you had him followed? Did you spread the "story" of his past to other families?

 

If this father is "rallying" parents to help the Troop, that you state has "little to no parental support", why are you so against it? Most Troops that need help would be THRILLED if one parent got the uninvolved parents off their backsides! Yet you are against ANY of the parents actually being involved in their son's Troop.

 

Gotta say - the whole thing sounds very fishy to me. It sounds like you have a personal issue with the one parent (however stalking, and gossip, is not the way to handle it). It also sounds like you and the other leaders (without any sons in the Troop) are afraid of losing your own personal Scouting group.

The circumstances would matter but many would consider selling drugs to minors an act of violence.

[King Ding Dong]

Guessing old Kay didn't like our responses......so she bailed.

I don't know, maybe because my children are not allowed to play rated M video games. Besides that, IT WAS A FREAKING SCHOOL NIGHT.

[Basementdweller]

Guessing old Kay didn't like our responses......so she bailed.

Their in High School, let them live a bit. bout half of my sons patrol went. Had a blast. This is not the first time we have done game release parties. Building bonds my friend, building bonds.

[Basementdweller]

A convicted felon will - most likely - not pass a background check, and will not be accepted by BSA as a registered leader. However - depending on the circumstances of the conviction, and if the Charter Organization goes to bat for them, a person with a felony conviction in their past - MIGHT - be accepted by BSA as a registered member. Not very probable, but it is possible.

 

As for banning a felon parent from meetings - BSA says that you can NOT do that to a parent of a youth member.

 

From the Guide To Safe Scouting - "All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders".

 

A few things I am curious about -

 

Did this parent offer up information on his past, and present, activities? How do you know what he was convicted of, when he was convicted, and who he hangs out with? Did you use your law enforcement contacts to look into this man? Have you had him followed? Did you spread the "story" of his past to other families?

 

If this father is "rallying" parents to help the Troop, that you state has "little to no parental support", why are you so against it? Most Troops that need help would be THRILLED if one parent got the uninvolved parents off their backsides! Yet you are against ANY of the parents actually being involved in their son's Troop.

 

Gotta say - the whole thing sounds very fishy to me. It sounds like you have a personal issue with the one parent (however stalking, and gossip, is not the way to handle it). It also sounds like you and the other leaders (without any sons in the Troop) are afraid of losing your own personal Scouting group.

So KDD, you never made a mistake as a kid????

 

Dealing drugs to a minor, The offense was at least 10 years old per the OP, The parent was probably just of legal age himself. So he was in essence dealing to his peers.......Which is a less heinous crime than you make it.

 

But again we don't know the full story......at 18 he could have been dealing to Kindergarteners. We just don't know.

 

The we get into what was he dealing? Meth or was it Mary Jane? Huge difference in many folks eyes and right or wrong it will be legal in most if not all states in my lifetime.

[5yearscouter]

Basically my DE told me as long as the felony has nothing to do with kids or violence the person may still pass. So the 18 year old that stole a car who had a felony conviction became one of our den leaders as a 30 year old adult. The sticker was the dad with felony conviction for drugs that led to him having his children removed from his custody permanently due to neglect, well that one we didn't even put in the application, but he was upfront, honest, and admitted it all and completed the application so I could have it on file. The DE told me that because it had to do with kids, if he submitted the application, it was likely to be denied, and if it was denied, BSA may make a rule that he can't come to meetings at all, so it was up to us. After a few years (tiger thru bear) got to know the guy and he was ok--very immature, a bit stupid perhaps in some of his choices in life that he'd openly share with leaders--maybe no filter was his real problem Discussion within the unit we decided that he was allowed to come to meetings, but preferably not be a big part of the meetings but come and hang at the back of the room or help his son with projects. We tried to put a bit of distance between him and the kids for most of the meeting because ever once in a while he would say something totally inappropriate (like reference to his police arrest when doing the Bear fingerprinting that made others uncomfortable). In this instance it looks like a witch hunt. The guy is making waves the unit committee/leaders do not like. So they want a way to discredit him and send him packing. Then his background seems like a useful tool to get rid of him. BAD idea.