Should Scouts have a voice at the District Level?

[bokris]

A few months back, our Council office made the decision to combine 2 Districts into one super District. This prompted the need to name the new District, as we couldn't use either of the two older Districts. At the time of renaming the District, we were instructed that our District leaders (chairs, member at large, etc) were to offer names, and then the following month, the chairs and members at large were to vote in the new District name.

 

 

I asked whether it wouldn't be more appropriate for the District to place a cutoff date on name offerings, in order to take the names to the Scout meeting, take a Scout vote on the names, and represent the Scout unit on their decision (in an electoral college sort of way). My thought process is that we strive to use Patrol method; we expect the Scouts to create their program, we teach Citizenship to the Scouts, and this is a great opportunity to allow the Scouts a voice in the naming of their new District, as well as to teach them about the Scouting world that is greater then their own individual units.

 

When presenting this idea to the District leadership, I was told that "this can't happen; its not the way things are run in a District; the adult leadership in the District are the voting power and the Scouts shouldn't be involved. It would undermine the adult leadership structure in the District." (I took the District name suggestions to the Scouts; let them vote, told our unit leadership who were to be in attendance which name the Scout voted for, and we voted in their behalf.)

 

This leads to the real question that I've been wondering about since this happened... Do any other Districts out there in he National Scouting community involve the Scouts in District decisions? One area in which I am interested is Camp-O-Rees... Do the Districts have a representative from Scout Troops come in (IE. OA, or individual unit boy leadership, such as a boy District representative) to plan and orchestrate District events, such as Camp-O-Rees, WEBELOS Woods, loop-a-ramas, etc.

 

This question is asked, because in our District, the adults plan the Camp-O-Rees, etc, and run them. The Cub Scout events are planned by the adults, and Boy Scouts are asked to come help run stations at the events.

 

If we are promoting that Boy Scouts should be planning the programming, should we, as Scout Districts, be promoting that a boy representative have a voice at the District level, as well as through helping make decisions, helping plan and orchestrate District level events?

 

A follow-up for those who believe that there should be boy representation at the District level... Should this representation be considered a leadership position; much as OA representatives be considered a leadership position...