Episode 3: The Truth Escapes (Or "how Wrong We Were To Join This Troop")

[chrisking0997]

my thoughts reading this is, why did the SM, CC and DE let those ASM's go on as they did without asking them to rein in their attitudes and not make it a contest to see who can break all 12 points of the scout law first (by my count, they only had "Thrifty" left)?  With that many ASMs who are clearly NOT there for the boys (sounds more like they are there for THEIR boys) and a neutered SM/CC/Committee, you are going to better off anywhere but there.  The unfortunate part is that it sounds like they are not going to let this go, and I will be surprised if this is the last you hear of them making trouble for you.  Good luck...youre gonna need it

[imachristian13]

my thoughts reading this is, why did the SM, CC and DE let those ASM's go on as they did without asking them to rein in their attitudes and not make it a contest to see who can break all 12 points of the scout law first (by my count, they only had "Thrifty" left)?  With that many ASMs who are clearly NOT there for the boys (sounds more like they are there for THEIR boys) and a neutered SM/CC/Committee, you are going to better off anywhere but there.  The unfortunate part is that it sounds like they are not going to let this go, and I will be surprised if this is the last you hear of them making trouble for you.  Good luck...youre gonna need it

Humor me on something? 

Would you go through it and point me to the 11 points you see? I'm so jaded to it, I'd love to see what you see.  

If it's not a lot of stress.  

 

Thanks.  

[Gone]

my thoughts reading this is, why did the SM, CC and DE let those ASM's go on as they did without asking them to rein in their attitudes and not make it a contest to see who can break all 12 points of the scout law first (by my count, they only had "Thrifty" left)?  With that many ASMs who are clearly NOT there for the boys (sounds more like they are there for THEIR boys) and a neutered SM/CC/Committee, you are going to better off anywhere but there.  The unfortunate part is that it sounds like they are not going to let this go, and I will be surprised if this is the last you hear of them making trouble for you.  Good luck...youre gonna need it

 

Answers: 

1. They have no backbone
2. Are too worried about losing those two ASMs or fear their wrath
3. Are too worried about how this whole issue might look or affect them.

The SM and CC should have put a fork in this WAY before this point.

[Stosh]

Trustworthy? - You entrusted your son to the guidance of these two ASM's

Loyal? - to whom or what other than their own myopic worlds.

Helpful? - Does this even need explaining?

Friendly? - Really?

Courteous? - We're on a downward roll here.

Kind? - Almost non existent ...

Obedient? - Do they adhere to anything? National's policies on special needs youth? The SM and CC?  

Cheerful?  - They think dragging a young boy through the mud is a cheerful process?

Thrifty? - Here's the freebie

Brave?  - behind the scenes cowardice written all over this activity.

Clean? - I'll give them this if they wash their hands before making meals.

Reverent? - If they are calling themselves Christian or Jewish, they are in the wrong religion.

 

I can't imagine not seeing the flagrant abuse of the Laws all over the place.  Toss in the freebie from the Oath that on their honor, i.e. value as a person, they promise to help other people at all times.  I guess they get to chose which other people they might be.  

[Stosh]

Answers: 

1. They have no backbone
2. Are too worried about losing those two ASMs or fear their wrath
3. Are too worried about how this whole issue might look or affect them.

The SM and CC should have put a fork in this WAY before this point.

 

Better yet had this been a boy run unit, the PL and/or SPL should have put a fork in it first.  Their first responsibility is to take care of their boys and some of them do it so well they can make adults look like pikers.

 

By the way, when a special needs "boy" (institutionalized, but loved being around scouts) came in our troop, he was offered a spot in all three of the patrols from which to choose.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Stosh

[qwazse]

... This being said, if a scouting candidate came in without an arm or a leg, would we be having any of these discussions? Just because ours is an invisible matter, doesn't mean it's any less difficult.  

Not gonna lie, a one/legged one/armed kid would be rough on our troop. We hike. Lots. The patrol that got that kid would have to revise their hike plan. Some of them might have had a vision of scaling some peak next year and will have to settle for a short hike and overnight camp with their buddies until they figure out the adaptations they need.

 

On the flip side, they might incorporate more acquatic activities, or downhill skiing. But that would mean changing attitudes because they got in the habit of minimal acquatics for the sake of the scout whose disabilities prohibited swimming.

 

... Would you go through it and point me to the 11 points you see? I'm so jaded to it, I'd love to see what you see.  

 

Lets make it 12. Thrifty: they squandered dozens of man-hours bending the ears of committee and other unit leaders so they could take the easy way out rather than getting on with hiking those miles down the hard road.

[NJCubScouter]

Thrifty?  Well, they just cost the troop the amount of your son's dues.  Not very thrifty.

 

Yes, I know it's a stretch.    

Edited June 9, 2015 by NJCubScouter

[Stosh]

Not gonna lie, a one/legged one/armed kid would be rough on our troop. We hike. Lots. The patrol that got that kid would have to revise their hike plan. Some of them might have had a vision of scaling some peak next year and will have to settle for a short hike and overnight camp with their buddies until they figure out the adaptations they need.

 

Does this take into account the number of athletes who run marathons, do track and field, and a number of other activities like "normal" people do.?

 

I knew a SM who had only one arm.  It didn't slow him up one bit.

 

I'll take a one armed, one legged determined scout over a dozen couch potatoes working on their paper eagle.

[imachristian13]

Hey folks! Your sense of humor and solid advice - each and every one of you - really helped me get through these past few days.  I really appreciate the willingness to help.  

[qwazse]

Does this take into account the number of athletes who run marathons, do track and field, and a number of other activities like "normal" people do.?

 

I knew a SM who had only one arm.  It didn't slow him up one bit.

 

I'll take a one armed, one legged determined scout over a dozen couch potatoes working on their paper eagle.

I've spent a lot of time with amputees. They can do everything the rest of us can ... until they can't. A scouter can be just as impatient with a kid who hits that wall as those ASMs who were up in arms about imc's son. Or, he can start with whatever limitations the boy has and grow from there.

[Stosh]

All of us are handicapped in some form or another.  Some of us have handicaps that show, others you can't see, like stupidity, hatred, bigotry and prejudice.  At least with an amputee you know what you're getting right from the get go.  Sometimes it takes a while to figure out how stupid someone really is as with the two ASM's.

[SSScout]

Disabled?     "Most of us  are only temporarily Able."

[Hedgehog]

Every Scout has their challenges.  I like to think of it in terms of what that Scout needs to suceed.  Some need encouragement, some need physical fitness, some need knowledge, some need guidance, some need reassurance, some need to be pushed, others need to be redirected.  As Stosh says, it all is about teaching the boys to take care of the boys in their patrol.  The problem seems to be that these ASMs can't teach what they don't know. 

[Gone]

Every Scout has their challenges.  I like to think of it in terms of what that Scout needs to suceed.  Some need encouragement, some need physical fitness, some need knowledge, some need guidance, some need reassurance, some need to be pushed, others need to be redirected.  As Stosh says, it all is about teaching the boys to take care of the boys in their patrol.  The problem seems to be that these ASMs can't teach what they don't know.

 

Nope, they can't teach what they don't know. But if the ASMs were acting in a scouting manner this whole problem could have been handled much differently. I think we all agree on that.

 

I could not imagine for the life of me, acting in this manner against a child UNLESS he had put the health or safety of another child in danger (e.g., pointed a weapon knowingly at someone).

[DuctTape]

I hesitate to mention this, but so far we have only heard one side of the story. I agree with the general responses operating under the assumption that the side we heard was true. While we have no reason to doubt the accuracy, I am certain if the others involved had their say, the picture would appear much different. That said, we can all learn from the experience and how to deal with a similar situation.

Edited June 11, 2015 by DuctTape