Define Designated Scouting Activity

[mlc]

So about a month or so ago I posted in the help forum explaining how my son needed additional camping nights to finish the camping merit badge. We met with council and they were fantastic giving back nights camped that the sm/mbc (one in the same) took away. We have clarity and clarification, and my son will be wrapping up the badge soon. Everything else including his eagle project, write up, letters of recommendation etc are finished. This is the last piece to be completed. 

When we met with our local council, they gave him a flyer showing an "overnight scouting event" at our local minor league baseball field that is hosting scout night/over night in tents. My son and avid baseball fan is thrilled and will be attending for the games and the two nights of camping. We spoke with our sm last week and he didn't say anything against it then, but said it needed to be opened up to the rest of the troop. We said that was fine and we would be more than happy to organize and plan the event for our troop. I received an email from him today stating that no one is interested in going, and in order for it to be a "scouting activity" a trained leader needs to be there. Not sure if this sm is delusional or just playing hard ball. He told us in August that we were "on automatic pilot" to the finish line and that is what we are trying to do. He is missing a few nights camped and we are completing that. We have established that it does not need to be with his troop, and advancement heads in council said these nights in a tent, under the stars on a baseball field will count. To be safe, my guess is that we need to partner with another troop that has a few boys going and we should be safe. I am not sure why he is trying to discredit the opportunity since it is posted on our council website as "scout night". Can someone please weigh in on this? I'm convinced the man is insane at this point or better yet a control freak. If council posts on their site and opens it up to every district in our council then isn't this a "designated scouting event"? Tickets can be purchased directly through the box office, but the main point of contact is our councils district executive. 

 

Can someone clarify that this in fact will count. Our sm is really mistaken, and should be replaced. So many people have left and sadly we didn't years ago. If you are really encouraging progression in a program why wouldn't you partner with the scout and say the many people from the troop aren't interested in going (funny my feedback from parents was different) but let me work with another troop who will sign off on your nights. Sounds like sabotage as per usual.  Any info is always appreciated.

[frankpalazzi]

This is a "scouting activity" regardless of whether the rest of the Troop attends or not,  and there will be plenty of "trained leaders" at the event.  Keep doing what you're doing, and keep the council posted of your son's activities.

 

You did say that the Council/District advancement people have already given this activity the "green light," so any worries are unfounded.

Edited June 3, 2017 by frankpalazzi

[qwazse]

And this is why I despise self-serving stipulations in MB (and other advancement) requirements.

The SM is merely imitating the control trip that BSA started.

Go camping, have fun, tell your boy to take his blue card to a different MB counselor.

[Back Pack]

I hear Baden Powell held camp outs at Old Trafford.

[DuctTape]

Was a tour permit filed?

[Scout12]

Other leaders-asst. leaders there from ANY BSA group there-your son is covered!

[scoutldr]

Our local AAA team does this also.  It is a Council event and any registered scout can attend, regardless of whether his troop does or not.

[SSF]

As others have noted, the camping trip you've identified does, by all reasonable measures, constitute a scout camping trip that should count towards camping merit badge nights completed.

 

Regardless of that fact though, your son's SM is clearly marching to the beat of his own drum and, from what you've shared, it appears that he demands that all of his scouts march to that same drum beat as well; i,e, he's inserting his own personal expectations or subjective requirements into the advancement process. 

 

What this SM is doing is wrong, but bear in mind that, council has no real power to affect the way that this Scoutmaster operates. Only the troop committee and charter org do.