Youth Behavior at 2017 Jamboree

[Stosh]

If that works for your unit and is traditionally how it is handled, the boys know the consequences.... not a problem for me.

 

I have worked with youth for over 40 years and yes, I have lost those along the way because they choose not to face up to the consequences or weren't allowed to. (I work with a lot of youth that are not BSA) 

 

But then again, I have had youth deal with their moral failures, overcome them and turn out to be decent citizens.  I only offer that as an option they can chose if they wish. 

 

Scouting for me has always been a safe place to make mistakes.  I try hard to protect that.  I have had some boys screw up seriously, but in the end turned out to be okay.  I have a couple of Eagle mentor pins that attest to that.  Traditionally mentor pins are given to dads in our area.  When they are given to a SM, it's for something very special.  I can specifically attribute two of those pins to how I handled extreme poor behavior/choices they made on their Eagle journey.

[Eagledad]

 

 

And it wasn't just kids, adult scouters as well.  I understand the pre jambo hype for trading and see the neat possibilities to meet/learn about other areas but now they are QR coded so there scarcity and "value" can be assessed. 

 

 

rant over thanks for listening.

I just commented last week on another discussion that youth imitate their role models. So many adults even on this forum want to blame it on "boys will be boys". Someone else said it here and I agree, I don't think scouters today take the oath and law seriously as part of the program.

 

"Adults will be adults" and the youth are watching.

 

Barry

[JasonG172]

This is the only reason that my son and myself might not go to 2019, all I keep hearing is Patch Trading.  My son (12) hasn't been bitten yet by the trading bug, he still loves the adventures so he wants to do Northern Tier in lieu of Jambo 2019.

[JasonG172]

and, yes, he was not a huge fan of the food...

What's up with the Food?  that was the second complaint I heard.

[RememberSchiff]

This is the only reason that my son and myself might not go to 2019, all I keep hearing is Patch Trading.  My son (12) hasn't been bitten yet by the trading bug, he still loves the adventures so he wants to do Northern Tier in lieu of Jambo 2019.

In '69, I had a choice between attending the National Jamboree or Philmont.  I chose Philmont which was one of my smarter choices as a teen.

[Col. Flagg]

What's up with the Food?  that was the second complaint I heard.

 

Think institutional food for 40,000. Units would be better off bringing their own.

[Scourge]

I strongly can attest to your son's assessment of unscoutlike behavior at the 2017 Jamboree.  So many of my fellow crew members were stolen from.  Entire backpacks, chargers, patches, phones, shoes, anything.  My biggest problem was catcalling.  As a female venture scout, me and other females were constantly being catcalled and made uncomfortable.  A boy said he would enter the youth female changing tent while I was in there. I yelled at him (not a nice thing at all) from inside the tent and he ran away.  My friend was patch trading down in Charlie and decided not to make a trade.  Because of this she was called a "dumb whore".  I was throwing away trash and a scout tried to grab my attention yelling "Hey baby mama!" I decided to ignore it and keep walking.  But he ran in front of me, looked me up and down and said " Wassup baby mama!?"  I tried to address his behavior but he went away.  I wanted to talk to his scout master but lost him in the huge crowds.  I was also walking back from a show last night.  A boy approached my friend and told her. "Ma'am you dropped something." she looked at the ground confused.  He said "You dropped your standards, hi, I'm Issac."  Then less than a minute later a scout walked up behind me and sounded like a broken record saying "Romance, romance, I want a romance, romance, romance, I want a romance!" The entire time us venture scouts were treated like novelties that were there to be flirted with and embarrassed.  This made me lose a lot of respect for the BSA.  If it's ok to treat women like that with no consequences whatsoever, what kind of organization is it? 

[wdfa89]

What's up with the Food?  that was the second complaint I heard.

It was fine.  He just wasn't a big fan but it had much more to do with what his troop mates picked out every day and how they prepared it than anything BSA/Jambo staff would be responsible for.  Camp food for 40K, it isn't going to be Smith and Woll.  I wouldn't count it as a valid complaint, just a picky teen.  He didn't go hungry.

[Col. Flagg]

The entire time us venture scouts were treated like novelties that were there to be flirted with and embarrassed.  This made me lose a lot of respect for the BSA.  If it's ok to treat women like that with no consequences whatsoever, what kind of organization is it? 

 

A female Venturer from our district wore a "body cam" the whole time she was there. If guys pulled that stuff she simply said "This thing's rolling and I have your face and your unit number. Expect a visit from the Camp Director." She's a budding police officer and refused to put up with that stuff. According to her she turned in about 6 guys. She said she could have turned in 5 times that but it would have been a full time job.

 

Exactly why we are dissing the Intl Jambo and going to Alaska for high adventure instead. The girls want adventure, not harassment.

[wdfa89]

breaks my heart.  as I said before I am realist,  but I just want to be an idealist  when it comes to Scouting.  Luckily, these reports have been an anomaly in my son's experience and I will work to keep it that way--for all.

[Eagledad]

 

Exactly why we are dissing the Intl Jambo and going to Alaska for high adventure instead. The girls want adventure, not harassment.

Do you believe the boys will behave better?

 

Barry

Edited July 31, 2017 by Eagledad

[qwazse]

@@Scourge, thanks for the boots-on-the-ground viewpoint.

I am speaking as a guy who who was enamored with the Swedish scouts visiting Jambo way back when ....

 

No, sexual harassment and thievery is not scout like. The handbook makes it very clear. As doss the 5th point of the law.

But Boy Scouts don't often read these pages. And they apply the law to little old ladies, but not their peers.

Obviously they know that their SM's would not approve of this behavior, so they aren't going to act up when anyone they should respect is watching.

 

So, it's up to you and your fellow venturers and any noble scout in the vicinity to call them out on this at their first uncouth action or deed.

"Scout, your troop number!"

Would go a long way. You were all well within your rights complaining to the scout's SM, if you or your Jambo advisor could find him.

 

You and your advisors should write a letter to your Scout Executive and the Chief Scout Executive.

And this really isn't about defending you and your friends. It's about life skills. Both yours and the scouts who behaved badly.

You need the skills to build a workplace where you can do the best job you can. So do those scouts.

[Scourge]

A female Venturer from our district wore a "body cam" the whole time she was there. If guys pulled that stuff she simply said "This thing's rolling and I have your face and your unit number. Expect a visit from the Camp Director." She's a budding police officer and refused to put up with that stuff. According to her she turned in about 6 guys. She said she could have turned in 5 times that but it would have been a full time job.

That is great, I wish I had a go pro to do that.  Props to her for not only calling them out but making sure their behaviors would be dealt with later. 

[Col. Flagg]

 I am saddened by what Jambo has become (edited by RS to remove reference to deleted post. No drama, just a mistaken posting. ). The patch trading was less commoditized than it is today. Girls weren't around (other than staff) and we were too shy to approach them. In any event, we certainly would have acted better than a pack of dogs in heat as is described above.

 

My guys and gals avoid Jambo for one simple reason: Cost. It costs them $2300 or more to go as part of our council contingent. For that money they can go on three high adventure trips and live like royalty! When you figure in cost, weather, crowds, thefts, etc., I could not pay my youth to go to Jambo. 

 

We have been to Kandersteg instead. Cost the same, MUCH better environment.

 

 

Do you believe the boys will behave better?

 

Barry

 

We have had great luck at council camps for summer camp and high adventure. Only a few reports over the years of girls being poorly treated. Both camp and unit staff nipped that in the bud and the Scout(s) in question either repented or were sent home. Never had an issue at Kandersteg. To be honest, my girls would give any guy a "big does of Texas" if they treated them like that. They figure if you are going to break the Oath and Law, they will too.   As the father of a daughter I do not blame them.

Edited July 31, 2017 by RememberSchiff
Removed reference to requested deleted post

[wdfa89]

slightly off topic, but related, how does Jambo environment (obviously not activities) compare with NOAC (w/in the context we have been discussing) if anyone has some insight?  my limited anecdotal evidence is there is patch trading but much less cutthroat and emphasized for example.