Do Your Assistant Patrol Leaders go to the Patrol Leaders Committee Meetings?

[swilliams]

Bugleson is a Tenderfoot, and has been an APL for a month now.  He went to the training event, then attended the first PLC.  Afterward, in the car going home, he told me he wasn't sure he was supposed to be there.  I told him to ask his SPL at the next troop meeting, but for my own curiosity, is this something that varies according to the troop you're in?  He wouldn't (or couldn't) tell me exactly what it was that made him think he wasn't supposed to be at the PLC.  He did tell me that no one specifically told him he shouldn't be.  Ah, eleven year-olds.

[Hawkwin]

Just a guess, but the content may have been too adult-led and not so much boy-lead. When my son was PL, he complained on more than one occasion that he didn't do anything at the PLC meetings (not every time, but more than once).

If his input is not being actively solicited, he probably just sat there the whole time and listened (while being bored). Ask him what contributions he made to the meeting and if anyone asked him any questions. That might give you more insight.

[ItsBrian]

It depends on the troop I would say. 

[NJCubScouter]

I think the by-the-book answer is that the APL is not there unless the PL is absent.  That is how my troop operates.  But I am sure there are troops that do otherwise and I don't think National is going to revoke anyone's charter over it.

Edited April 24, 2018 by NJCubScouter

[qwazse]

We range in size from 2-4 patrols. I find that with the APL's present, we have a pretty fruitful PLC for up to 3 patrols. Things start to deteriorate with 4 patrols forming a PLC of 11 (SPL+assistant + four pairs from each patrol + troop guide), and others can tell their experience with 5 more.

From https://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/patrol-leader/

Quote

The patrol leaders’ council is made up of the senior patrol leader, who presides over the meetings; the assistant senior patrol leader, all patrol leaders, and the troop guide.

 

[Oldscout448]

We have the meeting open to any scout who wishes to attend.  In practice very few do unless they are required to be.  Spl, pls, scribe who takes notes, and the Qm. who gives a report every 3 PLC.s  or so .

We expect the PL to brief his Apl.on what was decided at the meeting before he tells the rest of the patrol. 

[Rock Doc]

Our PLC meetings are also open to all youth who want to participate. It's usually just the SPL/ASPL, PLs, Scribe, and QM who attend. However, I think it's helpful for the APLs to attend occasionally to see how decisions are made and prepare them to become PLs in the future

[blw2]

my son's troop was an open invite

Any scout in a POR

+ any scouter

I attended a couple to observe, and once in an official capacity as Treasurer...but mostly because of how I feel these meetings should be, I was a very quiet fly on the wall in the back of the room....

It was very adult operated, trying to be "boy lead"

In my opinion having observed this troop in operation, and having thought a lot about this.... I think that 

1. PLC meetings should include Assistants....how else are they going to fill in for the Leaders if they aren't privy to the discussions?  Yeah, I know that it could be argued that the leader should sum up the meeting to his assistant right after it, but I think it would be better if they were present...on lots of levels.
2. Other POR's such as QM, Librarian, etc... should also be invited.
3. Assistants and other PORs should probably be considered 2nd row folks.... in a corporate board room, the folks with seats at the table would be front row...it's their discussion, it's their vote..... SPL at the table head, with PL's at the table in the corporate example.  The second row, in chairs along the walls are there mostly to listen and to answer questions from those at the table.  Not necessarily a "keep your mouth shut and only speak if spoken to" thing....like that but just more casual and relaxed in this scouting sense.  They could chime in with input, ask and answer questions, participate....But when it comes to a "vote" it's the PL's voting on behalf of their scouts considering all of their input.
4. adults' involvement should only be the SM and his assistants, and they should not be in the room unless invited.  If invited, they should only stay in there long enough to do what the PLC is requesting them to do (ie listen or answer a question).  then they should leave.  They should be right outside the door and available, but not "in the meeting".  In a large cafeteria or gymnasium type space, I suppose it might be acceptable for adults to be quietly sitting at the other end of the room....but mostly I think they shouldn't be there or even in ear shot....  IMO the SM's (adult's) only really regular involvement should be the coaching session with the SPL before the meeting, then again after it....

this was just my read on it....my opinion