Technicality derails Eagle rank, prompts public appeal

[Jameson76]

What some may call a Technicality, others will agree that the reason is not being able to fulfill the requirements..."Technically" 2 requirements of the 7

1 - Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.

4 - While a Life Scout, serve actively in your unit for a period of six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility. List only those positions served after your Life board of review date. ***

• Boy Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, Venture patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer.

 

Details in the article

https://amp.lohud.com/amp/975027002

Edited August 15, 2018 by Jameson76

[perdidochas]

13 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

What some may call a Technicality, others will agree that the reason is not being able to fulfill the requirements..."Technically" 2 requirements of the 7

1 - Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.

4 - While a Life Scout, serve actively in your unit for a period of six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility. List only those positions served after your Life board of review date. ***

• Boy Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, Venture patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer.

 

Details in the article

https://amp.lohud.com/amp/975027002

Rules are rules.  He was too old when he became a Life Scout--didn't have six months left.  They should have told him at that time, and not have him waste his time and money on an Eagle Project.

[qwazse]

Ageism raises its ugly head again.

But, some pro's should grow a pair, and speak plainly with a sentence like, "He didn't meet the requirements for Eagle, but he's a fine Life scout." No passing the buck to National. Call a spade a spade and then give the reporter your FOS speech and a pledge card.

Quote

Richard Stockton, head of the Boy Scouts of America Westchester-Putnam Council, said promotions to Eagle Scout are administered by the National Council.

He said that after being informed that he would not receive the promotion, Channagiri, his parents, and Troop 4 filed an appeal. Following protocol, Stocktown signed off on the appeal and recommended that it be reviewed by the National Council's Eagle Review Board. The appeal was ultimately turned down.

"Do I feel bad for him? Of course I do," Stockton said. "I feel bad for every young man who wants to become an Eagle Scout and falls a little bit short...."

Don't feel bad for any Life scout. Ever.

This scout could proudly announce that on any resume or bio sketch.

3 minutes ago, perdidochas said:

... They should have told him at that time, and not have him waste his time and money on an Eagle Project.

I disagree. Always encourage a boy at any rank to take on any service project he desires. It's a pity this fella didn't donate twice as much and take on two service projects in the spring. I hope that now that he doesn't have the burden of that ungainly Eagle workbook, he and his fellow freshmen will do another one this fall.

A scout who holds a position of responsibility in his troop, for any period of time, should be respected. Especially when he is at the end of his tenure and it would get him any bling.

[RememberSchiff]

Well if he learned anything in Scouting, maybe it will be to follow rules and meet deadlines. This learning experience should prepare him for RPI and an engineering career.

My $0.02

[Jameson76]

33 minutes ago, qwazse said:

But, some pro's should grow a pair, and speak plainly with a sentence like, "He didn't meet the requirements for Eagle, but he's a fine Life scout." No passing the buck to National. Call a spade a spade and then give the reporter your FOS speech and a pledge card.

That is so true...Mr Stockton likely has compensation in the $200k (or better range) and he punts when there is a hard decision to make.  The requirements are very straightforward and clear.  The appeal should have been denied at the local council with the advice that if they wanted to, feel free to pursue with National.

[ValleyBoy]

This Life scout did not receive the rank of Eagle Scout due to a Technicality.  He did not achieve the rank of Eagle Scout because he did not meet all the requirements to earn the rank of Eagle. 

[Hawkwin]

Not specifically detailed in this story but I feel like the Scouters may have failed him by not encouraging him to get his Life two months earlier than he did. It certainly should have been common knowledge, and the Scouters should have been well aware, that they had a 17 yr old Star scout that NEEDED to get to Life by a very specific date if he had any hope of earning Eagle.

[ScouterNorth]

 

If there is one thing I'm a stickler for, it's standards and requirements.

" I did all the things you're supposed to do to become an Eagle."

No you didn't.  Plain and simple.

Perhaps someone should ask this scout which other requirements he feels are optional, or how comfortable he would feel if someone else was awarded the rank having not completed a requirement that he did.  Eagle project?  Number of merit badges?

 

 

[Eagle94-A1]

I am dealing with a Scout in a Similar situation. He has exactly 12 months 2 weeks to earn both Life and Eagle. He knew about this all along. And has had multiple opportunities to advance. He knows it is HIS RESPONSIBILITY to meet the  requirements and deadlines, not the adults.

[TMSM]

I thought you needed to be  life Scout to even start an Eagle Project - Who approved this project?

 

 

[Jameson76]

4 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

I am dealing with a Scout in a Similar situation. He has exactly 12 months 2 weeks to earn both Life and Eagle. He knew about this all along. And has had multiple opportunities to advance. He knows it is HIS RESPONSIBILITY to meet the  requirements and deadlines, not the adults.

I am working with a Scout that joined when he was 15 or so.  Had been in Cubs, had friends in the troop they told him it was fun, so he joined (we felt good about that)  Also he wanted to do some High Adventure.  Last summer he went to HA, also 2 summer camps.  We sat down at camp and he said he hoped to be a Life Scout.  We did some math, looked at dates, and worked out a table of when he had to (last possible date) achieve ranks and he could earn Eagle.  

He has been diligent and is ahead of the curve, just wrapped up Life.  Went to HA this summer and also a summer camp.  Nice to have an older youth in camp to serve as a JASM and backstop the camp SPL.  Has the POR and has just over 9 months to complete his Eagle requirements.  With the leaders we laid out his path, but it is his path.  He has to take the initiative.  As adults we advise, possibly remind, but at the end of the day, it is the SCOUT who needs to manage his timelines. 

At the Star BOR's we work into the conversation the 6 months, and not to procrastinate as the calendar is a cruel mistress and the sands of time march along.

When the Scout in the article completed Life HE should have looked at the calendar and been aware of the requirements.

Got a couple of others that are in the process, but I get radio silence sometimes when I speak with them, get the "yeah I am working on it".  Remind them as straight forward as possible that 18th birthday is the deadline

[fred johnson]

23 minutes ago, TMSM said:

I thought you needed to be  life Scout to even start an Eagle Project - Who approved this project?

 

 

Article said he became life in Feb and turned 18 in June.  

Article said he started his project in March and finished in May. 

Project dates are good.

[ValleyBoy]

12 minutes ago, TMSM said:

I thought you needed to be  life Scout to even start an Eagle Project - Who approved this project?

 

 

Per the article he became Life Scout in February and started the project in March.  

[fred johnson]

Hard, but all too common situation.  Troops deal with this all the time.  Rules are rules, but I also can sympathize with the scout and the leaders.  Kids are young and still learning how to think and prioritize decisions. 

I'm sad when a clean cut kid wanting to earn Eagle runs into an issue like this.  I do wish we had more flexibility.  

A wise leader once told me she measured things by asking "What does it serve?"  I ask that in situations like this.  Here's a chance pull a clean-cut well spoken kid into the ranks of Eagle where he can give back to scouting for years to come.  I say this as most that become Eagle would give back at one or more times in their life.  To turn them away during the appeal will probably result in his giving back to other organizations over his lifetime as his scouting career now ended with a denied appeal.  

If I was reviewing the appeal, I'd be asking "What happened?"  If he had been participating and the date was missed, I probably would approve.  If he just came back at the end to get the rank, I'm not sure.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  It really depends.  

[desertrat77]

Being an Eagle is more than checking off requirements on a form. 

Good judgment and self initiative are vital qualities for achieving anything in life.  Many scouts learn early on that a parent or scouter will nag, remind, scold, push, and if necessary, drag them across any goal line.  This ultimately hurts the scout, because they'll have to learn some hard lessons at age 18 that they should have gained at 12/13.

Too many scouts, of all ranks, have figured out that scouting is adult-directed.   They just float along.