Need advice...

[BurnsCrew440Advisor]

Our Committee Chair came into my work today and asked me if the Crew members are to be registered as Troop members. I told her no-except for her son who is the PLC of the Troop. I also told her that the Crew except for,her son and one other boy,are girls and they can not be registered in a Boy Scout Troop.

 

She also asked me if I knew or could find out the BSA policy on family members going on Boy Scout activites with the Scoutmaster. (ie, family members- the whole family wife and 2 girls a sophmore in HS and a 5th grader and now a 3rd girl who is a senior. and not just one or two campouts a year but every campout and activity.)The wife is a committee member and she does help at campouts and activities. The sophmore was registered as a crew member but this fall she informed the crew that she only registered so she could camping with the troop.The girl who was in crew helps out and helps teach things to the new scouts. But the 5th grader wants to do what the boys are doing and if she isn't allowed to do it or if her sister isn't watching her she'll take off by herself and do what she wants.

 

The Scoutmaster has been with our troop for just over a year.He told the old Scoutmaster that he wanted his job. So he was given it with all the proper training. We have combined the our troop with the LDS troop and committees because of low membership.Some of the committee members have asked him to not take the family with him on most activities but he is fighting it.He has once did a campout without the "girls" and his son had a wonderful time.The boys had a blast doing "boy" things.And we had some of the older boys go on that campout.

 

Is there any BSA rules being broken. The mom is there so YP is covered.If you were the Committee Chair what would you do?

 

 

 

[Fuzzy Bear]

Here are some obvious reasons that the acts you describe are problematic:

 

The Boy Scout Troop and the Venture Group are two separate groups expected to have separate activities. What reason is given for the lack of activity of the Venture Crew? As long as the Venture Crew enters the BS program, then their program will remain weak and ineffective. Since these young ladies can teach, then they need to learn how to recruit and to plan and go on their own program activities. Their actions indicate that they are making a conscious effort to change the B.S.A. policy.

 

The young man because of his dual registration can enter into both sets activities but girls have not been invited to be part of the Boy Scout Troops as of this date. Unless the Troop actually plans (*committee approves) and invites the families, then their presence is by personal invitation only and can be an interference with the planned activities. The expectations of the Scouts in the Troop are being abridged and the imposition of the one family is counterproductive to the methods of Scouting and will weaken the program for the boys.

 

Until the word Boy is taken out of the Boy Scouts, then that is what it is in this country. We can speak out against it but we don't get to vote on it.

 

 

FB

[ScoutNut]

I would talk to the COR & the rest of the committee & set down some Troop policies. Boy Scout Troop campouts are for Boy Scouts in the Troop. Since there are no secret societies or closed meetings, if other family members want to come that is fine. However non-Boy Scout siblings CAN NOT participate in Boy Scout activites. They can camp in their own area and do their own activites which are geared to their own age/interest levels.

 

If the BOYS decide that it is something they want to do, the Troop can hold 1 or more FAMILY campouts where the activites are geared to all ages and everyone's families would be invited. Also, if the BOYS decide on it, the Troop could hold a combined Troop/Crew campout. The rules would then be the same as for Troop campouts, only Troop and Crew members can participate in the Troop/Crew activites (which would be geared for them).

 

I bet this SM would not bring his 3 daughters to a regular Troop meeting and expect them to participate as if they were part of the Troop. I bet this SM would not have his 3 daughters work on merit badges and present them to them at a COH. I bet this SM would not take his 3 daughters to summer camp with the Troop and let them earn merit badges and do a COPE course. Why then would he think it is ok for his 3 daughters to participate in Boy Scout activites at a Troop campout??