Youth Protection in Latrines

[Hunt]

The Guide to Merit Badge Counseling says that a Scout must be accompanied by a "buddy." There does not have to be another adult there. I think I've also read that there don't have to be two adults in every car going on a trip, but I don't have a reference.

 

I agree that this shouldn't be extrapolated into the idea that one-on-many is generally OK. It's definitely not OK on trips or outings, and it's probably not a great idea any time.

[eagle90]

Let's not get nuts here. If one on many were not allowed, how would 99% of most units drive their scouts anywhere? Not many units are blessed with being able to have 2 adult drivers in every car when going on a campout. And if we pull into a rest area and the public restroom has 15 urinals and 10 stalls, I certainly am not going to wait till every one of my 29 scouts finish doing their business and exits the washroom. YP is needed but common sense also must apply.

[Kahuna]

Eagle90: Amen!

[evmori]

Let's not get nuts here.

 

Exactly! Common sense must prevail!

[schleining]

G2SS does allow 1 adult to be with multiple Scouts, in a car for example, as a Merit badge Counselor etc.

 

Here is the bottom line... and I agree with "lets not go nuts"

BUT... (and this is real life stuff)...

 

You have got to manage the risk of ANYTHING going wrong.

 

We had a situation were we were staying in a Cabin as a Troop.

we had a sleeping area for the Boys and a Sleeping area for the adults.... But we had a female adult leader..just one... According to the G2SS we had to provide seperate sleeping arrangments for her.

So we put up a blanket barrier.

 

I had a talk with my DE about this... he said... that if we all went to the Cabin as friends.. no Scout agenda.. than there would not be an issue... BUT SINCE it was a Scouting event... We had to observe the G2SS. End of Subject.

 

So we do what we can to minimize risk.

 

Jerry

[FScouter]

"I had a talk with my DE about this... he said... that if we all went to the Cabin as friends.. no Scout agenda.. than there would not be an issue..."

 

I'm surprised and a bit dismayed that a professional scouter would say such a thing. That's almost an invitation to do all kinds of prohibited activities with Scouts: exploring an abandoned mine, parachuting, hunting, hang-gliding. Just say "we're not Scouts today and everything is OK". If it is discussed at a Scout meeting, attended by Scouts, led by Scout leaders, then it's a Scout event regardless of what you call it.

 

Your blanket idea seems a reasonable accommodation given the circumstances.

 

[schleining]

Don't be dismayed...

He was not talking about Scouting... he was making the comparison between what we do away from Scouting and how we have to follow the rules when we are Scouting.

He did suggest that we just call it a "Friends Trip"... in fact he was very specific about not doing that... It was not important to post so I did not at the time, but now I see there is a need to spell everything out.

 

Jerry

[SMT376Richmond KY]

Kenk

 

Wow must be nice to have enough adults and cars to transport those boys with two adults in each vehicle? As to your Question #4 Buddy system all the time!! and when a lad shows up alone ask "where's your buddy?"

 

Let me refresh everyone's memory since no one mentioned this yet they still (to my knowledge) haven't found the body of the Scout (who had recently completed wilderness survival MB??)in the Utah mountains whose dad sent him back to camp(just up the trail)alone to change shoes last year!!

[IN scouter]

Regarding Q2&3, if it's a Scout camp, have signs or take turns. If it's in a place such as a rest stop with multiple urinals and stalls, take a stall.

RE Q4:THe buddy system is the way to go. I'm going to be leading a group of WEB2's to Adventure Camp in July, and I'm in the process of making a buddy board for Scouts and Scouters. It will have areas for trading post, health center, shower house (it has the only flush toilets in camp. The boys figure out that it's worth the walk instead of using the pit latrine at the edge of our campsite), etc. Having the adult leadership follow the buddy system only helps to reinforce (however subtly) the message.

I agree that the G2SS and YP are to help leaders MINIMZE exposure to risk, because avoiding it altogether is next to impossible. A good seasoning of common sense doesn't hurt either.

[SR540Beaver]

This is a little off topic, but I have to relate this story. A few campouts ago, we took Webelos II dens from two different Packs to camp with us. 15 Webelos plus their parents, some of which were mothers. We had one of our less sophisticated scouts walk up to a tree about 25 feet from the latrine and hike his leg in full view of everyone. He was polite enough to turn his back to the camp however. Boy, did the SM give him a talking to as he pointed out that there were ladies in camp, how close the latrine was and he'd better use it the rest of the campout. It wasn't so much a YP issue as it was a common sense and courtesy issue. Unfortunately, it was par for the course for this boy.