Discipline Policy

[evmori]

ronvo,

I agree with your statement about needing the program most. We have had a few like that.

 

As leaders, we can only do so much. When the rest of the Troop starts to suffer is when it is time to put an end to the problem. If that means revoking a Scouts or leaders membership, so be it.

 

I like the idea of holding the Scouts & leaders to the Oath & Law for discipline. What the Troop committee could do is develop appropriate consequences for violations of the Oath & Law.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad]

>>What the Troop committee could do is develop appropriate consequences for violations of the Oath & Law.

[John-in-KC]

As a Committee Chairman,

 

My troop had a "discipline/consequences" policy. It was all adult, no youth leadership, and designed to push Scouts out the door.

 

We're not quite done with the 2d generation. It is premised on:

 

- The Scout Oath.

- The Scout Law.

 

PL/ASPL/SPL have first responsibility and authority. Most cases of youth being youth are best handled at this level.

 

IF the conduct rises to the attention of the Scoutmaster, he holds a Scoutmaster's Conference to lay it out.

 

IF the conduct continues, we'll convene a Board of Review ... but we will insist the parents attend.

 

BTW, if we reach the BOR stage, then the parents HAVE to train up as leaders. Yes, I mean the whole shooting match: FS, YP, NLE (common core), NLE (SM specific and Committee Challenge), MB Counselor, AND they have to regularly attend meetings and outings. If a parent is unwilling to be a leader under these circumstances, then the SM and CC reserve the right to ask him/her to transfer the child to another Troop.

 

One thing I've noticed: When parents use the Troop as the Baby Sitters of America, the youth is often more likely not to understand his responsibilities to his Patrol and Troop.

 

There are actions where we tell Scouts and parents the SM has authority to send a youth home from a campout or a camp: Damage to people and/or damage to property are the big line crossers. Obviously restitution is a consequence of property damage; getting youth to work through their differences (Thorns and Roses) in a different environment is part of dealing with people problems.

 

YIS(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[EagleInKY]

Barry - No offense taken here. It's a fair question. I do believe the first line of discipline falls with the PLC. That's the PL and SPL trying to get a boy to behave, do his job, stop picking on someone, etc. In fact, I was really overwhelmed when I found out about a couple of our boys sticking up for a smaller scout at summer camp a few weeks ago. They saw some big kids picking on him (they were all in another troop) and they stepped in and stopped it. And they weren't bigger than them either! So, I think you and I are closer in agreement than my original post may have sounded.

 

Where I was talking about was in the more serious cases of discipline where you have to get the parents involved. The scout that I had to ask to leave was a very frustrating case. This boy needs scouts as bad as anyone I've ever run across. He doesn't get a lot of attention from dad at home and I think that is a big part of the problem.

 

Just so you understand, let me give you some examples, and these are only over the past two years. He's been with us for over seven (since Tiger's). On one of our first campouts, he beat another scout (my son) with a big stick creating several bruises on his back. He also cussed out me and a few other adults on that campout. While practicing for a color guard for scout Sunday he told me religion and church were "stupid". Last year's summer camp he tried to starve himself sick, so we would send him home. Eventually he ate and got somewhat better. On several occasions, when adults weren't around, he apparently got real smarteleck with the junior leaders and cussed them out. Of course, he was always smart to watch and not let any of us catch him. On a campout last fall he went ballistic on the SPL and ASPL about them not letting him start a game that they felt was not appropriate at the time. And, the final straw came when at a troop meeting, when he was alone with the boys, he started cussing them out again. I caught him this time and took him to the side. He then cussed me out, called me lots of names and told me he wanted to quit. I called his mom, and she came and got him.

 

As you can see, I gave this young man lots of chances (and this wasn't the total list). Of course, there were lots of SM conferences and parent conferences along the way. His mom is a friend of mine, so it wasn't easy. We didn't just kick him out after his third time. He's now with another troop. Hopefully he'll get a handle on his anger management issues, but I'm afraid it's bigger than anything boy scouts can fix.

[evmori]

EagleInKY,

I think you went above and beyond in this case.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[schleining]

We tried the code of conduct, and I suppose that if the need arose we would reference it.... But went away from it for practical purposes.

Wew realize that all we really need is the Oath and Law...

So here is how we practically use it.

When a Scout is disruptive, mean, hurtful etc. We simply ask him...

"What part of the Scout Law are you living right now?" We do this in front of everyone and ask the Scout to explain which value of the law he is currently demonstrating. This usually happens once.. there is a look in the Scouts eyes that says... ok I get it.

Consistantcy is key. All the ASMs and I use this to get our conduct "Policy" across to the boys.

You know... they do know the difference between right and wrong, sometimes they are just goof balls and need to be placed back on the right track... a quick question that reinforces what they already know is extremely helpful.

 

Jerry

[Lynda J]

I agree with most here that all you really need as rules are the Laws and Promise. They cover everything.

We do warn boys and depending on the issue they can be ask to meet with the PLC.

We have had to remove one boy from the troop. It was one of the hardest things I have had to deal with. He had been one of my boys that moved up with me to the troop. But it got to the point that he was actually a danger to other boys and when you have parents come and tell you if he was going on an activity that their sons would not be going. At the point he cussed one of the other leaders and threatened one of the boys with a knife we had no option but to ask him to leave. It wasn't a month until he was suspended from school and placed in a alternative program. The school also required that his mother put him into counseling, expecially anger management. From what I hear he has improved.

One thing we do with out troop is if a boy refused to behave his parents are called and told to come and get him. Had one boy that I was to that point this summer at camp. I told him if he caused one more problem I would call his dad and he would go home. And believe me I would have.