Permission slip / Contract

[CubScoutJo 10]

We have a standard permission slip that we have scout parents fill out for each outing.

 

Due to some behaviors on some trips, we'd like to add a short statement that the scout has to sign, somewhat of a "contract" that he will follow the scout law, or the parent may be asked to come pick him up. Does anyone do anything like this?

 

If so, could you give me a boilerplate for what yours does say?

 

Jo

 

[John-in-KC 311]

CONTRACT???

 

That a Scout will follow the Oath and Law should be an expectation. This is something the Scoutmaster should simply report out at the next Committee meeting. Youth members or adults (and I've seen some adults be bigger horse's patooties than youth) who are out of bounds may suffer the Scoutmaster's (ASM being weekend SM) wrath, including a call to come and get him.

 

A few years back the ASPL was acting out at our LT camp. It got to the point where SM, Camp SM, and troop resident Grandpa (a former SM and member of our Council Exec Committee), made the decision and called Mom/Dad to come fetch him. Yes, we lost a Scout. I'm not 100% sure we'd done all for him that we could, but I'm over 85% sure.

[CubScoutJo 10]

not really a contract, just a sentence or two to add to the permission slip to reiterate the "expectation".

 

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

A short line, like Scoutlike behvior is an expectation of any unit event. Then when the unscoutlike behavior is exhibited, a call to the parent and location of where the scout is to be picked up is all that is needed. Oh yes, the scout also get to tell the parent what the unscoutlike behavior prompted the call.

 

This does mean you have the parents number of all participants and cell phones as well. Had an incident where the youth was out of control and when threatened with having parents called, the retort was fine, they are in Atlantic City for the week end, turns out they were...

[SMT224 10]

Below is pasted from our "permission slip"... the bottom section is for the Scout to put his name in and sign. We added after some behavior outside of the Scout Law. Have never had to use, but would be the rational for calling a parent at 2:00 am.

 

 

In case of emergency, I can be reached by phone at: _____________________. My cell phone number is: ______________________. If I cannot be reached, please contact:

__________________________________ at ____________________________.

 

Parent printed name: _________________________________________________

 

Parent signature: ______________________________________ Date: ________

 

I, ___________________________________________ understand I am bound by the Scout Law on this Scout activity. I agree to be held accountable for my actions, and understand there will be consequences if I violate the Scout Law.

Scout signature: _____________________________________Date: ___________

 

 

[Beavah 205]

Yah, I really hate da notion of kid behavior "contracting." What a farce.

 

Be adults. Have the courage to expect proper behavior from your kids without relyin' on pseudo-legal mumbo jumbo.

 

B

 

[CubScoutJo 10]

Thanks OGE and SMT for your help. Your examples are what I originally asked for in my post.

 

I didn't ask for a debate about whether or not it should be done, or an accusation of the level of our leaders' "courage"

 

 

Jo

[Beavah 205]

Yah, CubScoutJo, before considerin' any action it's worth considerin' whether that action is consistent with our goals and values, or is worth a plug nickel. Personally, I can't see subjectin' every lad in the troop to some paperwork thing just because yeh can't get the adults to confront and deal with the couple of boys who are startin' the troubles, eh? Better to address the trainin' of the leaders.

 

But if you insist, here's an addition to the parent permission slip.

 

"I agree that my son's participation in this troop/pack activity is entirely contingent on the approval of the registered leader in charge of the activity. In the event the leader requests that my son be removed for any reason, I shall be responsible for securing appropriate and timely supervision and transportation."

 

B

 

[gwd-scouter 11]

I am dismayed at the 'contracts' our children and parents must sign these days in order to remind them that they are expected to behave properly. Statements regarding behavior for school, field trips, Scouts, they're everywhere.

 

Seems to me these contracts mean nothing to the children and are meant more for those parents that insist their child can't do anything wrong, for those parents that feel any discipline put on their child by another adult is inappropriate. Sadly I think these types of behavior contracts have gained popularity over the years because adults supervising other people's children have gotten weary of the fight and have caved in to a paper document as authority.

 

What's wrong with simply letting the Scouts and parents know that the boys are expected to set an example as scouts and behave accordingly?

 

CubScoutJo - what have you done in the past in response to the behavior issues you mentioned in your post?

 

[evmori 11]

I'm with ya gwd-scouter! Expected behavior should be explained & then it should be met. If it's not met, there are consequences!

[CubScoutJo 10]

Agreed, that it is more for the parents than the scouts.

 

In the past, "boys will be boys" has been an excuse for unscoutlike behavior and really not much was ever done besides "talking to" the offender. But now there is new leadership...so now "new" expectations. He wanted something in writing so parents aren't taken by surprise.

 

This is also stated verbally to the boys, but we all know that boys don't always pass along info to parents.

 

Jo

[Eagle92 110]

After hearing and seeing, a few things about Tommy Tenderfoot misbehaving and the parents being unresponsive, I can understand the "contract" concept, and am very sad to see that this is what our society has come to.

 

The worse incident I've seen (ok overheard since it was a phone call) is parents refusing to pick up their son from summercamp saying the "boys will be boys" excuse. CD played hardball and stated that if little Tommy wasn't picked up by x time, the county sheriff would be notified that they have a delinquent youth trespassing on camp property and they want him arrested. The parents did meet the deadline.

 

Another incident I heard about, being toldby both the scout involved and the mother, was 91 NSJ the scout was asked to leave after the 2nd or 3rd day. Mom had to get there, pick him up, and bring him home n her own dime.

[eagle90 125]

We have the following on all of our permission slip:

 

"At the discretion of the adult leaders in charge, if there is any serious discipline problem with a scout during this activity, the parent of the scout involved will be called and instructed to pick up his or her son immediately."

 

Have only had to use this once in all the years I've been involved.

 

Dale

[Beavah 205]

The worse incident I've seen (ok overheard since it was a phone call) is parents refusing to pick up their son...

 

Yah, what I'm confused about is how all da paperwork changes this problem a lick. What do you say to the problem parent over the phone? "Look, here, I've got an unenforceable contract signed by your kid that anybody who knows a thing about real contracts would laugh at, so you better come get your kid?" Nah, you're still in the same boat of havin' to deal with the problem more directly.

 

Real contracts have certain characteristics. Mutual consideration. Meeting of the minds. Parties are engagin' in the obligation under free will and without coercion. As close as I can tell, most of these school "behavior contracts" meet none of the characteristics of real contracts. They're one-way extortion deals. What an awful example to set for kids. "People in power should use the forms and mechanisms of law to extort behavior from others under threat." And yeh wonder where we get "bad" lawyers from.

 

Plus, has anybody yet met a teen who won't argue every word of such an agreement? If we make a "contract", we're bound by it then, eh? And they're free to find the holes and loopholes. While that can be a fun game, does anybody really think it teaches honor and citizenship?

 

Save contract law for when you're buyin' a house for your kids. Not for raisin' them.

 

Beavah

 

[SMT224 10]

Our Troop goes on at least 13 outings every year, and just before we load up vehicles, after the SPL calls a final fall-in and the Scouts are standing at attention, I give my Scoutmaster speech letting them know that all of us are bound by the Scout Law. Not just the Scouts, but adults as well. This to me is a verbal contract. To add a signature to this strengthens the contract. Having a Scout sign something that says the same thing as the verbal contract lets them know we are serious and this, and it's not just a family or school outing - it's a Scout outing and they are expected to behave as Scouts.