Cell Phone Policy Contradicts Family Policy

[tombitt]

My son's troop has a zero tolerance policy for cell phones. That means no cells phones on campouts, no cell phones in meetings, no cell phones ever.

 

This conflicts with our family's policy. We believe cell phones are at least an emergency tool. We want our kids to have their phones with them at all times. If my son was on the way to a campout, and there was an accident, if my son was not close to a leader and someone got hurt, if a tornado was sighted and I wanted to let them know, or if my son was lost - I want him to have a cell phone. I'm sure with just a little bit of searching I could build a long list of examples where scouts had saved a life because of a cell phone, or had been lost and found by cell signal triangulation.

 

I completely respect (and my son respects) rules about not using the phone frivolously. As a parent, I'm willing to enforce that with my son. I also have no problem if the adults on the scene at a campout or meeting enforce that rule (by confiscating his phone, etc.). Rules that limit their use are fine with me. As an Eagle Scout and a current cub scout leader myself, I understand the issues and I deeply love the natural outdoors. However, I have a serious problem with a scout leader setting rules that contradict my rules as a parent.

 

I've discussed this with the scoutmaster, and he is not willing to make exceptions.

 

Scouting is about building character and self-reliance. Cell phones are tools to be respected and used in a responsible way. The solution to cell phone abuse is not to ban their use at scouting events, but to encourage responsible use. You do not teach self-reliance by telling scouts that if they need to make a phone call, they can only go through an adult leader with a phone. You might as well reserve matches, knives, axes, tools of any kind to the leaders. Better to teach the kids how the phone can be used as a tool, and when it is and is not appropriate.

 

I'd like to hear other opinions.

[Stosh]

Sorry, but I stand by your SM's policy.

 

I have lost 2 boys in my troop because of cell phones being used to call home when homesick and parents came, picked them up and they never returned. I didn't know about the issue until the parents showed up to take the boy home.

 

Emergencies? If your boy is lost in the woods 500 miles away, what can you do about it? SM and troop and other better qualified personnel are looking for him. If he's lost and need triangulation, where is his buddy? Why did your son wander away? Did his cell phone add to the problem? Many questions, not many answers. Those that rely on electronics rather than standard operating procedures usually get themselves into problems.

 

Two weeks in Philmont will not support cell phone usage anyway.

 

We try and get into the woods and away from everyday situations, why drag it along with you when you go.

 

I understand parents' concerns, but I view it more of parents' concern than the boy's. I'm 58 years old and never had a cell phone until my kids bought one for me for Christmas this past year. I did just fine without it and it makes a great scheduler and keeps me on task. Once or twice a month I call them and say hi. It's a paid long distance call on the land line, but free on the cell so I use it. Other than that it doesn't do much for me.

 

Stosh

 

 

 

[packsaddle]

Welcome to the forums. This has been discussed previously but since you asked:

This unit has a 'no cell phone' rule for regular meetings and outings. The boys may have one in their possession but the phone must be 'off'. Leaders may have theirs 'on'. If one rings during a meeting and it is not in the hands of a leader, it goes to the hands of a leader until the meeting is over. The parents know about this and support it.

The problem is that the phones are a needless distraction. The boys try to sneak and play games or send text messages instead of doing what they're supposed to be doing. The emergency thing does not apply to regular troop meetings and there is no need for a cell phone at all as long as G2SS is being followed and one of the adults has one that the boy can use if needed.

I have no idea where you're located but our outings are frequently in locations where a signal is absent so the cell phones are worthless. No, worse than that they are dead weight that still causes a distraction because the boys go ahead and try repeatedly to 'get' a signal or to play games. So we basically ban all electronics. Leaders carry whatever emergency communications gear is needed, including their cell phone if there is a signal.

 

Lastly, back when we did allow them and on those occasions when boys sneaked them onto an outing, we have had to delay, interrupt, etc. activities while everyone tries to 'find' the lost phone or to try to retrieve it from the river into which it fell.

 

Edited part: "...contradict my rules as a parent" I forgot to respond to this. There are individual needs that ARE addressed individually. Medication is an example of one of these and if you will go through the training you will understand that this sort of thing is addressed. But cell phones? Really?

Let's suppose that parents DID get to apply family rules to troop activities. How do you propose that the scoutmaster will keep up with a unique set of rules that apply to each individual boy? If your rules are more restrictive than those of another parent, do YOUR rules take priority? I think your approach would require an impossible juggling exercise.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[Basementdweller]

Get over it or Find another troop

 

We don't go as far as saying none period. But they must be turned off. No ipods, video games periods.

 

Your arguments are weak and show a lack of maturity. What if's, we could talk about them all day. The scenarios you mentioned, his scout training should help out.

 

 

[Lisabob]

We can go round and round about whether cell phones should or should not be banned. You'll get all sorts of opinions about that.

 

But the question here is not whether they ought to be banned. The question here is whether you trust and respect the judgment of the adults in your son's troop. If you do, then grit your teeth and support them. They are the ones giving their time to take your boy camping and teach him things, so you should respect their preference, particularly about relatively minor issues like this.

 

If you really cannot respect and trust the adults to keep your boy safe without a cell phone, then you need to consider whether your boy should be in boy scouting, or at least in that troop. Is it that these leaders really are not trustworthy? Or that you as a parent are not used to giving your son the independence that scouting (and real life) encourages? Please don't take that the wrong way because I don't mean this as an insult, but sometimes another perspective helps is all.

 

Finally, the tornado what-if scenario sounds like adult anxiety to me. If you spot a tornado heading toward your son's troop then probably the troop is already aware of it, but if they are not and you absolutely feel you must call someone, how about calling the Scoutmaster instead of your son? I can only imagine a typical 11 year old, getting a call from Mom or Dad like this: "Hey son, there's a tornado heading your way!" And the panic that would likely ensue.

 

You are an Eagle scout so that must mean you've done a good deal of camping, and I'm willing to bet that a lot of it happened minus a phone yet you survived. Is there a reason you think your son would not?

 

 

[Nike]

Most places my son's troops have gone you can't even get cell service.

 

And what's going to happen when you call your son and he doesn't answer or respond to your voice mail? Are you going to race down to camp? Call the leaders? Call the Council, ranger, sheriff, state patrol, national guard? How embarassing will that be for your boy? And, how disappointing for him to have public proof you don't trust him or his leaders.

 

Your son is going camping in order to get away from the distractions of isolating technology. If you don't like this rule, or worse yet, don't trust your son's SM/ASMs, then you need a different troop.

[GernBlansten]

Sounds like the parents want text messaging during outings.

Nope. Can't support that. However, I don't have any issue with scouts having a phone with them, just turned off.

[SctDad]

I have to agree with all the other.

 

Why should you be calling your son if there is a tordano spotted. That call should be going to the leader. Who probably already knows about it. We have to take weather training. Most carry some kind of weather alert device. Most can look up and see if things are getting bad.

 

The SM has put these rules in placed to avoid other problems that come with it. Back the calendar up 20 years. How did your parents handle contact. There was limited contact. The parents trusted that the leaders were competant could take care of the scouts. Let the leaders do their jobs

[Beavah]

Yah, tombitt, welcome to da forums, eh?

 

I think da relevant question here is "What happens when family policy contradicts da policy of the school/youth group/scout troop/sports team?"

 

Answer is always the same. If yeh want other people to provide services for your kids, you respect their rules. Don't like da school rules? Home school. Don't like da youth group rules? Find a different church. Don't like the troop or sports team rules? Don't play.

 

What isn't reasonable or courteous is to expect that everyone else is goin' to change just to make you happy.

 

So whether a cell phone ban is a good idea or not ain't relevant. Only question is whether you believe in loyalty, kindness, and courtesy toward other adults who are givin' your son their time and talent for free.

 

Beavah(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[RememberSchiff]

If I am running the activity, scouts can carry cellphones (turned off). If they do not have a cellphone, I make it clear that mine (always on) is available. Reception has been spotty, otherwise no problems. Frankly I am surprise no cellphones have been lost.

 

Parents want to know that if their child needs to call them, he can. I have not had any parents call me yet during an activity, bad weather or not. Many scouts call their parents on the drive home so no more late pick-ups.

 

Times change, we are a wired society. Find another troop that is not in denial.(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

[resqman]

Cell phones are an electronic leash. Parents feel they can somehow keep their kids under their thumb if there is a cell phone. Phooey.

 

The boys do not need cell phones during a scout function. The point of scouting is to get the boys out of their comfort zone so they learn new skills. Being in constant touch with the family only breeds dependence. One of the major points of the outing is to develop independence. Part of the learning is by the parents who must learn to let their son grow up.

 

Second the reality that service is often non-existent where we camp. It just becomes an expensive toy that gets lost or damaged.

 

Thup, Thup, Thup. Sound of helicopter blades beating the air.

[tombitt]

Appreciate the feedback, but a little too much psychoanalysis here. I'm not tethered to my 14-year old Star scout son. I do not and never have called my son while he was on a campout. He's quite independent, and we treat him very much like an adult. The question is why can't the scout leaders trust the kids?

 

I want my son to have a tool. I want him to "be prepared" - in the 21st century, not 20th. I've been in a house while it was half-destroyed by a tornado, and I've used my cell phone to call for an ambulance once, and the police three times. I see no reason for my son not to have that tool. Yes, of course, he could rely on the likelihood of an adult leader to take that responsibility. I see no reason to treat the scouts as children, however.

 

My scout leader doesn't let his scouts carry a phone, on or off. I'd be perfectly happy if the rule was you can carry it, but keep it off. The scoutmaster himself does not carry a phone (but he assumes other leaders do).

 

I absolutely do appreciate scout leaders, which is why I've been a cub scout leader for eight years, and will move into boy scout leadership when my youngest moves on. I think this is really an issue of not knowing how to deal with a new technology. I'm sure scout leaders years ago had problems with "high-tech" camp stoves, Gore-tex, etc. I think it will be important for Scouting to stay up-to-date with new technologies. Scouting is about character and self-reliance in today's age - not about doing things the way they were done 40 years ago.

 

I do appreciate and respect the feedback. This is giving me a good idea of the opinions on the issue - a little surprising to me, but that's why I asked.

[Basementdweller]

His friends will teach him to text, IM, use cell phones, my space, face book,and what ever else is coming.

 

One hour a week, one weekend a month and one week in the summer isn't all that much to ask to be unplugged from the network.

 

I find it refreshing. No pager or cell harassment.

 

We have parents who are frantic when there is no cell coverage at camp. Ashamed they don't pay that much attention to their boys.

[evmori]

I'd bet there are a lot of other Troop policies that contradict your family policies, too. Either conform or move along.

[Lisabob]

I have a 14 year old too. I trust him and his judgment most of the time too. When he goes to a movie with his friends and wants a cell phone so he can call me when he needs a ride home, I am ok with that.

 

When he goes camping, he does not need (or want) a cell phone in his pack. Any minor emergencies, he knows how to handle. Any major emergencies, either one of the adults will have a phone, or a cell phone would be useless anyway.

 

I understand what you are saying about treating youth with respect to their abilities and maturity (rather than their age). But the SM in question must have a reason for his policy. THat reason probably has to do with boys - and more likely, adults - who misuse the cell phone tether. You need to decide how big an issue this really is, unclouded by past bad experiences.

 

If you truly believe the cell phone policy puts your son in the path of unacceptable threat, then find a different troop.

 

But be sure you aren't over-reacting. Again I ask: how did you make it to Eagle Scout, in an era where cell phones probably were not ubiquitous? Does your son really need that cell phone, or is to make YOU feel better? What lesson do you really wish to teach him?