Have you ever asked the Parents?

[Engineer61]

Eagledad asked:

 

"Eng61, what percent of the scout abuse cases occurred on Scout campouts or outtings?

 

Dunno ... but I'll bet BSA national can tell you.

[Oak Tree]

I'm willing to bet that every troop has a parent exactly like me in it.

 

Probably not exactly

 

Guess I'm not worth the time of day if I don't know the proverbial secret handshake.

 

Some troops are more cliquish than others, for sure. Same as sports leagues and PTAs and everything else I've seen. Probably true for "Occupy Wall Street" groups, too.

 

"Eng61, what percent of the scout abuse cases occurred on Scout campouts or outings?" Dunno ... but I'll bet BSA national can tell you.

 

The ones we've seen reported certainly suggest that most of them happen outside the Scout environment, and National may indeed have some idea, but I don't think they're going to tell me...

[Beavah]

I have at LEAST 3 deep adults on the field and about 6 parents at every practice/game ... each which is a public park and lasts only 2 hours at most.

 

Yah, and I bet that those 6 parents are relegated to the sidelines, eh?

 

Abuse doesn't happen during games, either in Scouting or sports. It happens in da locker room late after most kids are gone. It happens at da coach's house when he has kids over or at the parent's house when they invite the coach over or at da college gym where da coach takes a young lad or lass to "practice" or "work out".

 

In sports, yeh have a coach or two and a referee occasionally, and da parents are relegated to the sidelines. In Scouting, yeh have a SM and a bunch of ASMs and a bunch of parent Committee Members. While there might be expectations for fitness or behavior or a bit of "distance", da parents are by and large welcome participants in some form or another.

 

Beavah

 

[acco40]

When I was a Scoutmaster, I required at least three adults on every outing. The reason was not for YPT specifically, but because if one adult had to leave - family emergency, illness, accident, etc. we would still have two adults on hand and would not have to cancel the outing.

 

Isn't it implied that if the parents sign up their son to a troop or unit, that they trust the Scouters in that unit? If not, what's the point?

[resqman]

"I don't trust the adult leaders but I keep quiet ... I don't want these bozos taking it out on my kid. I learned my "place" at the first meeting I went to ... some white haired pontificating windbag turned and walked away from me the moment I said that I'd never been a Scout.

 

Guess I'm not worth the time of day if I don't know the proverbial secret handshake."

 

Your not worth the time of the day because YOU relegated YOURSELF to the sidelines. Participate in events and you will either develop a trust for the leaders or you will be a force of change. There is no requirement for adult leaders to be outstanding outdoorsman with years of experience and depth of outdoor skils. They are simply involved parents helping the activity their sons have chosen to be the best it can be.

 

[Lisabob]

If I felt the way about the leaders in my son's troop that you expressed, Eng61, my son would be in a different troop in a heartbeat.

 

Given your attitude, I must say I think it would be hard for you to integrate yourself into this group of adults even if they're the most welcoming folks in the world. Not because you've never been a scout (which is irrelevant), but because you are so negative about what scouting is/should be. That is under your control, though. Learn the program and get involved anyway, or move your son to a unit where you trust the leaders more, or else you have nobody to blame but yourself for your mistrust and concern.