SPL requirements

[t487scouter]

Okay, once again I ask for your knowledge. I began wondering about requirements for SPL. At the moment, my bylaws (I know, nasty word to some)require that the SPL be Star rank or above. I was wondering if this conflicts with any BSA rules? Also, if it is not against the rules, should we have this requirement?

[DugNevius]

Does rank best signify character? Is a scout who is star rank necessarily better suited for SPL then a 1st class scout? Just because a scout is star does that mean hes ready to take on the role of SPL?

 

Just a few questions. Personally, its more about character then rank and we never had a required rank for SPL. That said we have never had an SPL that wasnt Star or life before being elected SPL, and i couldnt see any 1st class boy take it on. There werer plenty star and life scouts that were not ready as well.(This message has been edited by DugNevius)

[scoutldr]

As far as I know, the only "requirement" for SPL is to be elected by the members of the troop. If they elect a bad one, they live with it for the next 6-12 months. Sorta like electing a President, which is the point.

[DugNevius]

thats very true. Adults tend to forget, that many boys are keen observers. They know when the older buys are slacking off on their duties, when they arent helpful or orginized. In a "free" election, they will chose a qualified scout more often then not.

[Bob White]

More often then not the scouts choose the person they like best or the peson they hope will do the best job. They vote no differently then we vote as adults for our elected officials. None of us know for sure what kind of job a person will do we can only hope that the person who gets elected is the one who will do the kind of job we want done. So we vote for the person we like the best or hope will do the best job.

 

In scouting the boy is not expected to be "qualified" before he gets the office. The purpose of the office is as a teaching tool for us as leaders to help a scout develop his leadership skills.

 

How well we counsel and mentor the scout once he gets an office will be the largest factor in how well the scout does in it. In very few cases does a scout ever fail to do a good job unless the scout leader failed to do a good job leading him.

 

 

[eagle90]

We have SPL elections coming up this week. We have no restrictions other than they be an active scout. Two of the best SPL's our troop have ever had have been only 1st Class scouts, but had tons of leadership abilities and knowledge. In fact one is now a seargent serving in Afghanistan after a year in Iraq, but never got above 1st class!

 

 

[AwHeck]

We don't have a rank requirement but we have the guideline that a candidate for SPL should have been through Big Horn which is our council level week long version of NJLT. To be eligible for Big Horn, I believe that a scout must be 1st class and age 13.

 

We have a very large troop (currently 100 scouts registered) and we highly encourage all scouts to attend Big Horn once they are eligible.

[t487scouter]

Thanks everyone. Aw, does your troop pay for this training or do the boys pay for it? I tried to send some boys to a similar type of training that is held in our council. The week long program runs $205/$175(fos). We don't have enough money in the troop funds to pay for the boys. My son is the only scout that is going, the rest of the parents and scouts opted out. It kind of surprised me when I received the paperwork for the camp as well. The council paperwork stated that the camp is usually paid for by the troop.

[KoreaScouter]

The SPL handbook says (Chapter 1, page 9): "Each Troop sets its own age, rank, and other qualification standards for its senior patrol leader, though these may be temporarily waived if a troop is newly organized." It goes on to say that: "The senior patrol leader of an established troop is often selected from among the most experienced Scouts of a certain age and rank."

 

So, your Troop (the PLC ideally) will determine what the SPL qualifications are for your unit, and you have the flexibility to make the qualifications fit your demographics.

 

KS

[scoutldr]

If you use the Unit Budget Plan, expenses for JLT should be included as an annual expense.

[AwHeck]

t487scouter - Our troop pays half the cost and the family pays the other. We do have a scholarship account from various donations and if a scout can't afford to pay their half we would cover the full cost. The scholoarship account is available for any scout who needs assistance for campouts, summer camp etc.

[Trevorum]

Our troop has set SPL requirements as 14 or older and completed council's the week-long junior leader training course.

[EagleInKY]

KS is correct, the troop can set its guidelines. This should be done by the PLC. Ours are fairly simple - Star Scout (which was waived the first two years of the troop), previous experience in the PLC, and SM approval (approval to be on the ballot, not of the election itself).

[Vicki]

Leadership training expenses for both Scouts and Scouters are paid for by the troop.

 

Vicki

[Lynda J]

Our last SPL was 1st Class. Did he do a good job?

You darn right he did. Rank has little to do with a boys leadership ability. I know Star scouts that do not have good leadership abilities. I know Tenderfoots that do.

SPL is an elected position, elected by his troop. Not names by the leaders. If the boys feel any scout in the troop has earned the right to be SPL it is up to them to elect him to that position. When we do elections the current SPL will ask for nominations for SPL. When a boy is nominated he is ask if he would like to run for that position. If he says yes he will be voted on. If he choses to say no he isn't. But the final decission is up to the troop. I would not want to put rules on this.