Documenting disciplinary procedures

[CA_Scouter]

I've recently had what I consider to be a serious incident with a scout which has resulted in a suspension. ( see 'Discipline Issue - need opinions )

 

I have documented the incident, presented it to the Committee, which ( finally ) approved the disciplinary procedures that I recommended. The parents and scout were informed ( and part of ) the entire procedure ( Mom is membership chair ).

 

Now I've heard through the grapevine that the parents are considering speaking to an attorney. I am not sure if this was idle chatter or not.

 

The reference material that I have ( New Leader, Scoutmaster Specific Trainig ) does not address documenting situations such as these. I also cannot find anything of value on the BSA website.

 

I have a call into my local council, but I thought I'd post here to see about getting some information from others 'in the know'.

 

Any help you can give would be most appreciated.

 

 

[Bob White]

First, don't listen to rumors or the grape vine. The people who participate in those activities have more personal problems than you have time to deal with.

 

Second, you did your job, you kept everyone safe and reported the incident to the committee. You are not a social worker, forget the documentation. The Scoutmaster handbook and the Guide to Safe Scouting says to do what you did. You are fine.

 

Third. If anyone should be seeking legal assistance it is the scout whose personal property was vandalized by the boy who was suspended.

 

Put this behind you and go serve the boys who are willing to behave as scouts. Should you recieve official notice that legal action is being taken against you then call the council scout executive.

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[evmori]

CA,

You have stated you have documented everything so far. Has the committee? Do you have the minutes of the meeting & re-vote? Make sure you have those. Get as much on paper as you can regarding this incident. If this rumor is true, this could get ugly. If it isn't you will be prepared to handle something like this should it happen again. Be prepared!

 

Now, get back to your Troop. You have boys there who need your leadership!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad]

HI All

 

In similar situations, we keep the District and Council fully informed on the situation and how we handled it. That saved us one time when a parent personally called the Council Executive (CE) threatening a law suit against or troop. She changed her mind when the CE explained that he already knew about the situation and supported the actions of our troop.

 

Barry

 

[bbng]

Having been in a similar situation, once where the unit was threatened and once when I personally was threatened, in each instance the COR, DE, and SE were called immediately. Each time, the incident stopped there. One thing to avoid is getting into discussion with other unit leaders or families now. Keep council in the loop, and everything (if there is indeed anything taking place) should work out fine.

[FScouter]

BSA publications do not address documenting disciplinary issues because there is no need to do so. There is nothing the troop needs to defend. Get on with the program and forget about this. Bob White has the best advice here.

[Hunt]

Making and keeping documents can be a two-edged sword. If BSA (and your unit and COR) get sued by someone, any documents you have created relating to the situation will likely have to be turned over to the attorneys for the people suing you. This can be a good thing, of course, if the documents support your version of the story, but it can be bad if they are inconsistent, or vague, or include intemperate statements.

[Lynda J]

Had a young man who started with my Web 1 den that was a hand full. I have worked with kids all of my adult life (40 years) and this boy had more rage inside him than any other child I have ever dealt with.After we moved up into the troop it finally got so bad that I started making him sign a discipline reports. There would be two adults sit down with him and make him write down what had happened, then he would sign it and the adults would sign it. When he cussed and told another mother to go and F--- Off. We were at Camporee and the SM wasn't there. I am ASM and the other mother is the CC. We had problems with parents telling us their sons were not to be buddies with his boy. He made threats against other boys. Finally the SM, myself and the Committee and our COR got together and the decission was made that he could not stay in the troop. He was actually putting other boys in danger. I had already talked to his mother many times about anger management for him. Her comment was that they made them put him in it at school but after a month she couldn't tell any difference so she took him out. Sad thing is that the kid really isn't a bad kid, just abused and neglected. This year at school he was supsended and placed in an alternative school because he punched a teacher. As part of his school probation he was required to attend anger management classes and his mother was required to get counseling. Though Kevin doesn't see him any more because of the suspension I have heard that he is doing much better. ONe of his neighbours told me that she will now allow him to come to her house.

But years ago when I first started working with kids my parents (who spend their entire lives working with kids) told me to always put things in writting and have the kid sign it. If the kid won't sign it then call the parent and have a meeting with the child and the parent, then have the parent sign the disciplinary report.

 

So far it has always worked for me. Well except for this one kid.

Most of the time when the kid has to sign the report that is the end of the problems.(This message has been edited by Lynda J)