committee responsibilities re: bullying?

[Lisabob]

When dealing with a bullying type situation or other behavior issues, what's the role of the committee, in your view? Is it to direct the SM? To offer over-sight (ie, to ensure that the issue isn't swept under the rug)? To provide for follow-up on a situation over time? To help the SM outline options? To set policy to deal with a specific scout and/or his parent(s)? To offer moral support for whatever route the SM may choose (within reason of course)? Is there, maybe, not a role for the committee to play here and rather this is solely the domain of the SM/ASMs?

 

This issue seems to be coming up lately on the board and unfortunately it is coming up in my son's troop too. I can see several approaches to the above. One is that since it is mainly the ASMs and SM who work directly with scouts (and attend camp outs, for the most part) that there are times when behaviors are dealt with just by those individuals. The committee may never even know there was a problem. But then later, when it comes to BORs and/or when the problem is raised to the committee by irate parents whose kids are quitting in part as a result of past bullying, what is the committee supposed to do? Say, "we didn't know?" Say, "this is the SM's problem, go talk to him/her?" I'm still turning this one around and trying to see all angles. Thoughts on the matter?

 

Lisa'bob

[Beavah]

When dealing with a bullying type situation or other behavior issues, what's the role of the committee, in your view? Is it to direct the SM?

 

No. Havin' a group of different people with different views try to direct the SM or the program is inappropriate. They have less information, less personal contact, less relationship with da parents and da boys than the SM. This approach only leads to trouble, and can be truly deadly for a troop.

 

To offer over-sight (ie, to ensure that the issue isn't swept under the rug)?

 

Yes, and no. To provide "expectations/policy guidelines", yes. To watchdog any particular case, no. To back-up the SM when he needs a "bad cop" - yes. With a SM uncomfortable with confrontation, perhaps to take a more active role with her/his at least tacit OK.

 

To provide for follow-up on a situation over time?

 

No. That's the SM's job.

 

To help the SM outline options?

 

As a whole committee, probably not. As individual MC's, yes, but only if the SM asks.

 

To set policy to deal with a specific scout and/or his parent(s)?

 

Yeh don't set a policy to deal with one issue. You set a policy only when you're convinced that a policy is needed to make the troop better on a long-term basis, for all members. When you have an individual problem, have the courage to deal with the problem without burdening the entire program with Policy.

 

Formal warning, probation, long-term suspension, and expulsion should come from the committee in its bad-cop role. Everything else is SM.

 

To offer moral support for whatever route the SM may choose (within reason of course)?

 

Always, at least in public in front of kids and parents.

 

Is there, maybe, not a role for the committee to play here and rather this is solely the domain of the SM/ASMs?

 

Committee role is only to take formal, "big" action or warn of it. How that proceeds depends a heck of a lot on the committee, eh? Committee organization in troops is all over da map. A committee of parents that really doesn't have strong CO connections is a terrible place to have a bullying discussion; it is highly charged, sets parent against parent. Yah, yeh don't want to go there, eh? Better to keep the response to the CC, COR, UC, SM "key 4." On the other hand, a committee with some deeper expertise and stronger CO connections might handle such a case well.

 

But then later, when it comes to BORs and/or when the problem is raised to the committee by irate parents whose kids are quitting in part as a result of past bullying, what is the committee supposed to do?

 

An "irate parent" complaint that comes up in a committee meeting should always be ruled out of order and dealt with by the CC in private. No SM or any adult for that matter should be berated in public, and no highly charged issue should ever be entertained except as a scheduled agenda item, so people have a chance to prepare (and perhaps cool off for a bit).

 

In the longer term in response to such things, the committee might have a serious conversation, in private, with the SM, to convey concerns and re-iterate expectations. Or replace the SM, eh?

 

Yeh see, if the SM isn't respondin' well to kid behaviors/discipline, the committee can't correct it by intervening and micromanaging one case. The SM might need a really firm reminder of expectations (and a request to report back the next month with what step's he/she is taking overall). Or the SM might need some real training/coaching assistance that the committee should arrange for. Or, if all else fails and the situation is serious enough, there may need to be a change in unit leader. But micromanaging one case is always the wrong way to go.

[Aquila calva]

Committee responsibilities may be spelled out in published material but committee abilities regarding behavior are so dependent on the unit leader resources and training that any responses can vary greatly from one troop to the next.

 

The committee is primarily the troops board of directors. These are not necessarily the best people to deal with youth behavior issues. But the SM should report dangerous and repeatedly annoying bad behavior to the committee, at least so no one can say "Oh, we didn't know about that."

 

We are all in this together. The more the scouts, adult leaders and parents understand this, the better off the troop will be.the better off we all will be.

 

Most youth challenges are first dealt with by the youth leaders of the troop (ideally) and next by the adult program leaders.that is, the adults who are closest to any given situation. These are usually the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters. When a youth demonstrates un-scout-like behavior, someone needs to say something to the scout immediately.the SPL or PL, a youth leader, an adult leader, another adult present at the timesomeone. If the behavior is really bad then someone needs to bump the reporting up a notch. Tell someone else who has more experience, tell the Scoutmaster, tell the Troop Chaplin, tell the Committee Chairtell someone who might be able to help the scout. The Scoutmaster should report bad behavior to the scouts parents and also report it at the monthly troop committee meetings. The SM also reports what steps he/she is using to deal with the situation. The SM should ask for help when help is needed and the committee should respond with real help.

 

By the time the behavior gets to be really annoying or dangerous, the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair need to be of one mind. First, get the parents involved. Tell them in no-uncertain-terms what is going on with their son. (The parents most often already know the problem. Maybe someone else can fix this kid.) The SM and CC need to tell the scout and the parents what the limits are of the troops capabilities to deal with the scouts bad behavior. The scout and the parents need to know the limits the troop can/will deal with. If nothing works to help the situation the SM can ask the committee to expel the scout from the troop. This is WAY too bad, but sometimes there is no other option.

 

A few years ago, there was a scout in our troop who was the son of a successful doctor. The parents were totally NOT involved in scouts but their son progressed through Cubs and Webelos and crossed over into the Troop. On the Friday evenings at the beginning of campouts the parents would drive up in their SUV, drop off their 11-year-old son and his equipment, and wave goodbye as they drove out of the parking lot as quickly as possible. Nice kid when he was around adults. But after every campout the other scouts would complain about how this scout was such a bully. He was really good at hiding his bad behavior from adults. He dropped out of scouts after about a year and most of the troop was relieved. Recently, it was reported that the parents have sent him off to a military academy. Maybe someone else can fix this kid.

 

We are all in this together and everyone in the troop needs to understand that, including scouts, registered adult program leaders, committee members, COR and all parents.

 

The scouts need to know that EVERYONE is looking for Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly.etc.

(This message has been edited by Aquila calva)