Issue 576 – October 2, 2018

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Hi Andy,

I just read the very upsetting September 18 (Issue 575) letter from a parent about the off-the-reservation Scoutmaster and his assistants, and it caused me to wonder how many stories like this out there. But your response was right on, and I agree that these adults need to be gone. But more important, it must be pointed out that their behavior and treatment of these Scouts is not teaching any lesson except how to demean and abuse youth. What can we do to put an end to this nonsense? (Chet Wickett)

You’re dead-on. This is nothing short of abuse! I’ve been receiving letters like this regularly for the past 17 years…and these are only from folks who have “found” me. Unfortunately, it looks like this sort of thing has been going on from the very beginning of Scouting (check that story from 1938!).

Is there an ultimate solution? Only if parents are willing to take action together and get these rascals tossed out!

I’m very sensitive to issues like these, and here’s why: It happened to me and here’s the story…

When I was 11 years old, I joined a troop at my family’s church. In going for Tenderfoot rank, I was fully prepared to do what my handbook said I needed to do. The other requirements taken care of, when it came time to repeat the Scout Law and tell, in my own words, what each point meant to me, I was stopped by the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair as I began with “Trustworthy.”

“In THIS troop,” they told me, “we expect you to memorize exactly what your handbook says about each point of the Law.”

I was puzzled. “But my handbook says ‘to describe in your own words’ and that’s what I was doing,” I said.

“Well not in THIS troop,” they told me. “In THIS troop, we follow a HIGHER standard. And you just FAILED.”

I returned the following week and, without a miss, provided the exact definitions of each point of the Law.

“Good. Now you’ve passed. Here’s your Tenderfoot badge,” the Scoutmaster said.

“Thank you,” I said, and pinned it (we used pins back then) to my shirt. Next, I said goodnight and I walked out of that troop meeting.

By the following week, I’d found another nearby troop and joined it.

There’s no question in my mind that (a) a Scout does need to read his handbook and (b) if the adults of the troop he’s joined doesn’t respect what the handbook tells the new Scout what Scouting’s supposed to be all about, walk away.
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Hey Andy,

Our troop has always followed a basic rule on whether or not something could be counted towards a Boy Scout requirement—rank or merit badge—and it’s this: The Scout has to have done it only after he became a Boy Scout registered in a troop. This is in print by the BSA: “All requirements must be completed as a member of a troop.” In fact, we sometimes plan the timing of cross-over ceremonies so that a graduated Cub Scout could participate in a special troop event and get credit for it.

I couldn’t agree with you more that the recent decision on NOA (National Outdoor Awards) is disconcerting: Unlike you, I have a feeling that this arbitrary and tradition-repudiating BSA decision was made for the pure sakes of money and “head-count.” (Ed Colaianni, Retired Unit Leader, Pathway to Adventure Council)

I sometimes have to work hard to keep from speculating as to the motivations of folks above my pay- grade but, if I do, I try to stay on the positive side (even when that little voice inside me is whispering “somebody’s plotting…” That said, I do believe that, just like in other large organizations, the BSA’s “right hand” sometimes has no idea what the “left hand” has been doing.
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Hi Andy,

Our district membership recently asked me if our chartered organization would be willing to sponsor a girls-only troop in addition to the boys’ pack and troop they’ve sponsored for years. The answer came back: No. They’d prefer to continue concentrate on boys.

But the pack’s Cubmaster is the father or a daughter as well as a Cub Scout son, and his daughter will shortly be moving into a Boy Scout troop. I was obliged to mention to this Cubmaster dad that, although his daughter will be welcome to a Scouts BSA all-girl troop, it will be just that: Girls will be in their own troop, with their own leadership, and they’ll need a sponsor. I’m not sure what will happen when his daughter and her friend are ready to cross over, but I have an uncomfortable feeling that our District Executive will take steps to force our troop accept girls as a patrol in a Bout Scout troop and use a “sham” Scouts BSA girls’ troop on paper (only). How do we keep this from happening? (John Burnham)

You might want to make a suggestion to that Cubmaster: He can contact your District Executive and tell him or her about this girl’s interest in joining a Scouts BSA troop, and the DE should be able to provide guidance on local Scouts BSA troops in preparation to launch early next year.

And just so it’s clear: No DE (or anyone else) can “force” anyone to establish a “girls’ patrol” inside a boys’ troop; this would be a totally invalid approach to Scouts BSA, male or female, and sponsor can stand fast on not permitting such a thing.
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Dear Andy,

Our troop leaders and committee aren’t giving credit for the Den Chief position as a qualified leadership position even though it is listed as one in a Scout troop.

What do we do??? Our son is currently getting ready for his Eagle board of review presentation for the troop, but this seems way far beyond the requirement as his handbook points out! (Rosalyn & Andrew Bellman)

What’s wrong with these people that they’re refusing to acknowledge a long-time qualifying leadership position for Star, Life, or Eagle? The Handbook, the Troop Leader Guidebook, the Guide to Advancement (published annually), and the Boy Scout Requirements book (published annually) all say the same thing: Tenure as a Den Chief is a qualifying position for any or all of these ranks.

And what’s this nonsense about an “Eagle board presentation”? A board of review for any rank, including Eagle, has nothing to do with a “presentation.” The Guide to Advancement clearly points out that boards of review are conversations…they’re not “tests” or “quizzes” and they’re certainly not “presentations.”

Your son’s Scoutmaster is supposed to be his primary advocate—it’s up to the Scoutmaster (if not your troop’s advancement coordinator or chair) to tell the members of the upcoming review that they’re wrong and then tell them how it’s supposed to be; this is definitely not the responsibility of your son.

If the Scoutmaster is part of the problem, then you—as parents–can reach out directly to your district’s Advancement Chair and ask for help in correcting this baloney.

Happy Scouting!

Andy

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council. (If you’d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that’s what we’ll do.)

[No. 576 – 10/2/2018 – Copyright © Andy McCommish 2018]