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Re: Drinking and Scouts
Richard C. Ickler (icklerr@SOCA.COM)
Sun, 29 Nov 1998 18:04:35 -0800
Bernadette Curry:
>
>I have donned my flame-resistant suit and pose the following:
>
>What would you do if a Leader orders a drink? Or lights up? How would you
>handle it? And would it be different if the Leader were in uniform or out?
>What about other adults?
>
>Specific case: How would you handle it if a Leader in uniform chose to drink
>beer at a summer Pack event for families - in this case a minor league
>baseball game?
>
<SNIP>
>discussion that evening at the game. They spoke of the political situation
>in the Pack but on the subject of the beers - I was told that the Leader
>thought that showing the Cubs that adults can use but not abuse is a better
>message to send and more "real life" than abstinence. I think that the
>Cubmaster should have said point blank NO.
<SNIP>
The Guide to Safe Scouting says absolutely NO. In addition, it seems
obvious that a person who can't forego his beer for a couple of hours is
giving just the opposite message. It is more important to him to have his
beer than to obey the rules. I like my beer as much as the next guy but I
don't have a problem with going without for a weekend outing (Friday night
to Sunday afternoon) or summer camp (6 days). It sounds like the Leader in
question really does have a drinking problem which he hasn't admitted to
himself yet.
Another side thought: Why is it the Cubmaster's call? In the Pack it is
the committee chair and chartered organization representative who must
certify that any leader meets BSA standards. If you as committee chair
don't believe that the leader meets those standards, I would suggest
getting together with your CR and possibly the appropriate unit or district
commissioner to determine how to deal with the leader. The Cubmaster needs
to be a part of the discussion (and may even be the best person to talk to
the leader because of personal relationships) but it is not his right or
responsibility to decide for the Pack how the issue is to be handled.
Good luck, situations like this can be political minefields but doing
nothing can be just as bad as doing the wrong thing.
Richard Ickler
Scoutmaster, Troop 14
Long Beach Area Council (CA)
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