BSA: Re: age or grade requirements-AOL
BRAMLET@ECC4.ATENG.AZ.HONEYWELL.COM
Tue, 17 Jan 1995 10:05:17 -0700
Nancy Smith Writes...
"This committee member has a boy who is in the first year of
"Webelos--he's in fourth grade. She pointed out that he is
"actually a year older than most 4th graders--he's already ten
"and will be 11 this summer. She wants him to earn his AOL
"soon after school starts in the fall and have us arrange a
"special AOL ceremony for him so he can move into boy scouts
"during his fifth grade year.
My son had a similar problem, except that he was half a year
younger, and a year behind in school due to the school
registration requirements, the rest of the boys in his Den.
As that Den became the _last_ 1 year Webelos Den, the Pack
Committee decided (without discussing it with me) to drop my
son into the _first_ 2 year Webelos Den, based soley on his
year in school. (When he joined, he was placed in that Den
based _soley_ on his age.) It caused him some difficulty,
and certainly did NOT help the situation.
As I pointed out in an earlier discussion, the Boy Scout
entry requirements say that to join Boy Scouts, a boy must
"Complete the fifth grade, or be 11 years old, or have
earned the Arrow of Light Award, but be younger than 18
years old". Note that the word here is "or".
The way _I_ read the requirements leads me to believe that
if a boy is 11 and has not earned the AoL, he _may_ join
Boy Scouts if he wishes, BUT IS NOT REQUIRED TO. Also, if
he has earned his AoL, but is not yet 11, he _may_ join
Boy Scouts, and should be allowed to. If this boy is currently,
and will be next year, in a Den with his school _grade level_,
he may be more comfortable staying with those boys then being
"pushed up" early.
What I am saying is, if he is in a Den where he is comfortable,
then leave him alone. This also goes for "pushey" Mom.
Also, singling him out for "special" treatment opens the door
for 1. Having others request the same or similar deviations
because "You did it for Johnny Smith"; and 2. Placing the boy
in a position where _he_ may get unwanted attention. 1 could
be detrimental to the unit; 2 could be detrimental to the boy.
Just my $0.02.
YiS,
Chuck Bramlet, ASM Troop 323
Thunderbird District, Grand Canyon Council
I didn't used to be anything! (Except younger) Maybe someday...
E-mail any replies to: bramlet@ecc4.ateng.az.honeywell.com
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