Adult membership in Scouting

Hi folks!
I have been lurking on the system for a while now, reading
messages through my husbands account. I am involved in Scouting as a Unit
Commissioner, and District and Council Cub Scout Training Chair. (District
for 5 years, just recruited to Council in a new slot ..)
I am looking for answers to this NOT HYPOTHETICAL
(unfortunately) situation, and want to know if anyone out there thinks I am
over-reacting ....

Last week a notice appeared in the newspaper that a man had
been arrested at the scene and charged with beating his wife. (She was in
pretty bad shape.) At this time, this man is still registered in the BSA as
a SM (in a Troop at a Devereux School campus - these are 'special' kids in
one way or another), as ASM in a different Troop, as a Vigil honor member of
the OA serving as Projects Committee advisor, and as the paid Camp Director
for the larger of the two camps on our Resevation. The wife was held in
enough esteem by the OA Executive committee of the Lodge that they called
her out to join the Lodge.

I have been told by youth and adults in the last week that
during the past summer camp season, this person had his wife fired from the
position she held at the Camp,(unjustly, and she planned to sue Council) and
then showed up in the evening with another woman to stay at Headquarters
with him; and that he was seen using the Camp pool for multi-gender 'skinny
dipping'. I had been led to believe that he was ignoring an assortment of
activities on the part of one of the Councils 'old' Troops that would
definitely qualify as hazing, and should have been quashed by the Camp
Director and reported at least to the Scout Exec.

I am personally very upset that this man has not been
removed as a role model for my son (who was not the only '94 camp staffer
who told me the reason they would not work at camp in '95 was the Camp
Director). I was also astounded at the people who told me that it is
difficult to find 'good help' and he should not be removed because he will
be hard to replace. In five minutes another person and I came up with names
of four other people who have the boys and leaders respect and who could
perform the duties of Camp Director, so I really don't buy that either.

Sorry this is long, it could easily have been much longer, as I am
feeling really frustrated and angry.
( What keeps running through my mind is a question - Shouldn't spousal abuse
be just as UNACCEPTABLE as child abuse in this organization? If an unproven
accusation of the latter gets you removed, shouldn't criminal charges filed
by the cops have the same effect? )

April Flipse
NE-CS-33-17
I used to be an Owl ....
Robert C Flipse flipse@nosc.mil
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