Re: hazing problems
Jim McMaster (mcmaster@SWENG.STORTEK.COM)
Fri, 12 Sep 1997 09:02:56 -0600
In message <19970912121751Z541500-1515+581@outbound.Princeton.EDU>, Charlie
Fol
ks said:
> I'm afraid I must disagree to some point with the other responses to this
> message. I know that hazing is illegal according to national policy, but
> you're not going to get scouts to stop. First of all, as younger scouts we
> had the same done to us, so we take it upon ourselves to 'continue the
> tradition'. Secondly, as long as it is done only jokingly, and the
> perpetrators stop when asked by the younger scout (if they ask...) I see no
> problem with it.
>
In my troop, all the scouts *have* stopped. If they start, they are out of
the troop...period. I am not going to put *my* home and family in jeopardy
so that scouts can continue a stupid tradition. If a parent thinks his son
was harmed, physically or emotionally, he can sue the parents of the
offending scouts, me, all my assistants, the entire troop commitee, the
sponsoring organization, the council and BSA. BSA liability insurance will
not back us up, because we have allowed something not according to national
policy.
Do you really want to risk that for everyone associated with your troop, so
you can have some "harmless" fun?
I was "initiated" into my troop when I was 11. I felt humiliated, but I
never felt the urge to "continue the tradition". Just because some older
scouts did something wrong to me did not make me want to take revenge on
younger scouts.
Let's see...how many points of the Scout Law do you violate when you engage
in hazing? Right off the bat, I can think of Trustworthy, Loyal, Friendly,
Courteous, Kind, Obedient and Brave. What are you and your buddies doing to
yourselves when you violate all these points of your guiding code?
> I'm not saying that I believe in hazing (I can see myself getting alot of
> e-mail about what I've said), meerly that it's just an 'unnofficial' part
> of scouting that can be controled (somewhat) and as long as there are some
> rules set out beforehand by the adults (if the scouts says stop, you stop;
> dont do anything that could be physically harmful; etc...)
>
I have set out one rule regarding hazing in my troop. There will be none...
period. I am not going to rely on a frightened young scout in the process of
being bullied to tell the older guys to stop, nor am I willing to trust an
uncontrolled gang of teenagers to decide what might or might not be
physically harmful. You did not even mention emotional harm. That can be
more real and more lasting.
> This is the way my troop operates in regard to 'prank night' at scout camp,
> and we've had only one problem that was more with parents complaining then
> the kids.
>
"Prank night"??? If you even hint to a really angry parent this is accepted
enough to have a name, you can find your troop disbanded and all the adults
you are supposed to care about in court. This is worth the "fun"?
> well, that's just my oppinion....dont get _too_ upset...
>
Sorry, but I *AM* upset. There is no place for hazing in Boy Scouts. We are
supposed to be teaching you to believe in the principles you recite in the
oath and the law. Hazing is not in accordance with those principles.
> Charlie
> __________
> Charlie Folks
> Sophomore, Jennings High School
> mailto:c.folks@jennings.net
> "WWW-It means more then you think"
--
Jim McMaster
mailto:mcmaster@sweng.stortek.com
Scoutmaster, Troop 70
Boulder, CO
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
