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Re: A Webelos' Behavior
Anthony Mako (ajmako@NLS.NET)
Tue, 18 Aug 1998 12:14:29 -0400
<Dave Said>
I am in need of the list's collective wisdom on this one. This past weekend
our pack went to a camporee where one of the boys "purposely" through [sic]
a rock and hit another boy. He had a scrape, but nothing major. But the
next day he also had a black eye from the incident. The child that threw
the rock is an ADHD child. He is also the Cubmaster's son (who was not at
the camporee due to a business meeting) and our committee chairman who was
in charge at the time (and is a bit over zealous in keeping militaristic
order) is requesting that the cubmaster's son be removed from the Pack. The
CC has already talked to the District Director and he said that the IH
should decide. Well, guess who the IH is? Whewww!!
I guess I am asking for any procedures that should be followed when an
incident such as this occurs. Thanks.
</Dave Said>
Dave,
Without knowing what was done at the moment of the incident, here's what I
think you should do:
1) Talk with the CM about what his son did. Perhaps he knows of a solution
to the problem. This should have been done immediately following the
activity if you didn't send the boy home. It shouldn't make any difference
who's son the boy is.
2) Ask the CC to take a seat and calm down. The BSA is not a military
organization. Military discipline and order do not work in Scouting.
Whatever actions he may have taken when the incident occurred will have to
be taken into account, but cool heads are needed to resolve the problem.
3) Having spoken to both the CM and the CC you should have a clearer idea
about the incident, the boy, and the possible solutions. At this point I
would talk to the Scout. Find out what he understands about the incident.
Get his side of the story, listen to his feelings, but let him know that his
conduct wasn't very Scout-like. Give him a chance to come up with a solution
to the problem.
4) Once you've gotten all of the sides of the story you should feel more
comfortable making a decision that represents the best interests of all
involved. If you are lucky the CM will have already taken care of the Scout
leaving you only with calming down the CC. If the CC continues to insist
that the Scout be removed, ask him/her who the committee will get to replace
the CM. Surely they don't think he'll stick around after his son is asked to
leave.
In reality, Dave, I think the problem should never have reached you as IH.
This isn't the kind of problem solving your job entails. It should have been
resolved by the CM and CC working together. If they couldn't arrive at a
solution they could have talked to other committee members or even the COR
before going all the way up to the IH.
YIS
AJ Mako, ajmako@nls.net, Scoutmaster Troop 381
http://members.aol.com/Scouts381/ "Home of the Unofficial Boy Scout Desktop
Theme"
Great Trail Council - Old Portage District - Akron, Ohio
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
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