From: Fred Heilbrunn (Lilchpn125@AOL.COM)
Date: Tue Jun 27 2000 - 14:10:28 CDT
In a message dated 6/27/00 10:06:35 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
plamson@GISCO.NET writes:
<< My question
is when is the best time to tell this scout that he was not elected, or
should I not do that
until after tapout? We have never faced this as usually if eligable the
scouts were elected. >>
Actually, there are a couple of concerns here that need addressing:
First, the callout (not tapout) serves to notify who is or is not elected by
recognizing those who are. You need tell this Scout nothing unless he asks.
The unit leader, at the time of election decides whether to announce the
results or to wait for a callout. Obviously you have elected to wait for the
callout. Whether or not all or none of the eligible are elected, or anything
in between for that matter, you should be addressing the possibility of not
being elected in your Scoutmaster's minute. All the boys should be prepared
to deal with losing gracefully, as well as accepting honor gracefully.
Second is a concern I have brought up on this list before. The Scout in
question is going to correctly infer that his peers don't think very much of
him. He is not going to have the luxury of reasoning that maybe he was just
edged out by someone more popular. This is a major flaw, in my opinion, of
the election rules as they now stand. It is going to take a real effort on
your part to keep this Scout in Scouting, and, by your description, he needs
it. To be elected in the future, he is going to have to work harder to live
up to Oath and Law. Instead, I fear, he is going to think "Why stick around
when nobody likes me?" I hope you can overcome that thinking, but it will not
be easy to do. Ask his father for support in this effort.
Others may respond wondering why this Scout was approved for election in the
first place. Don't let those comments phase you. It is not the Scoutmaster
who votes. Your only options are to set a basic standard for eligibility on
the basis of your observations, and to make a judgment on those observations.
This boy has met your standards. The Scouts in your Troop decided otherwise.
This is the way it should be.
What shouldn't be is the option for 100% of the eligible names to be put on
each ballot. It creates a situation that you are now realizing. The previous
rule was to vote for up to 50% of the eligible names on each ballot. It was
still possible for all candidates to be elected under this old rule, though
it was unlikely. The good part about this was that it offered a Scout such as
yours a simple and acceptable reason for not being elected at that time
(being edged out by someone else), and still encouraged him to improve his
dedication to the Scout Oath and Law.
Good Luck,
Fred Heilbrunn
Scoutmaster, Troop 125
Mount Vernon, WA
Lodge Ceremonies Adviser
Sikhs Mox Lamonti #338
