Rikki12

So if I hear correctly, BOYS, are held to a higher standard than adults. Yes, the boys deserved to be fired, no question. But to be banned is overkill and teaches the wrong lesson. Whether paid staff or not, this is still a boy. As the parent of an ADD boy myself, I know all too well the struggle these kids deal with on a daily basis. That is no excuse, but it is a contributing factor. Like other parents, I would expect my son to be able to attend/work at camp without being exposed to pot. As a boy scout run facility, I have higher expectations of the work environment than I would if th

I couldn't respond. I was working. I did give the whole story. As I said, another boy brought it to camp. The boy in question was curious and tried it. Apparently someone saw, went to admin and reported it. A couple hours after the incident the boys were called to admin, questioned by admin and law and then picked up by their parents. I cannot give names because the boys are minors, but as of 12 days after the boy in questioned received his letter, the boy that had brought the stuff to camp had NOT received a similar letter. What I left out was the threats of adult mgmt to

John-in-KC: My context challenge is that everything I read that I can find publically on the internet, at the national and local council sites, and in all of the Scout documentation I can get my hands on repeatedly says the BSA purpose is to guide and mentor. Even if there are problems, the BSA will work with the parents to help the boy. Even the scout handbook says on page 397 "Don't let others pressure you into harming your body and your mind with drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. And if you have been foolish, there is no law that says you have to stay that way." But it all seems to be a lot

Dear Beavah, Once again, you overlook the obvious. Unlike the camp staff that was expected to provide training, supervision, and interaction and was lacking in all areas, the boy did take responsibility for his actions. What he did was wrong. No two ways about it. And the boy was punished in multiple arenas. All I was saying was that revoking his membership is overkill and sends the wrong message to everyone around him. If you make a mistake, LIE. If you make a mistake you are unworthy to breathe the same air. But now I hear you have a bigger message. Boys with disabiliti

Yes, Beavah. Smoking a joint is against the law, but so is speeding, and running red lights and stop signs. There is no way you are going to convince me that every single PAID BSAer has not done one of those. Exceeding the speed limit seems to be a national past time. Does that mean that every single person that has received a speeding ticket or a parking ticket should be banned from scouts for life? Is that form of a legal violation less bad than a joint? What about underage drinking? Are you telling me that not a single adult member of BSA ever had an alcholic drink as a minor? And let's

PackSaddle, Thank you for the words of wisdom and your human heart. I do not seek revenge. I see a problem and want to fix it. Nothing gets under my skin more than those that act holier-than-thou while hiding their own indiscretions. Boy Scouts is not just something this boy does, it is in his bones. There are no words to describe how special this troop is and the leaders and other boys are family to this boy in everyway that counts. Losing this group would be like the death of a family member. No matter how hard you try or what you do, there is still going to be a negative emo

Trevorum, I'm sorry. Since you posted to this thread I thought you were following the context of it. A boy made a mistake, fathered a child, and from what I hear, the PAID BSA now advocates throwing him out with the garbage. As for the religious affiliation, you stated BSA does not define what constitutes belief in God or the practice of religion" (BSA policy statement, 6/2000) , perhaps you should share this message with others. Boys have had their Eagle denied because some BSA official decided they did not like the particular way the boy views God. It seems that only particular religion

Beavah, there is always a first time for everything, otherwise there could never be a second time. And luckily, the ignorance of not having done it before is what led to this boy being found out. But you have made your position clear. Without knowing this boy, you have become judge, jury, and executioner. The Executive Scout refuses to talk to the parents, refuses to state exactly what the boy is being charged with, and is spreading verbal information very different from what the parents were told by camp management and at the time the parents picked the boy up. The parents have o

Wait a minute. I am confused. I have no problem with the BSA being a private organization and setting guidelines for participation in the organization (although Baden Powell believed it should be open to ALL boys.) And like any other organization, I would expect it to have bylaws / policies that are readily available to all participants and followed by ALL levels involved, from the paid, to the volunteers, to the boys. But that is not what I am finding. I can't find the bylaws / policies for this type of situation and when we asked the local council, they said they didn't have any

Scoutldr, You are comparing apples and oranges. McDonalds is a FOR profit business that makes it clear they have a product to sell. They own the business and yes can dictate how it is run. That is not what Baden Powell wanted for the Boy Scouts and not what the PAID BSAs run around spouting when it comes to the Mission Statement. Everything you read that is BSA related is that its purpose is to mentor and guide boys to help them become productive members of society. Tossing a boy out because he has made a mistake is not mentoring and guiding. It is being judge, jury, and executi

But you miss the point, Trevorum. Do you turn your back on a boy that has made a mistake or do you reach out a helping hand and be a real mentor and guide? Do you follow the positive aspects that Jesus taught and many other religions encourage, or do you have the path of the Pharisees and stone the boy? Actions speak louder than words. The PAID BSAs can say they guide and mentor, but their actions prove those words are lies.

Trevorum, I have not been misinformed. You have to believe in some type of God (which I do), be willing to admit it at a BOR, and if you happen to be of a religion the local council member does not agree with, the scout can be hurt by admitting to it. If that is not a religious affiliation, than nothing is. DO MY DUTY TO GOD AND MY COUNTRY... speaks for itself.

What do you do when a boy smokes a joint for the first time given to him by another scout? Especially a boy with ADHD. There is medical proof that these kids struggle with impulse control and have trouble seeing the consequences of their actions. What if this scout had been a member in good standing for 10 years and had held several positions of leadership? What if the law said there was no proof of wrong-doing, but when asked if he had smoked the joint he responsibly stood up and admitted his guilt?. What if this boy then went to his scout master and informed him of what he had done and

According to the Gospel of John, the Pharisees, in an attempt to discredit Jesus, brought a woman charged with adultery before him. Then they reminded Jesus that adultery was punishable by stoning under Mosaic law and challenged him to judge the woman so that they might then accuse him of disobeying the law. Jesus thought for a moment and then replied, He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her. The people crowded around him were so touched by their own consciences that they departed. When Jesus found himself alone with the woman, he asked her who were her accusers.