scout-parent

My younger son also moved to the new troop along with his brother. The new troop is working out well for him as well. He was elected patrol leader, something he wasn't allowed to do in the old troop. He just came back from summer camp where he earned 4 eagle required merit badges. He's finished his Star requirements and just needs a SM conf. and a board of review. He'll be 14 in August, so if he wants to be an eagle, he'll be in good shape. All in all the move to the new troop has benefited both boys and the new troop as well. Thanks for asking.

Hello everyone, I just wanted to give you an update on what happened. My son decided to leave the original troop and move to a very small (15 kids) and very young (ages 12-14 most kids) troop. It's worked out pretty well for everyone. The new troop was trying to figure out how to do the patrol method and my son showed them how. He became the "unofficial troop leader" showing the SPL, ASPL and PL's what should be done and how to do it. The scoutmaster has listened to his advice both good things that were being done and things that needed to be modified. All in all mutual respect betwee

The new SPL elections were held on Wednesday. The SM said that there were two qualified scouts and one didn't want the position, so in effect he picked the winner. My son raised his hand and said he wanted to run and was told he couldn't. It's nice to see that he still thought it was about a fair election. Being 16, I guess you don't understand the underlying politics and the way the world works. It's a sad thing that it was boy scouts that took away the childlike view of the world. Does anyone know if he can change troops after his Eagle proposal has been signed and the ok has been

Here are some answers to questions posed by Aquila calva. Until the deposed leadership was forced to join the venture patrol, no venture patrol existed within the troop. There are two ASM's neither of which has been assigned to the venture patrol, as of yet. One is a NYC fireman and I'm guessing from his size, athletic ability and profession, he's the one who's cut out for high adventure. Three kids made eagle last year and the troop average was about one every year. So, there have been 21 eagles since 1993. The thing about this is that each and every project has been a PROJECT.

The problem isn't that we thought he should be SPL for life. It's the way the SM removed the SPL and the 5 PL's. Saying "if you ran a business you'd be fired" and effectively firing them and forcing them into a venture patrol. They are KIDS! If he said "next month we're going to have elections and select a new leadership corps and give more people a crack at leadership positions", that would have been fine. It's all about how it was done. Scouting should be about building up not tearing down. These are good kids and deserved better. The venture patrol wasn't discussed until they became

To answer some questions, my son was the SPL for one year and 5 months after becoming a life scout. So, his leadership requirement for eagle is covered. Thanks for the idea to get this requirement signed off by SM now. Today my son got approval from the district committee rep ,or something like that, on his eagle proposal. All he needs to do now is wait for the spring thaw. He's relining a pond and creating a drainage field/riverbed and adding some landscaping in a goose enclosure. He's doing the project for a small nature preserve in the area. When the rep asked what positi

We've spoken to the SM and the CC. More or less they say the kids that were removed were disrespectful and hence were removed. My son is a teenager, I have no doubt that he sometimes has attitude. The SM often confuses disrespect for disagreement. My son has a backbone and will stand up for what he believes is right. He's stood up for scouts that he thinks were unfairly treated by SM. Don't get me wrong, he's a kid, he can have attitude. As his father I know! Another example, he and his fellow scouts were on a ferry ride when another scout spilled water all over my son. He took his sc

In answer to another question about is the troop without an SPL. The ASPL is the acting SPL. My son is going to run for SPL in the next election. But, because most of the leadership corps in now in the venture patrol, the PL's will be most of the kids whose parents caused the leadership corps removal in the first place. At the meeting witht he SM on Monday, my son asked the SM if he really thinks the kids who climbed down the cliff would be good PL's when they can't show good judgment and take care of themselves let alone others. No response from the SM. Thanks for the help.

A little more information has come to light about the last campout the troop went on. Below is an excerpt of my son's letter he's going to give to the committee at the next meeting; They had asked an adult leader if they could go to the rock but had not asked to climb down it, as the obvious answer would have been no. The boy leaders found out what had happened rather rapidly, assembled all of the scouts at the campsite and took attendance by patrol. Then leaving some older scouts in charge back at the campsite reported the events to Mr. T, the acting Scoutmaster on the trip. They th

My son and the former leadership corps met with the scoutmaster last night. I believe the agenda was the SM telling the kids about the venture patrol. My son told me he was going to bring up other issues, but I'm not sure if he was able. Unfortunately, I had to work late last night and haven't spoken to him about the meeting. I will keep you posted. I want to thank all the posters for their replies. I've been given a lot of information about the structure and reporting of a scout troop that I was unaware of. As soon as I get the report from my son, I'll let you know the latest.

In answer to some of sst3rd's questions; 1) In speaking with the SM, he's been dissatisfied for a while and was "indirectly" showing his dissatisfaction. Nothing like "your doing this wrong, here is what you need to do to fix it" kind of thing. 2) They went on one camp out with only the leadership SPL, ASPL and the Patrol leaders along with the SM and ASM's. They've had several meetings at the SM's home. His formal leadership training through the county council was canceled by the county council and was never rescheduled. 4) The leadership have open ended terms. They don't e

My son was the senior patrol leader of his troop until last week when he was removed by his scoutmaster along with all the patrol leaders (with the exception of the patrol leaders with Asst. Scoutmaster parents). He and the other patrol leaders were then forced to join a venture patrol. The SM said the boys weren't doing their jobs and if they were in business they would be fired. No serious problems, just a failure to lead. My son, needless to say is crushed, as are the other patrol leaders. My son says that scouts should be boy run doesn't think that the SM should be able to remove them