Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Tenderfoot scout, 12 - 13 years old in the troop for his second year.

 

Sign on the latrine says "please keep lids closed" for obvious reasons.

 

Tenderfoot scout proceeds to urinate on the lid and walls.

 

How would your troop leadership handle this?

 

BTW, true story from 1 week ago at camp.

 

Thanks

Quixote

Link to post
Share on other sites

At the very least, have him clean up his own mess...i.e. consequences for ones actions. I might side with sctmom but for the thought that "punishment" might over-ride lesson learning by some degree. Knowing the boy and the circumstances would attend to that issue, though. Did he know right from wrong? Was this a prank? Was this done with malice?

 

I assume he doesn't do this at home....

Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with sctmom, too. If this boy did this not knowing it was wrong (I taught my son and my girlfriends son, that you raise the lid and the seat aim for the center the lower the seat and lid when they are finished), I would be concerned about other developmental problems showing up. If it was for any other reason, let him clean up for a day or two, he will realize quick, that it won't be tolerated.

 

I still send the boys back in to clean up the mess (they have to clean the entire toilet if they don't raise the seat, not just the seat)or lower the lid when they "forget."

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds like a Scout who wants attention no matter how he can get it. I got one like that, too! Make him clean the latrine. I would also explain that this type of behavior will not be tolerated & if it happens again, there will be more severe consequences.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks.

 

In case you're wondering how it was handled, the SPL gave him a written warning for defacing camp property - 3 such warnings and it goes to committee for possible suspension.

 

I have suggested that the CC convene a BOR for this boy as he has been in the troop for over a year and still isn't 2nd class despite going on all the outings.

 

YIS

Quixote

Link to post
Share on other sites

So what was the consequence here? A piece of paper? The first strike, of a three strike and maybe your out policy? I have boys that might work on, but I also have boys that are going to take the second swing, just because there is no real consequence (or just another piece of paper). I bet the only way his parents will find out is if you tell them.

 

Who cleaned up the latrine after the boy? Was his mother there to do it? Did the SPL do it? Did you do it? The boy should at least have to clean up after himself (if not everyone else for that day).

 

I had a boy (my girlfriends son) throw his candy bar wrapper on the ground at camp one morning then walked off. I had him police the entire camp by himself. Believe me, he didn't like it. And it was the first thing out of his mouth when he saw mom. "I had to clean up the whole camp by myself yesterday!" He told her the truth when she asked why. Her response was, "I bet that won't happen again."

 

Now that he is the SPL, he keeps an eye on people and their trash.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

The consequence was the SPL gave him a written warning per Troop policy. His father is a committee member and was informed the very next day. The boy was not made to clean the latrine.

 

I was not present the day this occurred, but given the boy in question i would have counseled the SPL to have the boy clean the latrines.

 

Quixote

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry, Quixote, I didn't understand that you weren't there. If you were there, he still would have had the warning, but also the reminder of the cleanup.

 

If the written warnings work, I'm all for it.

 

What did the father have to say about it?(This message has been edited by scoutmaster424)

Link to post
Share on other sites

"I have suggested that the CC convene a BOR for this boy as he has been in the troop for over a year and still isn't 2nd class despite going on all the outings."

 

What's the BOR going to do? Bless him with a 2nd class badge?

 

Maybe he doesn't care about advancement. Maybe he's just having fun.

 

Back in the good old days, before everyone became Eagle crazy, advancement wasn't that important. I know a fellow who was a Tenderfoot for six year because he couldn't pass a swim test. Did it bother him? Nope and it still doesn't. He was having fun and that was what was important.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

The BOR would be to encourage him to work on some of the scoutcraft areas that he's missing to advance - it's not to advance him for advancements sake, but to encourage him to get even MORE out of his scouting experience.

 

Case in point - he won't be eligible for our Troop's Klondike unless he's 14 or 1C - so, if he would do a couple of more things on some of the campouts he could go on the Klondike and have even more FUN.

 

I didn't mention his entire background, but he has had some other behaviorial problems in the past - nothing big, but he is definately one of the less emotionally mature 13 year olds in the Troop.

 

I don't have a problem with the Troop policy not spelling out everything, some things should be left to the SPL and the PLC to work through - it's a good exercise for them.

 

The father couldn't believe that his son would do such a thing and the boy has denied doing it, but it's hard to believe him because he has lied about things in the past and there are two witnesses.

 

Thanks

Quixote

Link to post
Share on other sites

At our camp the scouts have to clean the latrines as part of their daily patrol chores. This helps them take care of it a little better. In this case I would have had the particular scout clean it himself out of turn. However, I really don't believe this will change anyone's behavior in the short term, but maybe long term he will grow up and see that his actions affect himself and others. We can only hope.

 

I had a 4th year camper this year purposely make a big mess at the breakfast table where a first year camper was the waiter. (They rotate the waiter job each day). I had this scout take the first year guy's waiter job for the next 2 meals. Did he learn from this? No! The next day I caught him doing the same thing to another scout, so this time he had to stay and clean the table himself. So maybe he didn't learn from the first situation, but at least he knows he can't harass the younger guys and get away with it.

 

The important thing in your situation is that the scout learn that the troop won't tolerate unacceptable behavior.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...