Parents File Lawsuit Against Boy Scout Troop

[Hunt 11]

I suspect that the reporter got some of the facts mixed up or wrong, but this article does shed some light on the situation.

I also suspect that the troop leaders just made it clear that they were only willing to go so far to accomodate this boy--they were willing for Dad to come along, but they were not willing to go to the even greater length of letting a non-family member come along (note that this person would have had to become registered with BSA, that he would not have been able to tent with the boy, etc.--one of these things might have been the sticking point that made the unit "refuse" to allow him to come along.)

As to starting over as a "rookie" scout, perhaps that means they wanted him to be in the New Scout Patrol for a second year? Maybe last year's NSP is now working on MBs and Star requirements, and this boy may not even be a Tenderfoot yet.

Again, I just don't see a particular Scout troop being subject to the ADA. The leaders are all volunteers, and the unit is (presumably) chartered by a private organization. I can't believe that a court will find that every unit must accomodate any disabled scout who shows up--they just don't have that obligation.

Finally, I would note that it requires a fair amount of nerve to criticize a unit for being an "Eagle mill" when your older son went through the mill and got his Eagle there.

[BrentAllen 10]

Why require the father to attend for a week-long camp, and not a specialist hired to fill in? I suspect the answer might be found in the following quote from the article:

 

'When his dad was present, his behavior changed very noticeably,' said Troop 223 Scoutmaster Mike Lanning.

 

Unfortunately, that is all we have, but I assume that is the heart of the issue.