I feel sorry for the Scout! He is the one who suffered in this case. I can't imagine how he felt being left out like he was. Like btps said, the unit leader is the one who needs YPT. Wet gear or not, all the Scouts need to go home. And if wet gear was the issue, this leader needs to worry more about his Scouts & less about his car or truck.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

I was off getting my Geritol so I must have missed something. Where did Eamonn say that the Scout's gear was wet?

I guess we kinda figured his gear was wet form the original post. Rain does that.

"Wet Gear" was the reason the scout's leader left early without taking care of his scout.

 

I say again, GET A ROPE.

Personally, I think the entire leadership in this boy's troop need to take YP, boys and adults alike. Not one of them thought of this lad and his dilemma. How very self-centered! I'd also like to know why his SM (or whoever the leader was) couldn't get a buddy and make sure he was there to give the lad a ride home. What's a 50-minute drive round trip?

 

As a new scout leader back when, I was so enamoured of the ideal of two-deep leadership that I incorporated it into my church's Sunday School educational policy - even had windows installed in every door so no-one was ever in private with minors. Ended up saving us a bundle in insurance. I hear a lot of churches are beginning to do this now.

 

FWIW, I think you did the only thing acceptable under the circumstances. Dogmatic adherance to the rule would have been far more detrimental.