Another Scout Advancement Issue ...

[OneHour 11]

Offer has been made ... he has not declined ... but in any case, I have done my part!

[Eamonn 61]

The Scout Handbook states that the swimming requirements may be waived by the troop committee for medical or safety reasons.

We as Scouts are challenged with doing our best, if this Lad has done his best and still can't swim, isn't this then a safety reason?

As for what has been signed off in his book, is the onus on the Scout or the adults to ensure that requirements are met?

The ideal situation would be if the Lad kept on taking lessons and did manage to meet the requirements, but not knowing the Scout and the reasons why he can't swim, maybe that is just not possible.

Eamonn.

[Hunt 11]

Putting the best possible light on the situation--as Semper has done--we can imagine that this boy managed to squeak through the 2nd and 1st class swimming requirements enough to satisfy the SM, but (apparently) did not retain any of what he learned to achieve that. I don't think that's too farfetched for a boy who really does not like to swim.

 

The worst light would be that the previous SM falsified the signoff, knowing the boy didn't really meet the requirement.

 

I think there is not much difference in how you handle it now. At either extreme, the decision to sign off lay with the SM, and he decided to sign. However, I do think that it's perfectly appropriate for the current SM to counsel this Scout that swimming is a vital survival skill, that it's a quintessential Scout skill, and that most people would be surprised to hear of an Eagle Scout who couldn't swim better than a basic dog-paddle. He will also have to understand that this will restrict what he will be able to do with the troop. He's only 13 or 14, I think you said, and he's not afraid of the water per se. This may well be fixable, with some urging.

[dan 10]

The only thing I see that needs to be "fixed" is to find out why this scout is not attending summer camp. No one has to swim at summer camp, if they do not want to. Does your troop do a lot of swimming during the summer, which is why he does not camp in the summer?

Has he gone on any High Adventures? Have you told him he does not need to swim at summer camp?