Perhaps he should throw in the towel

[Eagle447]

I have seen it all now...........SM refuses to sign off at Eagle Scout Scoutmaster's Conference..........Scout is almost 3 weeks away from being 16 has earned 31 merit badges, 2 religious medals OA member (ordeal)

has attended 5 summer camps has repeatedly show scout spirit by attending activities, working fundraisers scouting for food, flag ceremonies.you name it and of course has completed his approved eagle scout project...... and leadership position. SM says he is not ready and needs to remove all doubt expressed by others others............ 22 merit badges now needed for Eagle.........Remove all doubt....?? Told him to come back in 60 days after assigning him to work with specific younger scouts...........Why is this boy being held to a higher standard than what is required by BSA.........? SM wishes to remove doubt so that his BOR will go smooth? Is the SM doing him a favor by helping him this way or is it time to throw in the towel?

 

[Bob White]

One of the grounds that a scout can use to request get appeals board of review is the refusal of the SM to grant a BOR. The Scout should contact the district or council advancement chairman.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[evmori]

What doubt does the SM have? Is there something that has happened with this Scout outside of Scouting? Who are these others? Is their doubt justified?

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagle447]

Nothing has happened outside of scouting with this youth..........I know he is a good kid.........these others are a mystery to me.....perhaps ASM's? perhaps some committe members who sit regularly on Eagle Scot BOR's.

This youth is being held back probably because of his age? This whole situation is just unbelievable...... I think this kid has done well in scouting because it something he loves and has met EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT FOR EAGLE SCOUT and yet has been held back fo 60 days for what? The maybe it will be another 60 days and another.

Maybe he is being held up because he does not fit the mold of what some people believe is an Eagle Scout. I know he is not very mechanically inclined could that be it....... It is just so very unfair to this boy........who knows he is so downhearted right now....he may leave.......I thought we were supposed to help kids advance......not hold them to some sort of mysterious ideal standard

[Hunt]

Hmmm...3 weeks away from being 16...held up by the SM for 60 days...maybe a SM who doesn't believe in Eagles under 16? I guess I see three options here:

1. If this kind of behavior is a pattern for this SM, go ahead and appeal.

2. If things have otherwise been pretty good in the troop for this boy, and the 60-day assignment isn't too onerous, just do it. If the SM puts up any more obstacles after that, then appeal. It isn't fair, and the SM shouldn't be imposing these additional requirements (probably), but 60 days isn't really very long. If the SM has earned your respect in other ways, you might reasonably decide to put up with this.

3. Think about switching to another troop, right now. If the boy has to appeal, I suspect his relationship with the SM will be permanently ruined in this troop anyway.

[LovetoCamp]

Thank goodness he has you there, talons out, ready to fight the good fight.

[EagleInKY]

Eagle - Just to play devil's advocate here. Perhaps you haven't seen everything. You don't indicate your role in the troop. If I have a particular issue with a scout and hold him back on scout spirit, the only people that generally know are my assistants, the CC and probably his parents. So, I'm not sure if you are getting all the facts. I certainly know that I've been misrepresented by those who don't know everything that has gone on.

 

I've got a situation where I have a boy about to make Life. He's been generally a good scout up until the last six months or so. His dad has turned into quite the negative force in our troop. He's tried to turn people against me (unsuccessfully), leave the troop (unsuccessful again) and stage a sort of coup (also unsuccessful). Most everyone either ignors him, tells him to get over it or encourages him to leave. His negative attitude is now spilling over to his son, who is receiving really bad advice from dad. If I hold him up on Life (which I'm tempted to do), I would expect to see a similar note written about me. Just something to think about.

[Venividi]

As long as we are speculating as to reasons, perhaps we could also speculate:

 

That the SM has seen some issues with the scout through his observations and through discussions with the scout that you have not-perhaps the scout has spent his scouting time earning merit badges while ignoring other scouts in his patrol that are having diffuculty advancing (a scout is helpful); perhaps the scout held a POR to which he devoted only 2 hours of effort over a six month period (a scout is trustworthy - he can be depended on). Perhaps the scout is focused on his own needs for advancement and does not interact or participate with his patrol (a scout is loyal). Perhaps the SM has reviewed these or similar issues with the scout, and has reached agreement with him to provide an opportunity for him to demonstrate scout spirit to the level expected by his troop.

 

There just isn't enough information included in the initial post to ascertain where the problem lies, or even if there is a problem at all. Nothing in the post indicates that there is any animosity involved between the SM and the scout. Rather than assuming the worst about the SM, perhaps you can have a conversation with him about his philosophy in providing and delivering the scouting program. Perhaps you will find that the SM does have the best interests of the scout in mind, and that he is delivering a program that includes advancement which is consistent with BSA's Advancement Policies & Procedures; or verify that he is not.

 

Venividi

[Lynda J]

How old is the SM's son? Is his son close to Eagle? Maybe the SM doesn't want this boy to make Eagle before his son. I have seen it happen.

 

Have a unit in a different district from mine that has a SM that won't let two boys start their Eagle project because his son lacks two badges before he can start his project. I ran into one of the adults from that troop at Commissioners College recently. She and her husband are starting a new troop because of problems with the SM and Committee.

 

I would get with your District Advancement Chairperson and talk to him.

The scarry thing is that if his boy get really discourages he may drop out and not complete his Eagle.

[acco40]

Venividi - excellent post! I am a SM and currently have in our troop a Scout who has completed all of his requirements for Life except for participation, Scout Spirit, SM conference and BOR. Now, some would say he has met the participation but not SS but either way, he has not finished all requirements.

 

He has attended one camp-out in the past year. He has missed over half of the troop meetings. His service hours were completed on his own (he did not participate in any troop or patrol service projects). He has not been to a meeting, outing, etc. for over two months. His POR was very sporadic, half-hearted, etc.

 

I constantly get email messages from his parents about why he doesn't make meetings - sports, school, family crisis, etc. What I nor his PL nor the SPL have heard from has been the Scout in question. I have responded to his parents frequent inquiries about scheduling a SM conference with a request to have the Scout contact me.

 

Sometimes the Scout is okay with everything, it is just the pushy parents that have a problem. The parents keep telling me how important getting (they never use the term "earning") is wrt to college applications, job interviews etc.

 

I wish the BSA would make a program change and allow the parents of Scouts to earn the Eagle rank. Maybe by doing so some of their energies could be directed appropriately.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[pmickle1027]

I agree that the eagle has to earned, it is not to be earned by the parents.