Re: [Philmont]: Need help with a question

If he thinks that it is HIS troop, I would ask for HIS resignation. The SM
works for the committee and the sponsoring organization. Suitable
consequences for improper behavior are required. This in NOT the correct
solution.

Tom Bradley
Committee Chair - T161
C-20-95 - I use to be a FOX!
----- Original Message -----
From: <jpsampson1@mmm.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list philmont" <philmont@troop47.com>
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 12:11
Subject: Re: [Philmont]: Need help with a question

>
> OK, a couple of you have said you'd be interested in helping, or at least
> reviewing my problem, and as I'm familiar with the wisdom on this board,
> I'll try to give you the Reader's Digest condensed version of what is
going
> on.
>
> At summer camp in July, five of our older scouts, (1 Eagle and 4 Life
Rank,
> ages 15-17) decided to get up in the middle of the night and wander around
> the campsite breaking sticks and making bear sounds. Practical jokes have
> NEVER been tolerated in our troop, so what possessed them to do this, we
> really don't know. Anyway, three leaders, one of which was me, heard them,
> thinking it was a bear. We talked amongst ourselves, but waited it out in
> our tents. This lasted about 45 minutes, then all was quiet. No one else
> woke up. The next morning we told the SM about it, and at formation, he
> reminded the scouts about following proper bear policy to avoid visits by
> bears in our campsite. NOTE: There was an incident of a scout being
> attacked by a bear at our camp (not our site though) many years ago, and
> although we haven't had any attacks in several years, bears do visit our
> camp. Anyway, after the SM finished his talk, our Committee Chair heard
one
> of the boys make a 'bear sound' and when they exchanged glances, the scout
> smiled. The CC knew immediately who the 'bear' was. Nothing was said at
the
> moment, but we then told the SM that there wasn't a real bear, and tried
to
> think of a practical, appropriate consequence for the boys. All are good,
> active, scouts, and have never been in trouble in or out of scouting. In
> fact, they include the current ASPL, the former SPL, the Troop Guide, the
> Chaplain's Aid, and Librarian. All have parents actively involved in the
> troop. Anyway, all five 'fessed up during a discussion with the SM, and
> once realized what COULD have happened (scaring the younger scouts,
> although if they really wanted to, they would have succeeded, and didn't)
> they agreed it was a stupid thing to do and felt bad about it. The adults
> decided the consequence would be for a camp counselor to spend an
afternoon
> with them to talk about bear behavior, bear policy etc. This would #1
> educate them, and #2 'deprive' them of some free time doing something they
> would probably rather be doing during a summer day at camp! Due to an
> emergency not directly related to this issue, the focus was elsewhere and
> the scouts never got their bear education. They all left camp at the end
of
> the week thinking this incident was over, as did the adults. It was not
> discussed with the rest of the troop.
>
> In a conversation among leaders a month later, the SM commented that NONE
> of the boys involved in the 'bear' incident would EVER be allowed to have
> leadership in HIS troop. Even if it meant preventing them from getting
> their Eagle, a Palm, or even if they all quit. He didn't care. Some of
> these scouts go all the way back to Tiger Cubs with this SM, and the
others
> have a long history under his leadership. Only the three leaders who heard
> his comments are aware he is planning to hold this against the boys in
this
> manner and we're not sure how to handle this. The SM is the only one who
> has had any contact with our Charter Rep, and he has years of history with
> our unit commissioner -- going that route will not be effective. Our CC is
> a great guy but is stumped, too.
>
> So, now that it's well after camp, where do we go from here? Both with
> consequences for the boys, AND how do we handle the SM? Does anyone have
> any suggestions? Thanks very much!
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
>

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-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Mon Aug 18 17:58:54 2003