Board of Review

[ICanCanoeCanU]

My question all along was is the SM, ASM, and/or parent allowed to sit on the Eagel BOR.

In our council, none of the above are allowed in the room during any Eagle BOR period.

Our SM has asked council if he could sit in an Eagle BOR for a scout from another troop and he was told no even for that.

Are these parents going to want to be in the room when their son has his first job interview too?

[wagionvigil]

Although your council may do this if push comes to shove they will loose.

[cballman]

the way I understand the rules is that as an ASM for my troop I am not allowed to sit on BOR. That is for MY troop. I can however sit on any other troops BOR even the Eagle BOR for any other boy or troop if I am asked to. but to sit on a Eagle BOR in m troop NO WAY. If you all would READ the scoutmaster handbook and or other BSA publications it is spelled out pretty plain. but then that is my opinion and that is how we in our troop work it.

[evmori]

I have sat on many Eagle BOR's for my district. The only time I refused was when it was my son's, a Scout in my Troop or a Scout I knew personally.

[Mick Scouter]

I have not sat on an eagle BOR. However, are we making a big to do about nothing. This is a rhetorical question, unless someone can answer it, but "What percentage of scouts that go to an eagle BOR do not achieve the rank of eagle? I suspect it is rare. When it does happen it is probably an adult error that has caused the reason for not advancing.

[ASM-142]

The G2SS had the answer that I was looking for:

The Boy Scouts of America does not recognize any secret organizations as part of its program. All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders.

Therefore, both parents and leaders may observe an Eagle BOR.

[Scoutmom 231]

I apologize for going a little off topic, but regarding secrecy, can anyone explain the secrecy surrounding the Order of the Arrow?

I have watched the videos and listened to a representative from our council discuss the process of selection, etc. But while all of the information states it is NOT a secret organization, the ceremonies involving OA are held in secrecy.

[wagionvigil]

They are held for members only. But any parent that has a boy in the order is welcome to watch. Why would you want to watch a meaningful ceremony if by chance you might somday be in the order? Seeing it before hand removes all the excitement.

[Scoutmom 231]

Why would you want to watch a meaningful ceremony if by chance you might somday be in the order? Seeing it before hand removes all the excitement.

I understand your point - I just don't quite understand the OA in full. Our troop has really never had participation in the OA - this is the first year we have had elections.

Curiousity may play a factor in keeping the boys interested, but in this year's summer camp experience (out of council) many of them were turned off from the OA.

[wagionvigil]

Apparently a weak lodge.

[Scouting179]

Have you not had OA elections because of the troop, lodge, or both?

[wagionvigil]

What I see happening alot with some troops is one adult gets a bee up their behind about the OA because they were not selected or they did not get Vigil they sour the entire troop for ever. It gets carried down from leader to leader. There are troops in my council that schedle an outing EVERY OA weekend. This is not coincidence it is on purpose. To keep boys from taking part. ALso troops elect boys they take their ordeal BUT never return. They wear the flap and tell everyone they are members BUT in reality they are not a member after the first year ( dues) and they are just Flap Wearers.
The rules for selection for both youth an adult are the same Except the troop can only select 1 adult and there must also be youth selected. no Youth no adult. All boys in the troop are eligible to vote for the youth and it is possible for all youth that are eligible to be voted in.

I can go on forever on this topic so I will stop herebefore I really make some Flap wearers mad.

[ASM-142]

To start off I am not an OA member. I keep getting elected but I can not fulfill the requirements of the Ordeal because of my work schedule. Former troop leadership was against the OA - basically they kept stating that they used members as slave labor.

I do have scouts and one scouter in my troop that are active members of the OA. Not only do they pay their dues but they participate in OA committees and activities.

IMHO a scout or scouter that does not pay their annual dues AND participate in OA committees and activities should not represent himself as an OA member. For a scout, this is something that can (and should) be brought up to the scout during a SM conference and/or BOR. For a scouter there is not much that can be done.

[wagionvigil]

AS far as slave labor. Wagion Lodge is one of the oldest in the OA. Our camp could not function without our "slave Labor" In the past 50 years our camp has paid for only two projects to be completed.
1. A Mile Long Water Line from the water supply to camp.
2. The Basic Construction of a new Ad building,First AId meeting lodge. The weather was against us so they had a contractor do the Outside walls,foundation and roof. The lodeg finished it.

Projects the lodge has done
Pavillions in all camp sites.
A Omni Stone Walkway for Handicapped Individuals
New Roofs on all buildings total remodeling many times Etc etc
Cheerful Service is the name not slave labor. Do we work the four weekends we have? you better believe it. We average close to 300 a weekend. We ahev a group of members that are at camp every weekend doing something even when the snow flies. Our camp probably had cloe to a foot of snow yesterday and I guarantee you there wil be members there this Saturday doing something.

[ASM-142]

AS far as slave labor. Wagion Lodge is one of the oldest in the OA. Our camp could not function without our "slave Labor" ...

I agree that this type of activity is needed to maintain our scout camps. However, for a SM to promote this as slave labor to the scouts is a big turn off.

[wagionvigil]

He should not be a SM

[ASM-142]

He should not be a SM

He is not anymore!

[wagionvigil]

Then get a Person from the Lodge come in and put on a presentation. Dance team whatever. A Chief and Adv. or A Vice Chief and his Adv. Go to a Lodge function of another Lodge and see how they operate. There are many boys that do not fit in well in a troop but they thrive in the OA. I have not a clue why it just happens.

[ASM-142]

Then get a Person from the Lodge come in and put on a presentation. Dance team whatever. A Chief and Adv. or A Vice Chief and his Adv. Go to a Lodge function of another Lodge and see how they operate. There are many boys that do not fit in well in a troop but they thrive in the OA. I have not a clue whay it just happens.

This is not needed at the present time since the scouts and scouter that are active are promoting the OA.

[Lynda J]

I am glad this SM is no longer there. For scouts in OA to do service projects is simply that. Doing a service project. We have an award program at Worth Ranch Camp. You get an award for every so many hours you give in service to the camp. These are normally projects like repairing thing, cleaning up trails and the such. It isn't slave labor because the boys get something from it. They learn a skill and they get service hours for advancement.

If we want to talk about slave labor. I don't know how many truck and trailer loads of hay I helped load an unload when I was growing up. But boy if I didn't help my dad would have had my rear.