Discipline Issue AGAIN!!!

[riverwalk]

Yeah, abductions or lost and injured are all possibilities. Parents were notified, though not very understanding about the Troop's position. Scouts shouldn't have run off...but these might have been expected to. They weren't missing however, and Police won't deal with such things usually.

[mhjacobson]

I have already posted this on another discussion group, but here it is again!

Steps in disciplining a scout:

1. Adult leader immediately talks with the scout. If infraction is minor, no further action (but SM is notified);
2. If major, or second infraction, SM holds a SM conference with boy to discuss the issue. SM notifies parents of what occurred and results of SM conference;
3. If 3rd offense, or if the incident is major, SM requsts that the unit committee hold a BOR to discuss the issue. The BOR can establish sanctions for the scout. They can run from "warning" through "removal from the unit."

It is not within the scope of the SM's authority to establish sanctions against a scout without the troop committee holding a BOR on the issue. If for no other reason, that can disturb the delicate relationship between the SM and the boys (and the boy in question). Why should the very individual who could save a boy be in the position of issuing sanctions.

[616kayak]

mhjacobson:
The steps you posted seem to leave out the boy lead aspect.

IMO the first step would be for the SPL or ASPL to have a conversation with the scout. This, from my experiences, is more effective than having the SM talk to them. Of course this requires leaders with experience dealing with discipline issues.


Are your steps supported by official BSA publications or are they your troop policy?

[mhjacobson]

Responses are from BSA policy. However, I looked at the issue from the prospective of the issues that were presented and they tended to state that the youth leaders were unable to handle the situation.

When on an activity, safety is the first consideration and discipline and "qualified" supervision are the foundations of safety. No matter who is there: youth and adult, the person who is supervising the event or activity where there is a discipline problem should be the person who acts under step #1. If the scout who is causing the problem continues or if it is a major issue, then go to step #2, which is the SM.

[Nuts4Scouts]

You state that your "3 strike" rule is BSA policy. 616kayak asked if you would post the specific reference in BSA literature. I, too would like that reference.

Thanks!

[evmori]

You state that your "3 strike" rule is BSA policy. 616kayak asked if you would post the specific reference in BSA literature. I, too would like that reference.

Thanks!

There is no 3 strike rule in the BSA. If the incident is serious enough a Scout or Scouter can be removed at the 1st incident.

[pipestone1991]

I remember 2 decembers ago when i was a wee 2nd class scout that we gathered with another troop to go Christmas Caroling.We all met at our troop's chartered church. Later on we found out that someone took a pair of gloves that was from a bunch of stuff that was to go to chairity and went and threw them in a urinal and peed on them. My SM was furious, he said whoever did it should be man enough to come up and confess. He said if they ever found out who did they would be asked to leave the troop.

^^If the action deserves, the scout will be kicked out of the troop. I've never heard of the "3 strike" rule.

[616kayak]

mhjacobson: The JLT video includes a portion of the video teaching leaders how to deal with conflict. If national believed scouts were not qualified I don’t believe they would train them to do it. How would a scout learn to lead if all his leading involved was teaching knots and whenever a situation that required leadership came along an adult stepped in to handle it?

----

A few years back we had a group of scouts who caught an alligator. It was only about 5 feet including the tail and it was morning so the gator was drowsy and still sunning. Still enough to for some one to loose a finger possibly a hand if they hesitated while jumping it or didn’t get the mouth tapped fast enough. They were suspended for the rest of the year. Never happened again. Because, this is a crime adult leadership handled it.

[mhjacobson]

Read what I said -- "or if the issue was serious enough" -- when I referred to the steps. The "or" moves the issue immediately to the next level if the issue was serious!