Star Rank Board of Review For Disabled Scout, How Handled?

[ASM-142]

I have seen comments in this thread that compared scouts with disabilities to normal kids. Being the father of a scout with a disability I want everyone to know that my son is normal - he just has a disability.

[cballman]

the main problem that I see is that each child is unique. no matter if they are "normal" or have a disabililty. so when a child comes up before a BOR each member of that BOR needs to know any things that might hinder a child that has some extra needs. just remember most of us are in scouting for our kids but sometimes we "adopt" the rest of the troop as MY KIDS.

[smtroop168]

This scenario is outrageous. My recommendation is to appeal the BOR decision to the District. In our area this would generate a visit from either the District Advancement Chair or the Unit Commissioner or both. There is no reason for a scout to wait 2 months for another BOR.

As far as the Troop operations go, if the Committee Chair won't take action, then the COR should be engaged with the Institution Head. Adult volunteers serve at the pleasure of the chartered organization. Our COR was removed by our Pastor for unethical conduct. Local districts and councils (not counsels guys) prefer not to get involved in local operations until all availble options within the unit are tried. There can be severe ramificaitons for the troop up to and including not allowing the troop to recharter (which unfortunately affects all the boys).

Depending on how much effort you want to put into resolving this, I would probably look for another troop as well. I realize I'm across the country but he is welcome in my troop anytime. Given what he's accomplished so far, I'd be happy some day to watch his mother pin on his Eagle Medal.

smtroop168

[evmori]

I have seen comments in this thread that compared scouts with disabilities to normal kids. Being the father of a scout with a disability I want everyone to know that my son is normal - he just has a disability.

Exactly! My son is deaf. He is normal. He just can't hear. And he earned his Eagle without any accommodations.

[joat]

It's not normal that a kid is deaf. A deaf kid may have normal eyesight but if he has no hearing, that is not normal.

[scoutaholic]

I have seen comments in this thread that compared scouts with disabilities to normal kids. Being the father of a scout with a disability I want everyone to know that my son is normal - he just has a disability.

Exactly! My son is deaf. He is normal. He just can't hear. And he earned his Eagle without any accommodations.

It's not normal that a kid is deaf. A deaf kid may have normal eyesight but if he has no hearing, that is not normal.

The truth is that 'normal' doesn't exist. There is no scout who is completely normal in every way. Let's not get hung up on the word 'normal', and let's not fight about who is or is not 'normal'.

Part of being Friendly, Courteous, and Kind is to not call people names, or exclude people because they are different. In this case, many people who are close to a person who is 'disabled' or has 'special needs' or is 'different' in some way may feel excluded or feel that they are being called names if we are not careful about what we say and how we say it.

This thread will be more useful to everyone if we can avoid the namecalling and fighting, and stick to the subject at hand.

[ASM-142]

It's not normal that a kid is deaf. A deaf kid may have normal eyesight but if he has no hearing, that is not normal.

It may not be normal for a kid to be deaf (eg, the majority of kids can hear) but that does not mean this kid is not normal. He just has a disability that prevents him from hearing.

[FrankJ]

I think most people, especially on this list use "normal" to describe kids without disabilities. They do not mean it as slight to anyone. It saves writing a paragraph every time the descriptor comes up.

As said earlier, every kid is unique and has their own set of problems & gifts.

[joat]

Whether a boy that has a disability or two is “normal” or not really has no bearing at all with the way the committee of this troop conducts the advancement process. It simply is wrong for troop adults to throw up advancement roadblocks in front of any boy, normal or not.

[evmori]

It's not normal that a kid is deaf. A deaf kid may have normal eyesight but if he has no hearing, that is not normal.

Except for being deaf, my sons is as normal as anyone else. Didn't appreciate your comment, joat.

[Lynda J]

Easy guys. I don't think any offense was meant by joat. I would hope not.

I am guilty of referring to kids without disablities as "normal". And an sorry about that. My brother was disabled. He was in a wheelchair for 22 years. I saw him as "normal" just that he couldn't walk. I also agree that there is no such thing a "normal". Each and every Scout should be assessed on their own abilities. If an accommodation has been approved through Council for this boy to adjust requirements and to allow him to use a written plan for his boards, then this BOR, AC and CC have no right to refuse to do this. This boy using a written assistance would be no different to me than Ed's son using someone to sign in a review for him. Same thing.

Joat, this BORs turn down foradvancemement needs to be appealed to your District and Concil Advancement Committee Chair immediately. Two things will probably happen. He will be awarded his rank and the Troop Committee will be informed from District and Council what they can and can not do in a BOR. THey also need to realize that they may very well be in violation with the ADA guidelines, and I don't think they really want to get into that area.

But one thing everyone out there needs to be aware of. If you have a boy with a disability that may require that there be adjustments in requirements or in how a BOR is done get the adjustments approved from your Council as soon as you possibly can.
When I started with Tiger Cubs we had a boy that had a major learning disablity. When he was a Bear we went to our Council and got all the paper work handled. The other den leader and I knew when he got to Boy Scouts he was going to have a real problem. It took some time to get everything approved but it finally was. As a Web II his family moved and he didn't stay in Scouting, which was sad, because he really love being in Scouts.
But get any thing like this approved as soon as you can. It will simply make it easier on the boy and on the leaders.

[FrankJ]

Back to the regularly scheduled program...

As a post script we will be Disabilities Committee meeting at District on 04/26/07. I understand someone from national council will be there with the new drafts on material on the subject of scouting with disabilities. I will be there to share what little I know. I've found a lot of holes in the existing material. The final rewrite of the new material is likely months away from publishing. That is why I posted here in hopes of some help from you kindly folks in finding supporting material for the case I'm going to have to make at District.

Hutch: I would interested to no how this meeting went.

Think on this a bit more it doesn't sound like your son needs a modification but rather just a properly conducted BOR.

[w9lqi]

Frank J:

The meeting seemed to go well. It was a kick off to try and figure out what to get done in 9 months, a year and some long time frame like 10 years.

The National Office Leadership Support Gentleman was Mr Christopher. Our leader, Mr Druez, briefly talked about the draft. It's going to be in loose leaf binder style with real live examples. I guess we'll all be given pieces to review some time out, I'm guessing by early summer. The binder idea is to allow it to evolve.

We meet again next month. It was a small but dedicated group.

Some of the schools are beginning to pick up on the value of the scouting program for special needs classes as an augmentation to their school programs and so on. There's a strong emphasis toward providing the program to this group but also working within the existing troops too.

The classic problem is still there, volunteer leaders, some just don't want to be bothered, others have an emphasis that doesn't work for some of the special needs kids. We're trying to sort thru that too.

I agree largerly with your thoughts on this thread. Problem is neither myself or Warren can control all the variables. That's where it gets sticky and I must retreat into as much advance prep as possible for Warren. And that means prompt sheets and practice before the BOR.

Interestingly enough, there was a 90 year old Eagle Scout named Larry Monson, on Warren's 1st class BOR, who was so kindly, sharp and knowledgeable that Warren just put down his prompt and enjoyed the friendly chat. Warren said it was like having the grandfather he doesn't have (both are gone) on the BOR. The boy was really in great spirits from the encounter. So there may be an anxiety factor there for the boy too. Probably bigger issue than I have accounted for in the equation. He does take a med for excessive anxiety.


Hutch

[wagionvigil]

Hutch the conference form MUST GO NOW! Figure out way to get rid of it. Now as to the BOR with the Eagle SCout that is the way it should always be,relaxed.

[FrankJ]

Interestingly enough, there was a 90 year old Eagle Scout named Larry Monson, on Warren's 1st class BOR, who was so kindly, sharp and knowledgeable that Warren just put down his prompt and enjoyed the friendly chat. Warren said it was like having the grandfather he doesn't have (both are gone) on the BOR. The boy was really in great spirits from the encounter. So there may be an anxiety factor there for the boy too. Probably bigger issue than I have accounted for in the equation. He does take a med for excessive anxiety.

If you read the guidance for a BOR. This is how they are suppose to be conducted even if there is a negative outcome. It is up to the commitee to provide training to make it so.

Assuming there has been no movement in the troop, I would start appealing the BOR decision now. Assuming the original post is complete I would think it almost a no brainer. This will benifit your son & hopefully the troop by a third party looking at their process.

I am assuming you also see positives with the troop & do not want to throw the baby out with the bath water.

This is one reason why it is good to be involved with district things like round tables & camporees. Not only do you meet good people, but it it lets you wee what works & doesn't work in other troops.