Two boys - one Board of Review

[wagionvigil]

OK I have been avoiding this but I will now put my 2 pennies worth.
BOR is always more than one reviewer so YPT is not an issueSMC is one on one BUT I always did my SMC in the same meeting room away from the area the troop was in. It can be just a few feet way but I went to another corner of the room. I was alone with the scout but I was not "alone" with the scout. Why would you go to another room and be one on one? That does not make sense. No where does it say you must meet in a separtate room etc. Use common sense. At the NJ in 05 we had a Female tent in our sub camp for staff. Adults on one end and youth on the other, divided with a tarp. That met YPT.

[DadScout]

The unit AC is the SM's wife. She never attends meetings.
.......any time I've suggested anything - an activity, a camping destination, a fundraiser idea - the SM is there to shoot it down. Or he'll tell me that he'll think about it and it never comes up again.

OK I see what you mean. Your hands are tied with the AC and it's not like you've not tried already. What would happen if your son was to suggest activities at the PLC meeting or up thru the chain to the PLC meeting.... Let me guess no PLC meetings or the the SM runs it right?

[joat]

Child molesters might not follow the YP rules but I'd bet ya your paycheck they know them better than we do! And they know how to use them for their benefit!

Elucidate us please. Give an example of how a molester uses a YP rule for his benefit?

[Quailman]

What would happen if your son was to suggest activities at the PLC meeting or up thru the chain to the PLC meeting.... Let me guess no PLC meetings or the the SM runs it right?

First mtg of each month is for PLC. This began when the troop first started, because the subdivision clubhouse that they met in was reserved first Monday for another group. They met in a Water Board bldg that would not accomodate the whole troop, just the PLC. We've since moved to a church and could have entrire troop meet that Monday as well. When I proposed that at an adult leader mtg, the SM gave several reasons why the whole troop wouldn't want to meet that Monday - "they need a week off" "don't want to burn them out" etc. I didn't press it.

Yes, the SM runs the PLC meeting. When he couldn't make it to one, he sent an e-mail changing it to the next night when he could. Only two or three boys showed up, but the SM was there, so all was fine. We don't have activites that he doesn't suggest. Same with camping. My boys have suggested a state park one hour away that our troop has not been to in five years. The SM is burned out on that one because he's been there so many times with his pack family campouts. He drives the camping schedule. He also drives the PLC planning. He brings meeting agendas to the PLC mtg to plan for the month, but most items are filled in already. They assign a patrol to do set-up, flags, clean-up, and that's about it.

At the Scout Fair last Saturday, our troop did what they always do - make homemade root beer and cook beignets. There was never any discussion in the PLC about what to do at Scout Fair - the boys were just asked at the meeting before to sign up for early or late shift. The SM made the root beer according to his secret recipe. He grumbled about the number of other troop that copy us and make root beer also, "but ours is the best." Other than two boys who helped drop beignet dough into hot oil, (an adult fished them out) and cover them with powdered sugar, they just stood by the table giving out samples. There was no duty roster.

If the SM didn't think of it, it can't be a good idea. And when he does things like reschedule the PLC meeting so he can make it, he gives no reason (he had a conflict with a venture crew leader meeting). Shouldn't the boys be able to run a PLC meeting without adult intervention? I thought the leaders would mostly just be there because leaders ought to be there.

[ASM-142]

The more the scouts can do without the leaders the better. It is there troop.

[evmori]

Child molesters might not follow the YP rules but I'd bet ya your paycheck they know them better than we do! And they know how to use them for their benefit!

Elucidate us please. Give an example of how a molester uses a YP rule for his benefit?

Think about it. No one on one contact! So bring a fellow child molester with you!

[DadScout]

Shouldn't the boys be able to run a PLC meeting without adult intervention? I thought the leaders would mostly just be there because leaders ought to be there.

We'll you hit the nail on the head with that one. Yes they should run the PLC ANNND the Troop meeting. The adults are there for the long laundry list of things you need us there for: supervision, positive example, sometimes teaching something new, BOR. The committee should also make sure the SM has the support he/she needs, you're well funded, etc. We're not there to run roughshod over things, nor is the SM.

One thing's clear is that he's very involved. Just left the CM position, is a SM, involved with the district, involved with a crew. If there's someone to take his place maybe he can move on to bigger and better things where he can concentrate on one thing.

[scoutaholic]

... They met in a Water Board bldg that would not accomodate the whole troop, just the PLC.

Maybe if the PLC were to waterboard the SM it would make a difference. (Yes, I know that would be against BSA policies, and would not be appropriate (if legal), but I couldn't resist the attempt at humor.)

We've since moved to a church and could have entrire troop meet that Monday as well. When I proposed that at an adult leader mtg, the SM gave several reasons why the whole troop wouldn't want to meet that Monday - "they need a week off" "don't want to burn them out" etc. I didn't press it.

Sounds to me like the SM may 'need a week off', or a lot longer. Any scout who wants to be in scouting is not going to be burned out by weekly meetings if the meetings are run properly.

Yes, the SM runs the PLC meeting. When he couldn't make it to one, he sent an e-mail changing it to the next night when he could. Only two or three boys showed up, but the SM was there, so all was fine.

The SM should be at the PLC. This is where he can best act in the advisor and trainer roles that are his main job. However, being at the meeting is not the same as running the meeting. He is there in an advisory role. He does not get to make the decisions, and doesn't even have a vote. SPL is in charge, both at PLC and Troop Meetings. Maybe the troop problems could be helped by getting the SPL to NYLT and at the same time, get the SM to back off. (If SM went to woodbadge, he recieved much of the same training the SPL will get at NYLT. SM would know that he isn't supposed to be in charge.) What would happen if SPL arrived at PLC with his own agenda? Is there another adult that the boys respect who could help the SPL and PLC to take charge?

We don't have activites that he doesn't suggest. Same with camping. My boys have suggested a state park one hour away that our troop has not been to in five years. The SM is burned out on that one because he's been there so many times with his pack family campouts. He drives the camping schedule. He also drives the PLC planning. He brings meeting agendas to the PLC mtg to plan for the month, but most items are filled in already. They assign a patrol to do set-up, flags, clean-up, and that's about it.

At the Scout Fair last Saturday, our troop did what they always do - make homemade root beer and cook beignets. There was never any discussion in the PLC about what to do at Scout Fair - the boys were just asked at the meeting before to sign up for early or late shift. The SM made the root beer according to his secret recipe. He grumbled about the number of other troop that copy us and make root beer also, "but ours is the best." Other than two boys who helped drop beignet dough into hot oil, (an adult fished them out) and cover them with powdered sugar, they just stood by the table giving out samples. There was no duty roster.

If the SM didn't think of it, it can't be a good idea. And when he does things like reschedule the PLC meeting so he can make it, he gives no reason (he had a conflict with a venture crew leader meeting). Shouldn't the boys be able to run a PLC meeting without adult intervention? I thought the leaders would mostly just be there because leaders ought to be there.

If the SM is always doing his way, and not involving the boys, why are the boys still there? I don't enjoy standing around and watching others do things, especially if they don't look like much fun anyway. As a youth, I would have been finding other activities to fill my time.

Does SM realize that he would have more boys, doing more things if he would let them plan and do activities they want?