More about “Extra Requirements” toward Star and Life Scout (19 Sep 11)

By Mike Walton on 20 September 2011 in Uncategorized

“Jeno” wrote and asked us:

“I’d like to ask about “extra” requirements required for rank advancements.”

Okay. The short answer is that the BSA says that they’re not allowed.

“Our scoutmaster requires all boys 1st class and above to complete a “mock eagle” project before allowing them to advance to star and life.(one to gain star rank, and another to gain life rank) For this “mock eagle” they must complete an eagle packet and approvals, and conduct the project. So far, all the projects I’ve seen benefit our charter organization.”

Not cool.

“He makes the boys do this before signing off on a scoutmaster conference. When questioned about how he can require more then BSA requires, he states they have to prove leadership ability to him before he will sign off on their SM conference.”

He’s using the Scoutmasters’ conference to circumvent the advancement process and hold Scouts back until HE is ready for them to advance. Pure and simple. Been tried before in other locations.

“Two of the boys in question have attended NYLT and both hold leadership positions in the troop (per the requirements) Is this “allowed”? Our committee has issues with it, as we’ve found him to be overly critical on the packet requirements, often editing and returning them for revisions several times. One boy in particular has been at 1st class with all requirements completed except the sm signoff for 18 months now, turning in his project packet 5 times and having it returned. He is understandably discouraged and ready to quit scouting if he cannot advance. What can we as a committee do to help our scouts? (short of getting a new scoutmaster)”

No. It is not “allowed”. That one Scout waiting for advancement — I strongly recommend that you as a Committee conduct a Board of Review and allow that Scout to advance!

Three things:

– first, you need to have a meeting as a Committee with the Chartered Organizational Representative. You need to explain the following facts to this person:

* the BSA (not your Council, not your District, not some fella out there on the Internet…the Boy Scouts of America) says that what your Scoutmaster has been doing for the last 18 months is AGAINST THE WRITTEN ADVANCEMENT POLICIES OF THE BSA. Don’t say “may”, “could” — it IS. And if the chartered organization is the beneficiary of those projects, they are not being fair to those Scouts.

*as part of the requirements for Star and Life, there is a service project PARTICIPATION requirement. This means that Scout Richie Rich, from another Troop and is performing an Eagle service project, can invite ANY AND ALL SCOUTS — to include your Star and Life candidates — to PARTICIPATE and help WORK at his project and it COUNTS for Star or Life. There is NO REQUIREMENT for a Scout to LEAD a project at this point in the process. The BSA subscribes to the “crawl, walk, run” method of learning…in order to LEAD a service project, one has to see what one looks like and the difference between a “good” project and a “bad” project from the standpoint of the “workerbees” before they can even start planning one as an Eagle Scout candidate. The reference to this is found on page 27 in the ACP&P booklet.

No wonder this guy is “rejecting” the projects left and right: your Scouts don’t know how to *plan and lead one* because they haven’t been able to *work one*!

*this is important: ANY ADVANCEMENT DELAYED because of this dude’s “extra credit” can be contested at the local Council level. This may not mean anything to the Scoutmaster — but to a Scout who have been “delayed” for 18 months because of this “extra work assignment” may have his “date of rank” for Star or Life ADJUSTED to the actual date that he participated in the “Scoutmasters’ Conference” depending on the local Council. The reference to this is found on page 33 in the ACP&P. (Thanks Lou for the specific references!)

– second, you as a Committee need to have a meeting with this fella like LAST WEEK. During this meeting, invite your District’s Commissioner and/or Executive/Executive Team member to be there too, along with the Chartered Organizational Representative.

Specifically, my friend and fellow Scouter Lou Leopold wrote and added:

Beforehand, “obtain a copy of the Advancement Committee Policies & Procedures (may be downloaded from: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/commissioner/pdf/33088.pdf).

This one document is the “bible” for rank advancement.

Print out and give a copy to your Scoutmaster with the paragraph on page 23 highlighted that states, “No council, district, unit, or individual has the authority to add to or subtract from any advancement requirement. A Boy Scout badge recognizes what a young man is able to do; it is not a reward for what he has done.”

Then ask him to show you the requirement in *any* official Scouting literature that has this “mock Eagle” project.

If he starts blustering and blubbering that it is part of the Scoutmaster conference, open the ACP&P to page 25 and ask him where it states that the project is part of the conference.

Finally, show him page 17 which contains the text of the Rules & Regulations of the BSA where it states, “Clause 7. Responsibility of the Troop Committee. It shall be the responsibility of the troop committee, under the leadership and guidance of the local council, to make sure that the program of the troop is conducted in such a way that Scouts have an opportunity to advance on the basis of the four steps outlined in clause 5.” and point out that he is not conducting the program as per the BSA policies and procedures.”

(Thanks Lou!!)

During this meeting, the Committee Chair needs to explain to the Scoutmaster the above. They also need to explain to the Scoutmaster that the Troop Committee “hires and removes” the Scoutmaster if there is cause for such action to take place. Your Executive and/or Commissioner are there to further explain that process.

– finally, as a Committee, you need to continue to schedule Boards of Review for those Scouts at the conclusion of the Scoutmasters’ Conference. If the Scoutmaster states that “I didn’t have a conference with Alonzo Stagg”, you need to contact Alonzo and confirm it with him.

Where does it say that the Scoutmaster (or anyone else) cannot alter the established requirements for each rank? Boy Scout Requirements booklet for one. The BSA’s Advancement procedures booklet for another. That new BSA “Guide to Boy Scout Advancement” (whenever it is released) for yet another. Common Scouter Sense for a final.

This guy has been bullying your Scouts around for at least 18 months. He (or she) needs to be shown the exit door or ramp and as a committee, you need to hire a Scoutmaster who will attend and put the volunteer training to positive usage in your Troop.

I know what the guy’s defense is going to be: “they’re advancing too fast and I needed to slow them down until *I think* they’re ready…”

“Every Scout advances at HIS OWN rate and speed.” That means you’ll have some “Speed racers” and you’ll have some “slowpoke Mcquirks”. But they are ALL advancing.

Hope this helps out!!

(Again, thanks to Scouter Lou Leopold for the references and the additional information!)

Settummanque!

—
Settummanque is writer, retired military officer, dad, friend,
traveler, public speaker, webmaster, Eagle Scout, and/or “sweetie”
(LTC) Mike Walton. South Lake Minnetonka area, Minnesota.
http://www.settummanque.com

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About Mike Walton

Take your standard Oliver North. Add strong parts of Bill Cosby and Sir Robert Baden-Powell (the founder of Scouting). Throw in Johny Bravo without the "hurhhs!" and his pecks. Add a strong dose of parenting, the sexuality of a latin lover, and Mona Lisa's smile. And a 40 year old's body frame. That's me basically *grinning*

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