r/BSA • u/AromaticCap4 • 10d ago
Scouting America Advice wanted
My son is part of the Jamboree contingent for our area. They had a Campout at the beginning of May with the new Jamboree troop. The kids were told there would be comfort stations available for them to utilize. Unbeknownst to them, the volunteer leadership decided against having the comfort stations because the troop would be responsible to clean them. The leaders did not update the boys about this change (it was decided at check in at the Scout reservation - not ahead of time). Several boys in my son's patrol went to the comfort station, found them locked and did the inappropriate thing and unlocked several with a flint and steel or rocks. My son was present and says he didn't participate but didn't stop the others either. The volunteer leader showed up, told the boys they should not have done that and the weekend progressed. On Sunday night we received a message in the Discord channel about the damage to the comfort station locks and there would be further discussion.
A week later, I received an email saying my son and a parent needed to attend a mandatory meeting to talk about the damage and reparations needed to be paid. I emailed back and said I needed pictures, needed to understand what was happening to the leadership (who weren't leading), and I wanted to understand the insurance. I was told this would all happen at the mandatory meeting.
The meeting was last night. Come to find out the Area Council leadership called most of the other parents in the Jamboree troop EXCEPT the accused kids' parents. Seriously. My son and the others was tried and convicted without being able to address his accuser(s) and discuss the situation. Is this normally how things are resolved in the Scouts? I get the boys violated the Oath and the Law and didn't act appropriately but I can imagine how this was all decided without talking to the accused. And leadership was exonerated from responsibility.
8
u/Conscious-Ad2237 Asst. Scoutmaster 10d ago
You raised a couple of points that need to be addressed. You accused the volunteer leaders of "not leading" and being "being exonerated from responsibility". A troop, even a "temporary" one such as a Jambo troop, is supposed to be Scout-lead. The adult leaders are there to ensure the safety of the scouts. Not to babysit them and ensure they don't run off to perform acts of vandalism, which is what these boys did. Scouts are expected to do the right thing.
Odds are the adult leaders were in contact with someone from council/district when it happened. Things get a little more complicated when dealing with youth that are represented by multiple units. Since it wasn't a health or YPT/SYT issue, the decision could have been made to properly deal with things when everyone gets home. The alternative could have been that a call made to you, regardless of the hour or distance, that you need to pick up your son NOW.
While you may not be happy with this outcome, if these scouts are still going to the Jamboree, then the boys got lucky. It would not be unreasonable for the Jambo Troop to decide that the boys cannot attend. They violated the Scout Law and committed a crime during a scouting event. The adult volunteers may decide that trust has been broken and no longer want the responsibility of these youth.