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Imagine two Scout troops, troop A and troop B.
Both troops have “average” Scouts (whatever that means) who do what average Scouts do. Both have a well defined procedural approach to discipline and misbehavior.
Troop A publishes a guide that defines the rules, how they are enforced, and penalties for breaking them.
Troop B has no written rules, so they don’t have any measures for policing them or penalties for breaking the rules.
An average Scout in troop A decides to misbehave in precisely the same manner as an average Scout in troop B.
Listen in to hear what happens next, two very different responses to identical situations, it’ll stun the Dickens out of you.
Listen to this week’s podcast
[00:27] Troop 38, New Berlin Wisconsin, takes a tern for the wurst.
[03:19] A Tale of Two Troops.
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Podcast Notes
Podcast 355-When Scouts Misbehave
Constructive Scouting Discipline.
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Yup, I agree! It’s never good with a situation arises. The troop I’m with has a Code of Conduct kind of like your Troop A. When one gets “written up”, it goes to the parents and it’s main function is that it is a written record of what happened. It’s clear and available if there is a repeat issue (very very rare). One difference with our CoC is that scouts aren’t barred from meetings, usually it’s camping trips that are barred. We try and keep them active and involved to prevent the situation your mention. It hasn’t come to this often (twice in 8 or 9 years). However, I’ve never been fond of the written rules and instead liking your idea or just using Scout oath and law.