How would your pack handle this? (Long post)

[KiminChicago]

OK, here's a question for all of you Cub Scout den leaders out there, but first a little background:

My son and I both started with the Cub Scouts in September -- he as a Tiger and me as a den leader. So far I think I've been doing a good job, since all of my boys seem to be having a good time and we're all making good progress toward our Tiger badge. Anyway, in October I went to my first meeting with all the den leaders in the pack and there was discussion about having a uniform inspection at the January pack meeting. I thought it was agreed that all of the dens would participate, although it was felt that the 5th grade Webelos would benefit the most as they're getting ready to move up to Boy Scouts. I thought it was also agreed that the pack would give out the "Uniform Inspection" patch for the brag vests of the boys who passed. At every den meeting, we've had a sort of mini-inspection where we talked about how the boys needed to respect their uniforms and take care of them and my boys were all ready for the "official inspection."

Well, the leaders' meeting for January was cancelled, so maybe I would have gotten some additional information there, but the pack meeting was on Monday. When it came time for the uniform inspection, my Cubs all stood up in a nice straight line with their orange T-shirts neatly tucked in, their arms at their sides. They were wonderful. Then the Cubmaster and some of the Webelos leaders tell me that they aren't going to inspect the Tigers, since "they don't really have a uniform." Well, my assistant den leader and I both insisted that the Cubmaster come and conduct a uniform inspection for our den, since we felt that all the dens should be included. The Tiger Handbook has almost a whole page on the subject of uniforms, and the importance of the uniforms, so we do too have uniforms. To top it all off, instead of handing out patches to all the boys who passed inspection (and every one of my boys would have passed!), ribbons were handed out to the three best dressed dens (none of which were Tiger dens). We were shocked and dismayed by the treatment from the pack to say the least. I later asked the Cubmaster about all the changes and I was told that the other leaders had decided that since not all the boys would pass, they hadn't bothered with the patches at all. I thought maybe I had misunderstood what had been decided at the October meeting, so I double-checked with another den leader who has a Tiger in my den and he agreed with me. So, I'm ordering the patches for the boys in my den and I've written a letter to the Cubmaster explaining why I'm upset.

So, my question is, how is this handled by other packs? Are the Tigers in your pack the "forgotten" Cub Scouts? What also concerns me is that all the boys in my den will finish all the achievements for the Tiger Badge in time for the Blue and Gold Banquet, but I'm afraid that so much emphasis will be placed on the Webelos leaving the pack, that my den won't receive the recognition they deserve. Man, I feel like a momma tiger protecting her cubs today!

 

[cgcw]

Our Scout Master is good about making sure no boys are left behind. I've heard him say more than once that as long as the boys are recognized and made to be important, as well as having fun, that's what it's all about. It certainly sounds like your pack is not honoring the whole pack. Tigers next year will be Bears -- and if they don't have pride in the "uniform" (regardless of whether it's a t-shirt or not), what incentive is there for them to wear it with pride? I would be upset and feel you should be too.

Our boys are recognized when they complete their rank during a special ceremony during our pack night. Blue & Gold traditionally is for the boys moving onto Boy Scouts, at least that's how I understand it.

It sounds like a tough situation. I hope your letter to the Cub Master helps some. Best of luck.

 

[tkd lisa]

I'm sure I posted on this one, but it's gone, so here it goes again. I'll probably be shorter this time, but no guarantee!

I'm the committee chairman for our pack, and have been a den leader when my son was a bear and a Web 1 (he's a web 2 now). I actually did the inspection for our tigers last year. They looked very sharp and were quite proud to be wearing their uniform. Our inspection is a week from Monday.

Uniform inspection issue first. Tigers are real members of the pack, and they have real uniform requirements. They are inspected just like the bigger boys. Awards and scores should be given across the entire pack or not at all! The tiger uniform is clearly defined in their handbook, and that's the standard by which they are judged. Unless your by-laws state otherwise, the handbooks definition rules. In our pack, our tigers do not have to have cub scout socks or "blue docker" type slacks (Olive khaki for Webs wearing the khaki shirt). A tiger receives 100 on their inspection in our pack if they are wearing 1) tiger hat, 2) tiger shirt (short or long sleeve), 3) Blue Cub Scout belt with totems and any/all belt loops earned. The remainder of their clothing must be neat and clean (i.e. I'll take off a point if the shirt isn't tucked in). If the tiger is wearing BSA or blue docker style pants and cub scout socks, I'll praise them for being ready for next year, but they don't get more points than a tiger with everything listed above, but wearing jeans and white socks.

Patches for the inspection. IMO what happened is wrong. If the plan was patches, it can't be arbitrarily changed. Again, by-laws should state how things can be changed. It isn't any one person's opinion that changes a planned budget (either by not buying it, or spending way more. What if they had decided to spend $10 for trophies for each boy who received 100% instead of the patch which was agreed to by the October meeting? This is the same thing, just in reverse). CubMaster should respond to your letter. If not, send it to your District representative. In our pack, even if the Web 2s have the highest score, they present the award to the next highest scoring den. After all, they are graduating and can't enjoy the bragging rights. Our Web 2s understand that it's important to make the younger boys enjoy scouts.

Finally, recognition at blue & gold. Our blue and gold banquet is historically for rank promotion. Our pack goal is for each boy to earn rank by blue & gold. If they reach it early, it will be presented at a pack meeting, but each rank usually has a promotion ceremony for the boys who earned it in January (typically 70% of our boys earn rank then), and just a recognition for the boy who earned it early. This year for the first time, our Web 2 graduation is going to be held at Blue & Gold. The Web 2 leader presented this to our committee for approval, giving the reasons why (our boys have all had all the requirements since mid-November, and have selected their troops, so they want to move on to the next step). The committee voted, and it was approved. The B&G rank ceremony will be first, followed by Arrow of Light/Cross-over for Web 2s. Will it be a long night? Absolutely! That's why we do it on the weekend (Saturday the 7th), and have dinner (potluck style). There will be a break between the two ceremonies, and anyone who doesn't want to stay for AOL is free to leave.

Feel free to pm or email me if you have more questions, but I think you're right to be mad. Sorry for the length, but you did ask how we do it in our pack.

 

[Boo'sMom]

Okay....well, I've opened this up, typed a response, and the closed the window again...but I'm back.....LOL....

I am currently the committee chair for our pack, and have been since my oldest scout (now a 2nd class boy scout) was a wolf. So all told, I'm in my 7th or 8th year as Committee Chair. I'm also my youngest son's den leader, he is a wolf now, and I was his Tiger leader last year. When my youngest started as a Tiger, we, as a committee, decided to forgo the orange uniform shirts and put Tigers in blue shirts. Obviously, this decision isn't one that is widely recognized as an alternative, or even endorsed by BSA (mostly because of the overstock of orange shirts....once those are gone, the tigers will get blue shirts)**anyways, i digress**
The purpose of us doing this as a unit was two-fold. First, cost. Face it, scouting is expensive, it's a year round program, we charge for EVERYTHING, and to ask a family to buy a shirt that is only good for one year seems economically STUPID in our opinion. Second, the REAL reason we went to a blue shirt for the Tigers is so that they could have a sense of belonging. As it is, Tigers no longer earn "paws" at pack meetings, and therefore, get very little pack recognition. We try to include our tigers in ALL activities and really stress the importance of starting a scout foundation of family involvement.
IMHO your cubmaster is wrong. By alienating the tigers, they are going to lose that sense of comradarie that will bring them back for another year of scouting. A lot of "old timers' don't really know what to DO with tigers. But to segregate them from the rest of the unit is in essence sealing the fate of growth in your program.
You were absolutely right in standing up for your boys. They are very lucky to have a leader looking out for them.

Keep up the good work!