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Boy Scouts of America review: Bad boy scout 16

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7:49 pm EST
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A little boy (wearing his boyscout attire) and his mother knocked on my door to solicit 3 bags of popcorn for $30.00. This was to help the boyscouts.

I reluctantly handed over $30 cash, but expressed to him AND his mother (who I looked at with a smile for I felt that she was proud of her son), that I normally don't hand over money like this to just anybody. I (at least) got his name and they reassured me that if they weren't on the 'up and up' that I could just ask my neighbor's son, for he knew him from school.

Long story short, I've exhaulted every avenue that I could to get this popcorn.

At this juncture tho, now I only want my money back.

I've talked to the scout leader OVER the popcorn sales, TWICE, the first time he told me that he'd have the popcorn to me within the next week.

Still never came. Then I left a message with the boyscout manager. Then I talked to a consumer advocate (here in Knoxville) that goes to people's houses when they have a problem or a complaint against a company. He told me that he also was a boyscout endorser and knew both men that I told him that I had complained to. He assured me that HE would get me the popcorn or my money back.

I even called the non-emergency police, and was promptly told to call who I had ALREADY called!

So, at this point, I just want to warn people not to buy popcorn from little boys with cubscout uniforms on.

The thing is, I noticed several names above mine when I signed up, so the MOTHER had a pretty good haul that day, and NOBODY has done ANYTHING about it!

She might as well been going down the street and taking $30 from every house on the block.

Another thing that bothers me is (if she had this planned all along) what kind of example is SHE teaching her son,

and more than that, what is the boyscouts teaching their boys about being held responsible and accountable?

Isn't that what the boyscouts are all about?

I can give names if I need to. From the little boy's name to the leaders for I did procure all of that, and took notes along the way.

I'll NEVER give to the boyscouts again, nor anybody other kid selling things with their cuteness and charm.

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Boy Scouts of America - Poor Quality of scouts 3
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16 comments
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Claudia Stephens
, US
Jul 03, 2022 7:56 pm EDT

Just a piece of advice: the scout leader has allowed gossip about my family and me to go around the troop. When he realized that I knew about it, he did everything possible to hide it. Impossible. I avoided the group as much as I could, but my son is still part of the troop. What would you do?

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Paul R. Lewis
, US
May 05, 2018 9:59 pm EDT

My complaint is about DESTROYING the institution of Boy Scouts AND the Girl Scouts by combining them into one! This is NOT proper for little boys and girls and will not benefit them! The boy scouts was a place where a boy could speak openly and be himself, not trying to impress girls and vice versa. It allowed boys to grow up properly as a boy! The liberals want to wipe out every legacy, every institution, every heritage, every ritual, every tradition! The fact that you are allowing this is a disgrace!

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Mom1962
, US
Jan 29, 2018 3:29 pm EST
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Same here. The mother of a cub scout, also the leader's ex-wife, accused a boy of saying a bad word when it was hers & the scout leader's son that said the bad word. So the ex made the accusation and the leader enforces her accusation all to save their little brat. Don't waste you money joining cub scouts in Lake Jackson, TX. They are self serving.

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Mustangs
, US
May 26, 2017 8:38 am EDT

Troop 1457 in Inverness Fl has the worst leaders because all he does is yell at everybody and get into mothers faces and point his finger in their face also Them throw your boys out because his a [censor]. Never let your children go to Boy Scout troop 1457. And they treat there son differently then the rest of the boys. He gets special treatment then everyone else.

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Howard kaiser
Deep River, US
Jul 10, 2014 10:28 am EDT
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Troop13deepriver, ct asking for donations, mailed a check for 1000 dollars 060713 they deposited to their account. Numerous emails have been ignored asking for verification, , , I am 86 yrs old and must not make waves with local politicians someone is richer is the popular consensus

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Bridgette13
PHila, US
Mar 25, 2014 11:48 am EDT

MY SON HAS BEEN VERBALLY ABUSED BY HIS CUB MASTER:
My son has autism and ever since he joined my husbands old pack, the leader has treated him very poorly. My husband and myself both volunteer every week, and the lady is just a poor excuse for a leader. This whole year the only thing she has planned for the troops is a bowling trip and the pinewood derby. My husband and myself asked if we could start doing trips like hiking or camping she replied the troop was broke. We spent $170 for both our children to participate in this troop and haven't really done anything. We suggested to just take the kids hiking in the park and she said NO! Things really got ugly when we were asked by the council to take over next year. They asked us to pick up camp cards for a fund raiser. When we showed up to the scout meeting with the cards, she blew up. She said the money earned from the camp cards belonged to her.
She asked to speak with my husband and son in the next room. After a few minutes I hear her screaming at the top of her lungs. I went back to see what was going on and my son was in tears, and she informed me, that my son was no longer welcome there. She claimed that none of the other cubs wanted him there. She claimed my son had picked up a pair of scissors 3 weeks ago and threatened another scout. I asked her why she had waited to say anything to me especially with something so serious? Why hadn't she said something that night. She continued to scream that she wanted us all to leave along with a bunch of other nasty things. I explained I paid for my children to be there and had the right to be as well.
After the one council member showed up she changed her whole tune. I explained what had happened and he replied she will be gone after this year.
I feel that she had no right to say those things directly to my child. She is a disgrace! I contacted the council and told them what had happened, well I haven't gotten any response. I don't understand how she could verbally abuse a child and lie and continue to be cub master? Plus we have 25 kids in the troop and each kid paid $85 and we are broke? How can it be that we haven't even spent more than $500 and we are broke? Now the council keeps asking me to take the BSA training and I just feel as if I was used as a pawn and now my son thinks the other troops don't want him there because of this horrible leader!
There have been many other things that have happened but this is just the icing on the cake. I'm considering going to the media on this one!

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madparent03
Spotsylvania, US
Mar 19, 2014 1:31 pm EDT

Pack 560 from Spotsylvania Virginia area is a joke. Im going through similar issues here. The cub master son dosen't even go to our kids school.. isn't that funny. yet she puts down parents and myself, as a leader as if she is god. she is very condensending and it has not pused my son to not want to be in scouts anymore. what a joke this area cub master is. she needs to step down.

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notokwiththeBSA
alanta, US
Aug 30, 2013 8:31 am EDT

I have lost all faith in the BSA! My son attended a week long camp and was put in a tent with a boy almost 5 years older than my son. The boy physically abused my son every night. Punched his multiple time, gave him weggies, tore up his things. My son did not say anything to any one about this until he got home from camp because he was afraid. My son is only 12 and the boy that hurt him just turned 17. After this I find out that there are several other times that is older kid had done bad things to other scouts! to make a long story short... the only consequences this kid has received is to go to a different troop! Which he is currently doing! I have made contact with several people and get very little response! The troops leadership and the council keep giving me conflicting information. The council had the audacity to tell me that this kid deserves a second chance to try to grow into a good adult because this is the core value of scouting It's as if the BSA is just trying to pacify everyone! what happened to accountability?

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dissapointedwithyou
Conroe, US
May 13, 2013 4:02 pm EDT

Back again, found out Mr H from SHAC told second troop leader not to do anything about the situation because my son would be sent to another troop. WHAT...DO NOTHING ?!? You know guys, I refrain from calling you men because you are not, just a simple note of apology would have been appropriate. Verbal abuse needs to be dealt with immediately, not over a month later guys. Just because you shoveled my son to another troop to cover up your reluctancey to deal with a very real problem in today's society. You are not acting like real men. VERBAL ABUSE AND DISCRIMINATION are against the law! Mr. H when you warned me" not to push too hard", that's called ITIMIDATION, I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, AND I ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEING TREATED FAIRLY AND NOT IN AN ABUSIVE WAY. SO SAVE YOUR THREATS FOR YOUR FAMILY NOT MINE. We by law do not have to put up with your abuse nor any other scout leader Mr J !

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dissapointedwithyou
Conroe, US
May 13, 2013 3:39 pm EDT

I am back to let you know that th SHAC informed the second troop leader not to do anything about the incident which I just explained above. The troop was told to do nothing because he (my son) was being placed in another troop ?DO NOTHING ? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE...SCOUT LEADERS JUST SWEEPING IT UNDER THE RUG AS INSTRUCTED BY THE BIG HEAD HONCHOS...this is so male old boy texas! I acknowledge their are many wonderful people in scouting who get the bad rap when these type of complaints are brought foward, I am not referring to you. I am tired of this old boy crap, women are to wipe our feet on, just put the kid in another troop to shut up mom. One simple letter of apology would have said a thousand words boys, instead you just show how little you think of other people and women. You do not practice what you preach. Mr V you don't care a hoot and everyone on down the line of "leadership" (and I question that) obviously feels the same. You have discriminated against women. The audacity not to make this very rude scout leader send a note of apology. Obviously you guys need to refresh your rules of conduct and read up on laws on abusive behavior. All you have done is showed me and that troop that this is acceptable behavior.

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dissapointedwithyou
Conroe, US
May 13, 2013 11:58 am EDT

At a scout meeting in which my son was in attendence, I had heard enough negativity and bashing of the scouts for a cooking weekend they had. The negativity was discussed for 75% of the meeting when I finally stood up and said enough! constructive critisizem is okay but not bashing. I received screaming and yelling from both the male parent and the scoutmaster! all taking place in front of the troop! Not only were these men rude to another parent (women) they were rude to the troop as well. I sent a certified letter to Mr. H at SH Area Council, after not hearing from him I called. Mr. H said he never received any letter (?)told him I also sent cert. letter to Mr. F (under Mr. H) and Mr.H immediately replied "he didn't receive one either" (!) Mr. H said he would check his mail and call me back. Mr. H called back and was happy to place my son in another troop. But no apology was in sight. I wanted a letter of apology. After not hearing again from Mr. HI called him and he told me "if you push too hard you will get pushed back" !WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BOYSCOUTS TODAY. IS VERBAL ABUSE ACCEPTABLE? IS THIS WHAT YOU ARE TEACHING OUR YOUNG BOYS AND MEN? Sent cert.letter to Mr. V (top guy) never replied..had Mr. H call me again. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN...VERBAL ABUSE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE shoving my son to another troop put the wrong doing on him...not the scouts. If you can't practice what you preach than get out of the pulpet. U have just pushed it under the carpet guy SHAME ON YOU !

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Mars2377
auburn, US
Mar 09, 2012 7:18 pm EST
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Well Im a leader in cub scouts in ga and I totally agree bout all the fundraisers hey are garbage to me. But my real complaint are about the upper leaders in the pack the camp master hardly ever come camping and when he does its for like 12 hrs then leaves no activities planned. So I take the initiative and do things with my den and any other boy who wants to join in. And I must truly say that I am a good communicator and my parents really like me and but the camp master and me dont see eye to eye. In return they always complain about lack of organization with the uppers just wish he would take a hike Im gonna go after his Camp master status to try to make it smoother with everyone involved in the pack Email are ok but I like the personal touch ie Phone call or talking with other leaders and parents in person

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Larry (B.L.) Sherouse
Denton, US
Jan 26, 2012 8:05 pm EST
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Please advise as to status.

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Larry (B.L.) Sherouse
Denton, US
Jan 26, 2012 8:04 pm EST
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I made a complaint a few days ago about a scoutleader using profanity at Singing Oaks Church in Denton Texas and did not leave any contact information which I am now doing.I would like to be kept informed on the status of the complaint and what is to be the outcome, if any? You can e-mail me at ghostwalkerscoming@yahoo.com. Sincerely Yours, Larry (B.L.) Sherouse, A 49 year Member.

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Al Sorensen
Gloucester, US
Feb 16, 2011 3:19 am EST
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Please dont take this wrong, you have a very valid complaint. The complaint is against one boy and one cub scout pack. I am a proud parent of my Boy Scout son. I also am a Eagle Scout from many years ago and a Charter Rep presently. I would have to say that at least 98% of the young men and there leaders are Honest, Caring individuals. Please do not chastise the whole BSA Community for the actions of that 2%. Look at the good that the boys and girls do for the communities, the armed forces, the elderly, the shelters, this just names a few that they help. Please take your complaint to BSA council in your area. Im proud enough of the Boy Scouts to sign my name. You can find me on face book.

Al Sorensen
Gloucester Va

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Eagle76
Rochester, US
Feb 21, 2022 11:30 am EST

I too am an Eagle Scout and have been a Scout leader in multiple capacities for over 20 years. I agree with your sentiment that Scouting is an outstanding program, but my beef is with the paid "professionals" at the local Council offices and Territories (formerly regions). They are a good-ol-boy CYA club that will deflect, downplay or sweep under the rug all issues with them and their staff. You'd think they'd learn their lesson from the decades long sexual abuse fiasco that blew up in their face, but No - it's business as usual here in 2022. Scouting is decaying from the inside because they themselves do not follow the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. They are not Kind and Courteous and are definitely not Helpful. Sad...

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