Scouts/Was Oh Holly !

[Guest guest]

Well, you can believe it about the boy scouts. The leaders say

welcome, but the kids were terrible with under the table kicks and

hissed " go away, crazy boy " . The leaders didn't believe it when

told, and were pushy, unaware and unkind to my frightened, isolated

child (who was also in the ethnic minority category in that

particular group). He tried to join with a friend who suffers from

social anxiety, who likewise suffered at the hands (and words) of the

other kids. Both boys attended in the presence of a therapeutic aide

who tried to assist with social transitions. After two attempts, she

gave up and told us moms that our boys had better social skills and

manners then the scouts, who were determined to drive them out. P.S.

We were given a long list of things to buy and told that there was no

financial assitance.

Sorry to rant, but it was a miserable experience for two sweeties

doing their best in a sometimes cruel world.

> Hi,

> I find what is being posted about GS hard to believe. I have

been a

> leader for 7 years now and they have always striven to keep an

ethnic mix

> in troops as well as disabilities. It is on every form we fill

out.

> They make special provisions to help financially burdened families

by

> getting them uniforms and waiving dues and annual fees. They have

fully

> funded troops in neighboring towns with at risk kids and even had

troops

> formed in prisons. I am appalled to know that they turned someone

down.

> The only time I have ever turned kids away is when my troop was too

large

> and became unmanagable. I simply set limits to how many kids I

would

> take. I know my limits! Whenever I had openings, I notified both

the

> school and the council to get new kids.

> Phyllis K.