Is This Ok or Not?

Not appropriate.
If you can't get through a Cub Scout camp out without liquor you *might* just have an issue with alcohol!

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Holie molie, I would be livid if my son was there and I found this out! My nephew is in Scouts and i know my sister and BIL would be upset as well if this took place on a Scout camp out. And even though some would say the alcohol cooks out of food, my BIL is a recovering alcoholic, eating chili made with beer could cause him to start drinking. I don't care that the boys were in bed, rules are in place for a reason. A den in a nearby area lost many leaders over something like this awhile back...like I said, I would be livid!

And this needs to be reported and acted upon.

I am a little confused. When you say only three families were there then the three Father's of the only children who were at the campsite (and asleep at the time) were the leader, the other guy who drank and your husband? If they were only in charge of their own kids then how is that a problem? If your husband thought it was so wrong why didn't he say anything? I agree completely that if the two Dad's that did have a drink were repsonsible for anyone else's children besides their own then it is not appropriate but if it was just three families camping I don't get how that is a problem. We go on camping trips with other families and the adults always stay up and have a drink around the campfire. Maybe I'm not understanding the situation correctly.
Finally I would drop the idea that beer in the chili is wrong. I put beer in my chili and cook with wine as well. Alcohol boils off and the amount any recipe calls for is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients.

Yea I'd have an issue with alcohol if I had a child there. The moms send their kiddos trusting those who are supervising will be there to be responsible role models. Kudos to your husband. I mean, what if there was an emergency and a scout needed to be rushed to the hospital? I would say no biggie if it was just a group of causal friends or something, but at an organized, boy scout event I wouldn't be okay with it if my child were there and I found out. :-)

Yeah, I would say something.

Many kids go to scouting events without their parents and the parents rely on the Scout leaders to make wise decisions and ensure the safety of their children. A leader bringing hard liquor to an overnight camping is not (1) setting a good example (2) ensuring the safe keeping of their children.

The beer in the chili - meh, the alcohol cooks off - I just made pulled pork with a beer in the pot - so that doesn't worry me so much. Unless, he poured the beer in then served it without appropriate cooking time. Then it is a huge issue.

Go up the chain of command - your den leader has a higher leader - go to them. BSA takes their rules and roles very seriously.

Good Luck
God Bless

I am not sure about the rules, but either way---it doesn't matter. Alcohol shouldn't be offered or served at a kids event!!! What if there was an emergency and they had to drive?? They could put your kid or someone else's kid in danger. Say something.

That is totally inappropriate. No alcohol allowed on Cub Scout events PERIOD! Precisely where does it say, in the rules, "No alcohol allowed near children?" You need to report him LAST YEAR!

What if there was an emergency?--and the den leader was inebriated? This clown is the Akela?

Further, it states clearly "No Alcohol" at these events. If I was in your den, or pack, and you failed to take responsibility for this matter, I would leave the Cub Scouts AND never come back!

And you say your husband is the Cub Master and does not know the rules? Jebus, THEY ARE IN WRITING.

Just where is the den leader exhibiting the 12th Core Value of :
12. Responsibility:
Fulfilling our duty to God, country, other people, and ourselves.
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/~/link.aspx...

Further, this is directly from the leadership section at the BSA website. Didn't your husband take the leadership training??? He is required to do so.

YOUTH PROTECTION AND ADULT LEADERSHIP
"Member responsibilities. All members of the Boy Scouts of America are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles set forth in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Physical violence, theft, verbal insults, drugs, and alcohol have no place in the Scouting program and may result in the revocation of a Scout’s membership."

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/g...

Like I said, if I found out that my den leader behaved this way and the Cub Master failed to act responsibly, I would report them both!! and then leave the Cub Scouts! Really!

(If your husband doesn't know what to do in a case like this, he needs to resign too.) Really!

And you knew about this "beer chili" since when precisely. You are a Scout mom. That makes you an Akela too.

Consider training, and more training and then some more because this is kind of a no-brainer.

(To the point some folks make about alcohol burning off food: BSA clearly states "No Alcohol to CSA events". Show me the written exception. Further, as a parent whose child attends CSA events, Don't assume I condone my kid eating foods laced with booze...because I don't.)

Next, they could serve up Penne with Vodka Cream Pasta at elementary school since the alcohol burns off? The kids will get their calcuim with the cream. I'm sure most parents would agree, right? Logic.

When cooking with alcohol all the alcohol cooks off leaving the flavor of the grains or grapes. It's not like drinking at all. Lots of people cook with wines and other alcohols that would never touch an actual alcoholic beverage. No big deal to cook with it. It really does make a nice flavor.

As for drinking during a scout activity that is overnight? I'd report it and not participate in the activities with this guy again.

I think it is wrong. They have the safety of the boys as their top priority. If something were to happen, they would need to have their full wits about them. I am not against drinking (I am against drunkenness), but in this case, it shows a great lack of wisdom. Quick clarifying question though: are the only boys there the ones who belong to the three dads who were there? If so, I do think that makes a difference. If they are only responsible for their own children, they have more liberty. If they are responsible for other people's children, then I believe they need to be 100% sober.Of course, if drunkenness is involved, then I think it is wrong in all cases.

I am on the district council in our area and this is strictly forbidden. You need to report this. Even though Cubs were sleeping this does not set a good example with parents. BSA rules forbit any alcohol on any cub/boy scout events. Regardlees if the event started on Saturday. He still had alcohol with him the day of the event. I would worry about his judgement working with the boys if he would be drinking the evening before. Scouters
were still there even though they were sleeping.
There could be some severe consequence later. I would not want my son with a leader who has alcohol in his possession on a camping trip. What is the boys would have found it. Not good. Please report this.

I'm involved with the girl scouts.

The den leader needs to be reported immediately. And shame on your husband for allowing this to happen.

As for the beer in the chilli, I am assuming it was added during cooking? Than all the alcohol will cook out and it is not a big deal at all. I agree that drinking when they are supposed to be in charge of the kids in not good idea.

They kids were in bed, but still there.
They were still near the kids.
It was a camp out.
The adults...are still on duty and responsible and responsible for the kids, sleeping or not.

How come, no one 'complained' about him putting beer in the chili??? What if a kid got seriously sick?
How come, no one confronted that Man, either, about his drinking and bringing alcohol to the activities???
He is still doing it, because NO ONE, calls him on it and lets him keep doing it.

i think i would still tell someone, even if he is well connected, because that just doesn't seem right - especially the part about putting beer in the kids' chili...

Well, as far as using beer or even wine in cooking, the alcohol burns off so there is no alcohol content in the foods it's used in.
We make beer chicken. It's delicious. My kids have been eating it since they were little. We also use wine in a lot of sauces.
I know people who put beer in their homemade BBQ sauce while it's cooking.

If your husband is cub master, I'm wondering why he didn't say anything at the time when the other two dads had a nip. He didn't partake, but he didn't say anything either.

Just my opinion.

You are not wrong! If it's a rule I would say something. I would say something if it wasn't. What would have happened if something went wrong with a child and they were to drunk to think straight? They are responsible for those children

putting alcohol or beer in recipes is pretty normal, and just to transfer nutty or fruity flavors. the alcohol is eliminated in the cooking process so beer chilli wouldn't get kids drunk. not even by a long shot. i think using hand sanitizer is more "dangerous" than beer chilli, lol.

secondly, im on the fence about him having some cocktails that friday night. on the one hand, it's a bit brazen to whip out bottles and mix drinks at a CUB SCOUT event, afterall what is so fun about drinking or having a buzz there? so that's kind of odd to me that he'd choose that kind of venue to share drinks with other adults BUT on the other hand, he could have been trying to give a nice gesture by loosening up and getting social with other parents. maybe he feels like he doesn't know yall and wanted to have some bonding time since your sons spend so much time together. maybe he wasn't clear on the rules.

in the end, i don't think he did anything harmful or terrible and i wouldn't judge the guy on that.

WHOA! So not okay! I remember a few of my girl scouts leaders getting in DEEP sh!t for ordering mimosas on a trip (in hindsight, they deserved it, we were awful)... but it's scout order to set a good example. I can't blame the parents who have a beer beforehand (really, I get it), but DURING, and IN FRONT OF the kids? No way dude... and I won't pass up a drink if it's well deserved.

I was a Cub Scout den leader for 5 years. I haven't reviewed the rules lately, but this sounds either against the rules or at the very least inappropriate to me. However, unless there are other problems too, I wouldn't rush to "report" him. As Cubmaster, your husband needs to talk to him. I would do it in a very matter of fact, non-judgmental manner, armed with a copy of the rules. If there are problems after that or additional violations I would then report him. In my experience, the Boy Scouts are really cracking down on youth protection in light of recent scandals. Regardless of whether he's in tight with "the district" I would think they would take subsequent violations very seriously.

I don't have a problem with the beer in the chili as long as it was added during the cooking process, although it doesn't really seem necessary and it does make you wonder if this guy has a problem.

The only time I've seen Scout leaders consume alcohol is at parents-only events, like a planning party without the kids. We had a mom bring beer on a Scout fishing trip once and when she told us she had beer with her the other den leader and I thought she was joking and laughed. She wasn't joking, but she got the point and the beer didn't make an appearance. It seemed out of character for her anyhow and never happened again.

I don't think you're overreacting at all. I'm not against drinking, but it has its place. One of them is definitely not a gathering meant for kids! I don't know what advice to give you as to how to go about bringing it up, but I agree with you 100%. What if the boys would happen to wake up & see this? Like I said, I am not against drinking, but I also wouldn't want to influence my kids or any others to think that it's the "cool" thing to do either.

If it was during the scout event, it would bother me. We camp and always have drinks around the fire after the kids are asleep. However, my oldest plans to join the cub scouts next year, and I wouldn't drink if I was on a cub scout camping trip -or any trip where I was responsible for others' children. In this case, the Friday night thing doesn't seem like a biggie because it wasn't during the scout event.

As far as beer in chili -I always put beer in my chili. I don't think that's a big deal at all.

NO ALCOHOL and he should be reported. We had moms try to bring liquor into a GS meeting because they could not afford a bar. I let the leader know that I would be reporting it if they did and she could tell them. they then LIED and said it was a joke. A joke doesn't include a run to the liquor store and grocery store to pick up all the ingredients.

I am an Assistant Scoutmaster of a Boy Scout Troop and have been involved in the scouting program for 8 years.

This is absolutely unacceptable behavior at a scouting event. Both the chili and the campout. Most Scout leaders take their responsibilties with the troop/pack very seriously. This Den leader is checked out and needs to be removed from his position in my opinion. As the Cubmaster your husband should have stopped it while it was happening. But now he still needs to correct it. Starting with talking to the Den Leader, and he should use two deep leadership in this case as well, this is important. Your husband may be able to handle it at the Pack level with the Committee chair by meeting with this Den leader and reprimanding him for his behavior. Cubmaster and Committee Chair should insist this Den leader take or retake the youth protection. Also the general Pack rules of conduct of an adult leader should be clearly gone over with this individual. He can also bann this leader from camping events. If said Den leader is not willing to cooperate the Cubmaster and Committee Chair can remove him from his Den leader position, and revoke his membership they just need to inform the Council. Any way you look at it, you may lose 1 leader and 1 scout, but the Cubmaster has the responsibility of the Pack as a whole on his shoulders. Your husband will also have to back track to the other parent that took a nip off the bottle and offer the same youth protection training. He needs to tell them both that alcohol is not permitted in any way at any scouting events including for cooking. You can private message me if you have more questions.

"Alcohol
The following statement was approved by the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America:
It is the policy of the Boy Scouts of America that the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances is not permitted at encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members."

ETA: I assure you the Den Leader does not have the district wrapped around his little finger in a case such as this. Your husband can go to the district for extra help with this, or straight to the Council if he needs help with how to handle this.
This issue needs to be addressed immediately,
V.

I wouldn't have an issue with beer in the chili (alcohol breaks down during cooking, I personally use wine in several family recipes) but drinking hard liquor, or ANY alcohol, at a scout event, especially a camp out?! Oh no, no, no, that is definitely against scout policy---both boy and girl scouts.

Not cool. And I like to tip a few myself, but that is not the time or place.

:(

If it is a Scout sponsered campout then there is no place for Alcohol. Your husband being the cub master is responsible for this because if someone would get hurt, even with their parent there, the Boy Scouts USA is who could be sued. Your husband should sit down this den leader and tell him that he may not have alcohol during a scout sponsered event period. What if there had been an emergancy? It sounds like a father with a drinking problem and maybe a new den leader is what the den needs. I am not sure you could lose your charter over this or not but i would hate to find out.

No way is that appropriate. If I was to send my child away from home with a group of scouts, then I INSIST that the adults responsible for the kids...I don't know...BE RESPONSIBLE.

My husband and I rarely drink. When we do the children don't see it. I didn't have alcoholic parents but they were European so drinking with every meal was the norm. So my siblings think nothing of drinking and haven't really ever. I think they look RIDICULOUS drunk! Sure my parents never got drunk but I kinda think their attitude towards alcohol has made it easy for my other siblings to embrace it too much in my opinion.

Anyways, aside from thinking the way I do... I would be soooooooooooo mad if anyone took any liquor while they were suppose to be taking care of children. I don't care if they just went to sleep or not if you are drinking if something happened you wouldn't be at your sharpest and there are kids here!

So yeah I'd have a talk about it. If not I'd look for a new pack or whatever they call it to join. I wouldn't want parents like that caring for my child! I mean to have to have alcohol on a children's retreat is just absurd beyond words in my opinion.