What say the masses?

[CM924]

As scout leaders we are asked to make concessions for handicapped boys, we have one such boy in my Pack who is severely autistic, and has a single Mother. Now mind you I am new to all this, this is my first time on the merry-go-round as well as my first PWD, so I need your input.

Last night we had a pre-weigh in for the boys during the den meetings, so that they could check their car weights and have time to make adjustments prior to the race next week. Well this boys Mom steps up and shows me the car they have and asks if I know how to fix a break it has on the front end ( no big deal a piece of balsa wood for a fin that could easily be removed or replaced) She proceeds to tell me she knows it is a fast car because it came in fourth in District last year ( insert screeching tire sounds here). The rules clearly state a new car each year, but here I have a handicapped kid with an old car, I asked the Committee Chairman what we should do and he is at a loss too. I really don't think the boy should be allowed to race the car, however now we are a week away from the event and I know she plans to use that car. How would you all proceed in this matter?

[gpraceman]

Personally, I don't think the car should be raced. Word would get around and it would give people heartburn, especially if if does well. I recommned that you or someone else in the pack offer to help them build another car. There's still some time.

[hwsjr]

You can't knowingly allow any child to cheat no matter how sad the story. It's not fair to everyone else.

[doct1010]

Tough one. Depending on how severe the autism, the boy may be unable to make or even work on a car. The mothers admission seemed to open the can of worms. Had she kept silent and been dishonest chances are the car passes inspection and races.

Should there be special compensation for handicap? I would be inclined to let him race with the understanding that it is in violation of the rules, and rather than DQ the car allow it to race but not trophy. This must be discussed well in advance with boy and mom. If agreed upon fine if not, no alternative but to DQ imo.

I thought I had problems with an e-bay car! Good Luck!

[3 Cub Dad]

No way it should be allowed to race. Personally, I would have that mom on the phone in a heartbeat setting up a time for them to come to my house to build the fastest car I knew how to make to give him the opportunity to see HIS work win.

[frontosacam311]

I agree with Doct1010. Let the car race but not be able to place. One problem though, the car is obviously fast and most likely will place in the top three. People will notice that the fast car belongs to the autistic boy. Come award time when the little boy is overlooked and not awarded a trophy someone's going to have a lot of explaining to do- to the boy and other parents. If this is a scout race I think honesty and fairness should be at the top priority. What kind of message will this send to fellow scouts and parents who did abide by the rules. Not an easy solution here.

[cubdad]

I also think that the previously raced car can't be allowed to race.

Our tech inspection was a week ahead of the race. It was a very fulfilling day as various parents scrambled to work toghether and pulled tools and weights and tape and graphite out of their toolboxes to help various other racers get their cars competitive and or legal.

The above ideas of some sort of play date / build session with 1-2 other parents or kids seems just the thing.

Is it possible for the autistic boy to work on that car in any way? sand, paint, put on stickers...

I understand that autistic children develop a preferred way to learn and that it is often visual, they observe then understand, other are tactile first, they won't look at something new but they will touch it first...so you may wish to plan the sequence of events with the mother in advance.

[BlackLotus]

I agree with the majority here. Without knowing how well the kid functions (and if he is able to participate in most of the other scouting activities, he is probably high functioning) anything may cause a reaction. Obviously, be sensitive, but you do have a responsibility to the whole pack, as well as the the young man in question.

If the mother is afraid he will have a bad reaction, maybe consider letting him run it in an open/outlaw class. Even adding an intentionally slow car or two. That way, you ensure he wins a race, even if mom was incorrect about how well the car will perform.

[keithg30]

WOW that is a sticky situation ....I do understand with the childs special needs and with the father not being in the pic. that the mom probably just purchased the car on e-bay ...Which opens the door ....How are the rules worded..??? The door is open IF the child in question didn't race the car lastyear so it would be the first year that HE raced it ...BUt , at the sametime you have to be fair to all the other Scouts ...MY suggestion would be the same as 3 cub dad ........I would try to find the time to build a new car with the boy and if I couldn't get the time then I would find another father den leader etc. that would be willing to help......Now there is also another option ...I know that most here are against this but this is a special situation ....Precut KIT CAR ...and maybe an hour of someones time and the boy has a legal car.....

[CM924]

You know what really gets me peeved about all this is that I stood in front of the entire Pack more than a month ago, gave everyone the rules, a calender of events, and said not once not twice but three different times, " If you need help, need a tool, advice or anything in order to make your son a car to race, call me, I will be more than willing to help anyone with their car"

Did she call? Of course not.

Now I am sitting here seeing that most of you are thinking along the lines that I am, the car should not race, but will this Mom be willing to give up a few hours this weekend to come over and help her son make his own car? I don't know. My best guess is she isn't gonna be a happy camper about it, but that is what I have pretty much decided to do. I just sent a message to the Committee Chair and told him the same thing.

[derbster]

Tough situation, but in my view an easy call. Stick with the rules. In fairness to all scouts, you should then allow any car to race that would have been otherwise disqualified (with the caveat that a trophy will not be awarded). How would the race be managed if multiple scouts opted to enter illegal cars? I think its a bad precedent.

[Stan Pope]

Late arriving ... sorry.

To momma: "Wow, I'm glad you said that now. It will save you, son and us embarrassment later!

You and I or one of the other parents can help him. It will take some time, but he is worth it."

Other background ... autism comes in degrees ... it is not usually debilitating and with the right teaching methods autistic kids thrive and often excel. They aren't dumb! They just process data differently!

Been there! Got one. Excelled!

[Nooby]

You should have helped fix the old car, then asked where if she needed
help with this year's car. At that point you should have explained the
rules.

My son is chronically lazy, and has ADHD. He would have loved to use
his previous car. We moved to a new area - so no one would have
known - but us. He did more work this year than ever before. Letting
him do no work is not the life lesson I wanted to teach.

While I'm sensitive to disabilities, this sets a bad precedent. If this
parent/son team produced a car last year, what reason was there for
not producing one this year?

This case might be a good use for the pre-cut car - but not for re-use
of a car.

[3 Cub Dad]

CM924,

For what it's worth, I believe you're doing the right thing for both the pack, and the individual boy. Not an easy situation. I think the reason that a lot of us get as involved as we are is because we want to help prevent these type of situations. We put the rules out, we offer help, we run workshops..... last year, we still had two cars DNF. The look on those boys faces made ME want to break down. Jeff, my prayers are with you, and if you haven't heard it in a while, thanks for being a cubmaster!

[Go Bubba Go]

You know what really gets me peeved about all this is that I stood in front of the entire Pack more than a month ago, gave everyone the rules, a calender of events, and said not once not twice but three different times, " If you need help, need a tool, advice or anything in order to make your son a car to race, call me, I will be more than willing to help anyone with their car"

Did she call? Of course not.

FWIW I had a single mom (a Den Leader to boot) do the same to me, and she has 3 boys that needed cars built. After reaching out to her individually several times (she assured me she "had it covered" through Grandpa's help, etc.), she called me on Sunday afternoon before the Pack races on the following Saturday to ask for some help. How far had they gotten at that point... well, they'd opened the box

Long story short the boys were able to get their cars together in short order with a little help from me and my boys (and the time afforded by a no-school snow day). I did ask that next year if she thinks she needs a little help to give me a call earlier rather than later. Will she? Who knows.

Long way of saying you're not alone, stay in there. Treat the boy with the respect he deserves by expecting him to follow the rules and make a new car, and to Do His Best at it, whatever "The Best" is for a boy with his challenges and a week left until the big day. Help him to make his own new car (even if he wants it to look identical to last year's model), and tell him you are proud of him for Doing His Best. Then ask mom to give you a call earlier rather than later next year. Will she? Who knows.

Bubba