Greg78 10 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Hi Everyone, Weve got ourselves into a sticky leadership issue. We have a SM who was asked to leave another troop 3 years ago. She took control of the current troop at that time. 18 months ago at the SPL annual meeting she was asked by the SPL and ASPL to step down. The committee was taken by surprise but was not in the position to change leadership at the time. (we were a pretty small group then) Well, its happened again. About two weeks ago a parent asked an ASM why 5 boys were quitting. The ASM talked with some other parents and found out a lot of boys were all complaining about the SM after coming home from campouts. The SPL (a new one) decided to ask all the older boys in the troop to sign a petition asking the SM to step down. (He has been told its a boy run troop and by god hes gonna run it!) The SM is fighting it. Some of the parents think she should step down because the boys are threatening to quit and complain about her behavior at the campouts. Some parents think she should stay because she is very active with the troop. We do have leadership that is trained and ready to step up. The CO rep has just changed and not quite on board with us yet. I would really like to hear your input. Link to post Share on other sites
Bob White 20 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 A few questions: What is your role in the troop? What lead scouts to believe they had the authority to select or fire adult volunteers. New or old what is the COR's decision. What exactly has the SM done to upset the scouts so much. Link to post Share on other sites
Greg78 10 Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 A few questions: What is your role in the troop? ++ ASM and Adv chair++ What lead scouts to believe they had the authority to select or fire adult volunteers. ++I think the SPL was tryng to find out how the other scouts felt about the SM. ++ New or old what is the COR's decision. ++Not sure, non-committal at this point++ What exactly has the SM done to upset the scouts so much. ++She's dismissive, doesn't relate to the boys well, says she runs by the book, boys say if its not her way, its her way++ Link to post Share on other sites
Fat Old Guy 11 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 "What lead scouts to believe they had the authority to select or fire adult volunteers." They just asked the SM to quit. Just as a group of cops can ask the chief to quit. Link to post Share on other sites
dozer 10 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I think, if the SPL & ASPL got up enough courage to even ask for this extreme a measure, the committee should have been asking questions then, not now. To be a controlling SM is not leading,BY THE BOOK. There they go again, I must follow for I am their leader. Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Has anyone talked to this lady about this? Why was she asked to leave her last Troop? Has the CO be apprised of the situation? I commend the Scouts for having the courage to do what they have done to this point. And if she's sticky, eewww! Happy Easter to all! Ed Mori Troop 1 1 Peter 4:10(This message has been edited by evmori) Link to post Share on other sites
Bob White 20 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Sorry Greg, but to say she runs by the book but doesn't let the scouts lead is contradictory and doesn't tell us anything. As the ASM what have you seen? Give us examples please. Link to post Share on other sites
Greg78 10 Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 Has anyone talked to this lady about this? ++We have now. It finally came to light how she was effecting a number of boys. We should have done somethng the first time it came up but the couple of ASM's at the time were to green. She was running the show and weren't all that up with the program++ Why was she asked to leave her last Troop? ++ Her quote - "I have boobies", also her son suffers turetts(sp)and may have contributed++ Has the CO be apprised of the situation? ++Will be today, at least from our side. I believe she has been in touch with the CO®(IH) about our attempting a coup++ I commend the Scouts for having the courage to do what they have done to this point. ++ME TOO! This SM has done that much. She has been able to steel the boys into taking on leadership roles you wouldn't expect from 13-14 year olds++ Link to post Share on other sites
Greg78 10 Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 Sorry Greg, but to say she runs by the book but doesn't let the scouts lead is contradictory and doesn't tell us anything. As the ASM what have you seen? Give us examples please. ++Well, She cites the Patrol Method as she brow beats the SPL into doing what she wants. But as I said in an earlier post we have a couple ASM's that don't see a problem with her leadership style. (Maybe they treat their kids the same way) The majority of our Scouts are 1st class and under. The SPL is going on 14. We have two Eagle Scouts that are around sometimes. I'm sorry, Bob - I am not one to bismirch other people. The facts are that the older boys that will be the future leadership of the troop are threatening to walk out. All of their complaints involve this SM. The solution to this problem must include her stepping down from her leadership role. I think we came up with a solution. She loaded up the committee with her relatives when she began. We need to recruit parents of the scouts that need their voice heard. As a committee they need to vote on who the SM is. We'll invite the CO to the committee meeting and go from there.++ Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I would try to find out why she was booted from her other Troop. Give them a call. You have her side now get theirs. Did she pass the background check or did she sign on prior to that? Get you Commissioner involved. Happy Easter Ed Mori Troop 1 1 Peter 4:10 Link to post Share on other sites
LovetoCamp 9 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Is it only me, or does anyone else notice that every week someone stops by all dissatisfied shopping for ammunition to oust a Scoutmaster, a Chartered Rep, an Advisor for what seems to me nothing but personality conflicts between parents. Isn't a unit commissioner appointed by the District commissioner? I can't help but thinking if I was assigned a unit commissioner who adversely interfered with our program, it would be within bounds to tell that person to report to his DC to assign him or her to another unit that desires his lame assistance. To much head butting and power play going on here. The boys are watching. Link to post Share on other sites
EagleInKY 14 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 She loaded up the committee with her relatives when she began. There's part of the problem. It's not the SMs job to build the committee. I've fallen into that trap in the past, and it's not a good idea. The CC and the COR needs to be responsible for building the committee. Link to post Share on other sites
Greg78 10 Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 Trail Pounder, It sounds like you have some problems of your own. This is about an SM that is cuasing the boys who provide the senior leadership to want to leave scouts. This is the second group of senior leaders that have had problems with here. If we are to run a Boy-lead organization, we have to have the older boys to lead. If the older boys that want to lead all walk out it destroys the quality of the troop. To assume that any one that steps up to a leadership position (i.e. the SM) should be allowed to continue when the SM's style causes kids and other quality adult leaders to quit, shows there is something wrong and requires that there be a change in leadership. Use a business as an example. If you hired a manager that caused all the best people you hire to quit, what would be the action you have to take? Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Hi and Welcome to the forum. It seems that things have changed a bit from when you first posted. Or maybe I just read it wrong? When I first read this it seemed that the PLC was trying to get rid of the Scoutmaster. Now it seems that there is a group of adults meddling in the back ground and behind all of this. The fact that they have tried to involve the PLC in their shenanigans is more shame on them. Like it or not your Scoutmaster has been selected by the Charter Organization and they and only they can ask her to step down. Of course if there has been a serious violation of BSA rules and policy the Scout Exec. could ask her to step down. Much the same can be said for the troop committee, this group has also been selected and approved by the charter organization and just because a few adults in the troop may be unhappy or dissatisfied is no real reason to start replacing them. To my mind the adults in the troop need to take a long hard look at the Scout Oath and Law. Paying special attention to Loyal and Trusted. Using your example of a business: First I have never been involved with a business where the workers fire the boss. Second if I found that the people who were meant to be serving the Company in a mid management capacity, were stirring things up and causing disharmony, I would take whatever steps needed to thank them for their past services. I would of course follow the correct procedure. Eamonn Link to post Share on other sites
LovetoCamp 9 Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Now next week, if one or two smart-alecky Sea Scout Boatswains from downstate Illinois start posting accusations and bad situations about their skipper and propose mutiny, don't buy into it. Link to post Share on other sites
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