What would you do in my Situation

[oldisnewagain1 42]

IMHO...

 

You need to have a meeting with the COR and discuss the troop and your plans for the troop.

 

If the COR is in agreement, you next need to have a meeting with the CC and COR to lay all your cards on the table. Inform the CC that the committee is there to help the boys carry out their plans based on the PLC decisions. Your job is to train the SPL (and PLC) how to do their job and then let them do it (without further Adult interference). You will be the final word for the troop and unless there is a health or safety issue you will not interfere with the boys decisions.

[qwazse 4346]

Thanks mom! Okay, given the gory details, MIB:

 

Stipulate to the COR that you will take a leadership position when they replace the current CC. These folks have to understand that interviews are two-way mirrors! They often tell more about yourself than your candidate.

 

For all intents and purposes, this means you won't be the SM or ASM anytime soon, but making your opinion clear may the wake-up call the troop needs to set it's compass true!

 

The above sounds impolite, but you just felt the blindside. Just think if you agreed to that mish-mash position thinking "Oh well, I'll just have to figure out how to work around everybody." Sooner or later your actions would offend someone deeply. This way, if you do come into this troop in either position, you've laid the groundwork for what needs to change.

[JMHawkins 15]

If BP knew the types of adults we'd have today, maybe he wouldn't have wanted adult association as one of the methods.

 

(oh wait, that wasn't his idea was it).

 

Anyway... Moose, the hardest lesson here is that you usually can't save a kid from his parents. Obviously the Scouts in this troop would benefit greatly from a better program and you're probably hanging in there mostly to do that. But if this disaster of a CC remains in place, odds are strong that you won't be able to give them a better program. Your efforts will be frustrated and thwarted by the CC and will come to naught. If you want to help kids, go find another Troop where your efforts can make a difference. CC will block that at the current troop in question. Tell the Troop CC no thanks, and walk away.

 

But also follow up with three people - the IH of the Charter Org, as well as the UC and DE. Suggest to the UC that he talk to the IH about the situation, maybe after he has a chat with the CC and gets an in-person dose of the current situation. Also suggest to the IH that he talk with the UC (or the District Commish, if there's a good one). Let him know what you encountered, and how it is not going to work and how it is doing a disservice to the youths. Tell him you're open to helping out, but not with the current composition of the committee.

 

You can't fix the situation by yourself, but perhaps the IH, UC and DE working together can. If they do that, and you're still available, great!

 

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

MIB. are you 21?????

 

If your not you cannot be SM officially.

The situation sounds ugly i would stay away inless your ready for a hard fight

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith 13]

I'll be 22 in September coincidentaly September will also make 16 straight years of scouting for me.

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith 13]

I knew it was gonna be a tough job even as a SM but i was ready for it and actualy excited to do it. This new thing just made it toughter and took the thrill and excitment.

 

So if i could go back to the SM position i can get the job done....but as an ASM i cant.

[moosetracker 132]

If the SM takes a firm stance with the committee & CC as to what is program and what is support it would be a little hard to keep them happy.. But, it is hard to argue with something like "Thank-you so much for the suggestion. I will take it up with the boys at the next PLC meeting and see if they want to implement it or not.." or the boys held a PLC last night and decided that they wanted to loose the bells while playing games, and this year they would like to go on events A, B and C.."..

 

Their arguement would not be with the SM, except for the fact he is allowing the boys to lead..

[Eagle92 110]

MIB,

 

To quote the 9th DOCTOR, "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"

 

The CC sounds like a control freak like the camp director I worked with the past 2 years. Once again I stress that you will become frustrated and angry, butting heads with the CC and having them change things on you after you have them all set up and ready to go. While you may be able to deal with most situations, other situations won't be easy to deal with, if at all.

 

You sound a lot like me, in it for the kids. BUT I can tell you, the frustatrion and anger you WILL get from dealing with this toxic person will not only affect you and the fiance, but also te scouts, no matter how hard you try not to let them get affected.

 

Like I said, I had skin in the game the past two years with my son, and I'm helping my replacement because I have two of my sons at camp this year. At one time I thought about sticking around Cubs after all three boys crossover, becasue in my district we need Cub proponents. But after dealing with the CD, who has her hands in everything CS related, I have had second thoughts.

[Beavah 205]

Yah, MIB. There's somethin' nice about feelin' that someone recognizes your experience and talent and wants you to be Scoutmaster. There's somethin' in every Eagle Scout that wants to give back to Scouting, and is willing to step up to do the hard jobs. That's a credit to you.

 

Havin' said that, I'd ask yeh to trust us somewhat older, furrier folks when we tell you that this is not the place for you to contribute. The job of being SM is a hard one, and while I'm a big proponent of young folks like yourself being Scoutmaster, that tends to only work if there's a COR/CC that is strongly supportive. It has nothing to do with you, eh? It has to do with parents not always trusting young people who don't have kids of their own. Yeh won't have fun or be the kind of SM yeh want to be without the CC truly being on the same page and "having your back", and if you come into things without that, you'll only add to the adult misbehavior which I promise you will sink the troop.

 

On top of all that, you're describing a program that's in need of serious change, and yeh want to make rapid changes. Changing a troop is a hard process, eh? You will always lose some boys and families when yeh make changes. After all, they joined (and got used to) the "old" troop. It takes time, and a lot of buildin' relationships, and a lot of support. Without that support, it just won't work.

 

They've sent yeh a pretty clear message that they don't value you, and are not ready to support you. The mature, professional, wise, adult thing to do is to decline their offer and not look back. Go be an active ASM in a program that you can support and that will support you. You'll do more good, and it will be better for everybody. And maybe, as someone suggested, you'll see a few of those lads come over to your troop within the year.

 

Beavah

 

[Basementdweller 608]

Since your of age, then either I am SM or I walk would be my attitude.

 

 

Lots of drama in the troop as described.

[Oak Tree 15]

Run away.

 

This is a politics-laden situation, and Moose, no offense, but I'm doubting that dealing with these adult issues is going to be your strength. If you want constant adult frustration, sure, go for it. The problem is, you can't just deal with the kids. You have to deal with the adults. The only way I would consider going into a situation like that would be if 1) I had a sufficiently strong coalition that I knew could make a change - if I liked and worked well with the SM and/or some ASMs and/or the CC and 2) I could see I had the backing of the most powerful interested party (which could be the IH or the COR or the CC or the SM, depending on the troop) and 3) I had some kind of vested interest in making the thing work out (e.g., my son was in the unit, or some good friends really wanted my help).

 

Mark my words, if you take this position, you will have a constant stream of questions for this board on how to deal with unhappy adults. As much fun as it is to work with the Scouts, would this position really be fun for you?

[Eagle732 27]

MIB, if you want to change the troop for the better join the Charter Organization and become the COR. Then you can make some real changes. First on the list, a new CC! It's great when the people who cause you headaches now work FOR you.

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith 13]

nice idea in theory but not gonna happen..... I dont have the same Religous belifes....and they already have a COR even if he isnt doing his job.

[Second Class 49]

IMHO the only way a good program (and without drama) can be delivered is when the Committee Chair and the Scoutmaster share the same vision.

 

If they don't, no good thing will result. If you can't discuss things frankly, openly, with honesty and mutual respect, there is no point in even considering the job of SM, and certainly not of ASM (all the work and none of the .... You fill in the blank).

 

This troop sounds dysfunctional, and as ASM you'd have no power to change anything.

As SM it sounds like you'd be in constant turmoil.

 

Find somewhere else to give back.

[qwazse 4346]

Then you answered you own question, I think.

Change must happen. But, you signing on isn't going to make it happen. Your vote of "no confidence" delivered as courteously as possible is the best chance for this troop to address basic issues first.

 

Hold out for the next troubled unit to come along.