nitram

In my present Council it is a clique of the worst kind. This year we had enough scouters sign up for the course to run two courses. The only thing that changed from one couse to the other was the Course Director! The entire staff worked both. That's a lot of tickets to counsel. It looks like double duty to me. One lady wanted desperatly to be on staff in our Council but was never asked even though she had been 'promised' a slot by one of the Course Directors this year. She participated in a neighboring Council several times. Now she moved her registration to the Council that appreciated her dedication for Wood Badge. I guess she wasn't wanted in the 'Good Old Boys Club' -- I mean Wood Badge Staff.

Barry, Thanks for the information. I was on Woodbadge staff in a former council and it seemed like half of the staff was former Course Leaders. Some of the planning meetings turned into debates because Joe did it this way, and Pete did it another way, etc. The poor Course Leader was not able to lead the course as he saw fit. Several of the new staff members were about ready to quit because it seemed like the old hands spent more time debating than planning.

As a participant, I found there was a feeling of togetherness and spirit of scouting I had not experienced in the decades of experience I had as a boy and adult. As a staff member, I found there are scouters there who are 'political' and don't do their jobs. Course participants made several commnents about the slacker's lack of participation. When confronted, the staff circled the wagons and came to his defence. Eventually he got his ticket punched, became a Course Director and is not active any longer. By the way, it's still a 'good old boys' club with a select membership. One scouter has moved thier membership to a neighboring council and has been on the staff of several courses at other counciils.

A scouting friend tells me when a Course Director completes his Woodbadge Course, there a rule he/she should not participate in future Woodbadge Courses and is 'retired'. Is this true?