Effective District Meetings

[Gold Winger]

"Roberts Rules are not taught in High School much anymore I gather."

 

They weren't in my day.

 

" could identify when to use or what "Call the Question" means."

 

Even in my geekiest days, I wasn't geeky enough to care and . . . I'm still not.(This message has been edited by Gold Winger)

[Gonzo1]

I think if you're more informal, the better, but still have a format.

 

Pass out the agenda at the begining and perhaps the upcoming calendar. Start by opening the meeting perhaps with the Pledge and Oath. Have the secretary read the minutes and move along. When a key person makes a report, ask them to take a minute or so to make the report. Close with a benediction.

 

Just a few thoughts.

 

Simple is better, less is more.

[emb021]

""Roberts Rules are not taught in High School much anymore I gather."

 

"They weren't in my day."

 

Nor in mine, nor today.

 

However, kids that get involved in certain groups, like FFA, will get introduced to it. FFA (and some other groups) actually run parliamentary contests, and are a great way to introduce kids to parliamentary procedure. Scouting, too, could be a way to introduce it to kids if it wasn't for adults who are not very knowledgable about it misinforming them or giving them negative impressions.

 

"" could identify when to use or what "Call the Question" means.""

 

The "question" is the motion being discussed. Call the Question is properly "Move the previous question" which is when you want to end debate and force a vote on the motion.

 

 

[emb021]

""Sigh. What a poor understanding of parliamentary procedure."

 

"Sigh. I'm quoting from Roberts Rules of Order. Lah me, another Scouter who can't read. "

 

I can read. My comment was on the general lack of understanding of parlypro. I don't have my copy of RONR to quote from (it in my NAP bookbag at home).

 

We like to say that parlypro is the following (taken from FSAP's website):

 

Definitions:

 

"Parliamentary law" is:

 

*Rules of the game of democracy.

*Rules that govern procedures by which civil and criminal laws are made and adopted.

*Rules and customs that govern deliberative and decision-making assemblies and organizations.

 

"Parliamentary procedure", often used interchangeably with "parliamentary law," is more correctly defined as parliamentary law in combination with the rules of order that a given assembly or organization has adopted.

 

Objectives

 

Parliamentary procedure is the means by which organizations make decisions. It comprises the laws and rules that govern business transactions.

 

Principles

 

Parliamentary law is based upon

 

*The will of the majority;

*The right of the minority to be heard;

*Protection of the rights of absentees;

*Courtesy and justice for all; and

*Consideration of one subject at a time.

 

 

Are there meetings in scouting that should use parlypro? Yes. Are there meetings in scouting that don't need parlypro? Sure.

 

Sadly, too many in scouting don't understand the difference. The key is if you are making decisions, you should be using parlypro. If your not, you don't need to. (tho following meeting decorum, something we follow with parlypro, does help)

 

[emb021]

"Sigh. I'm quoting from Roberts Rules of Order. Lah me, another Scouter who can't read."

 

GW, if you want to quote from RONR, here's a better one:

 

"The application of parliamentary law is the best method yet devised to enable assemblies of any size, with due regard for every members opinion, to arrive at the general will on the maximum number of questions of varying complexity in a minimum amount of time and under all kinds of internal climate ranging from total harmony to hardened or impassioned division of opinion."

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised [RONR (10th ed.), Introduction, p. xlviii]

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Emb021, close but not quite

 

http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#11

 

Must debate on a motion stop immediately as soon as any member calls the question?

Answer:

It is a fairly common misconception that, after debate has continued for some time, if any member shouts out "Question!" or "I call the question!", debate must immediately cease and the chair must put the pending question to a vote. This is simply not the case. Any member who wishes to force an end to debate must first obtain the floor by being duly recognized to speak by the chair, and must then move the Previous Question. Such a motion must be seconded, and then adopted by a two-thirds vote, or by unanimous consent. It is not in order to interrupt a speaker with cries of "Question" or "Call the Question," and even if no one is speaking, it is still necessary to seek recognition. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 193-94; see also p 35-37 of RONR In Brief.]

 

 

Sorry guys, the high school I attended taught Roberts Rules of Order as part of the Speech Curriculum. I had no idea my education was that different than yours. I had a foundation in Roberts Rules and honed it during my time with the Professional Society. I graduated High School in 1971, maybe that has something to do with it. But if its not taught amymore, or ever, why would we want to follow it?

 

 

[FScouter]

"Lah me, another Scouter who can't read. "

 

I don't know exactly what that's supposed to mean, but it's probably safe to say it's some kind of insult.

 

EMB knows what he's talking about and I seem to recall he's a regional director of the National Association of Parlimentarians. If you choose to get into it with him he could surely rip you to shreads. OGE could do the same.

[Gold Winger]

"EMB knows what he's talking about and I seem to recall he's a member of the National Association of Parlimentarians."

 

Wow! That's something that I want to aspire to! Then I could say "parlypro" too!

 

 

[emb021]

"EMB knows what he's talking about and I seem to recall he's a regional director of the National Association of Parlimentarians. If you choose to get into it with him he could surely rip you to shreads. OGE could do the same."

 

Sorry, but I'm not a regional director for NAP.

 

I'm a member of NAP and AIP (American Institute of Parliamentarians) and currently the VP of my local NAP unit. But nothing further. I hope to become an RP and CP, but nothing further.

 

 

"Wow! That's something that I want to aspire to! Then I could say "parlypro" too! "

 

And your point it?

 

"parliamentary procedure" is just too much of a mouthful, and many of us say or type 'parlypro' to short things.

 

"Emb021, close but not quite"

 

OGE, I wasn't incorrect in my comment about "Call the Question". Yes, you fully covered the topic, but I was just giving a quick and dirty answer, and didn't want to get into the nittygritty of moving the previous question.

 

"But if its not taught amymore, or ever, why would we want to follow it?"

 

Regardless of it not being taught anymore in schools, it IS something that is needed. NAP and AIP teach people this skill (as do other groups) because organization do use it. HOA/COA and such are mandated by law to follow it. And most societies and orgs use it, and the courts have stated that orgs must follow commonly accepted parliamentary law.

 

 

[Gold Winger]

""parliamentary procedure" is just too much of a mouthful, and many of us say or type 'parlypro' to short things."

 

Those who use jargon when outside of the official jargonized group are . . . well, I won't go on to save FScouter the trouble of moderating me.

 

(This message has been edited by Gold Winger)

[FScouter]

Your forbearance is appreciated by 10,000 forum members.

[Gold Winger]

Only 9,992 the other seven have already PM'd me to find out what I wanted to say.

[FScouter]

Might I suggest the spin-off feature is a good way to fully discuss parlimentary procedure, unless of course it directly relates to district committee meetings.

[Gold Winger]

Ah ah, now moderators function as a thread police to prevent thread drift.