Once_Eagle-Always_Eagle Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Yes the other roundtable of the other district is closer to us but the extra 20 mile drive to roundtable once/month isn't going to break us. And yes I think the neighboring district is better run, but that isn't why I am interested in switching either. Bottom line, our unit has lost confidence in our DE entirely... and the district chair is even further gone- yet council supports these two lock, stock and barrel. In fact, they dismissed *ALL* volunteers on the district committee EXCEPT the district chairman. We had people in there with 10~20 years of scouting experience who were abruptly removed from district positions without warning. The only thing holding me back is that council/district mandates all recruiting in schools is to be run through district. Any individual unit efforts to recruit in schools are prohibited. They even confiscated our recruiting signs in August and we received a council threat to revoke our charter if we tried to 'undermine district recruiting' again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I know some have recommended just doing it yourself "unofficially" but there are reasons to either make it official or not do it at all. You can always attend training and learning from other districts. BUT ... - Hang files will be at your "official" district roundtable. The hang files will get your ... ----- Your rechartering packet ----- Your FOS packet ----- Your event fliers - Communication will be done through your "official" DE, district & roundtable staff. ----- I'd be surprised if another DE would "unofficially" communicate with you "long term" for risk of upsetting another DE or earning a bad name for himself. ----- DEs also change every two years or so. So any "casual" arrangement is not really dependable - Recruiting ----- The original poster himself mentioned that the annual recruitment is coordinated thru the district. ----- Your "official" DE coordinates and approves flyers, annoucnements and other unit postings. - District events ----- If your district has "events", you want to do them with your official district. Otherwise you will miss communications, announcements and will continually be the "outside" troop. (This message has been edited by fred8033) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankpalazzi Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Wow! Sounds like the PERFECT reason for your COR (and the others!) to attend district meetings. A roomful of us Cranky Old Rebels CANNOT be ignored! See what I did there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 If the issue is your district is bad, I personally don't find that a good reason to switch. Focus on making your unit the best it can be. As for the distrit, call the SE. Let people know the issues. Get things to change. I have had to do that a few times and things can change. It's not easy, but it helps everyone in the long run. You can also volunteer. Then when your helping, you can influence things. (This message has been edited by fred8033) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 the SE doesn't care.....Just more of us pesky volunteers making a racket. Do what you think is best for your unit. Honestly I doubt they will let you simply change districts. But no rules against attending someone elses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Sorry BSA24 some of us District types are trained negotiators. I seen the work I did at the District level as being important. While of course there are some units that don't need as much help and as much support as others. Still feeling that you belong to something bigger than just your own unit and working with others toward a common goal is very much what Scouting is all about. I am and have always been willing to accept that my understanding of the program and the working's of the program might not be the same as others. When it came to visiting units I always seen myself as a guest. Members of the District looked to me to be a leader and very often their advocate, sometimes when the Council seemed to not be in line and sometimes when their own CO was acting up. We do what we do for the good of the program which if done well and delivered well results in the youth we serve having a better program and all the good stuff that comes from that. It is a shame when some nit-wit SE's forget that they serve only because of the good will of the volunteers and can be let go at almost anytime. Ea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prof Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I'm kinda with Basement on this. I'd forget about the politics and such going on at the district and focus on what was best for the unit. I live on the border between councils. Some troops attend camporees with other districts. I know of at least one that has attended with the other council. The other council has opened up training for us as well. I'd look at it like a smorgasboard. Attend what you would like to attend. Perhaps if the SE notices all of a district's units attending functions elsewhere, he might wonder why. Prof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattlePioneer Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 > Well, I'm sure that would be discouraging. You might consider making an appointment with the council President to state your complaints --- even asking for an opportunity to speak at a council executive board meeting. IF the council isn't susceptible to being influenced, I'd consider a campaign of passive resistance and non cooperation. How 'bout delaying a Friends of Scouting presentation as long as possible and then scheduling it for a Committee meeting when the DE can be grilled about his objectionable policies and take back $0.00 or perhaps a contribution of twenty dimes for his efforts? There are lots of alternatives to school recruiting, and ginning up brochures is easy to do. Similarly, I'd start picking events from other districts that you want to do. If those dismissed district leaders are unhappy, they could be doing similar things ---- have you been in contact with them to decide what to do? Something might organize their own FOS campaign aimed at reducing the take from the district. I'll bet that would get the attention of the council, and there really not a lot they could do about such a campaign that would stop it. This again makes me count my blessings. My district is a home for me and the council as well. I don't know of any districts that are being badly run. You might also consider making an appointment with the council President to state your complaints --- even asking for an opportunity to speak at a council executive board meeting. As noted elsewhere ---- the DE will be gone before long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroads Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 BSA24 is kind of right... As far as I in my office am concerned, all your district does is determine which file drawer your stuff goes in. And since we're largely LDS units, your district might affect what slot your stakes' receipts for billing goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA24 Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 >>> - Hang files will be at your "official" district roundtable. The hang files will get your ... ----- Your rechartering packet ----- Your FOS packet ----- Your event fliers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred johnson Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 BSA24 - I did not miss any point. Perhaps my wording could have been better. My words were "I know some have recommended just doing it yourself "unofficially" but there are reasons to either make it official or not do it at all." The talk about about unofficially transfering districts, not going it alone. If you want to go it alone, fine. Doesn't really matter. But the conversation was about just starting to get involved with the another district. My point is do it officially or don't do it. Get switched to the other district. Sure ya can attending training or events with the other district. But if you want your unit to interact with the district beyond just rechartering, then get it recognized as a your unit is now in the other district. There's just too many headaches otherwise. Hech, you'd be attending the other district but needing your leader apps and rechartering paperwork signed by the old district DE. Your Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 I have never had a DE worth his salt. So I have never had confidence in a DE. The new one, seen him once....I am not sure what exactly he is doing. As a matter of fact I see him less that the Draconian DE that proceeded him. In my world DE's are completely irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattlePioneer Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hello Fred, I see no reason not to shop around for services among neighboring districts if a unit chooses to do so. Making an official switch to a different district is probably going to be refused by the council in most cases. Your suggested method of dealing with unsatisfactory district service is unlikely to be practical. But there is nothing to stop units from adopting a neighboring district if they wish to do so. That is probably quite practical for a good many units that might be unhappy with their current district. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 SeattlePioneer - I partially agree in that you can "adopt" a neighboring district. I disagree in that the other district can not adopt you. You can adopt another district's training, campouts, activities and roundtables. Most districts would be glad to have you. But the other district can't adopt you for .... ---- Support from your DE and district staff ---- Where your hang files are put for roundtable ---- Coordination - Popcorn sales ---- Coordination - FOS ---- Coordination - Recruitment ---- Advancement - Approving eagle projects ---- Advancement - Eagle boards of review ---- Advancement - Disputed situations ---- Advancement - Leader recognition ---- Advancement - Any special awards, heroism, hornaday, etc. ---- Order Of The Arrow - Elections ---- Order Of The Arrow - Chapter meetings ---- Membership - Signing rechartering paperwork ---- Membership - Signing new member applications ---- Communications from district / council Some not impossible but difficult ones would include... ---- Anything resembling a "district level award / trophy" ---- DISTRICT PINEWOOD DERBY ******* I know I'd be upset if a Cub Scout from another district came to compete in our district pinewood derby, received an award and then consumed spot going to the next competition level. If that is allowed, I should shop around for multiple pinewood derbies until I find one where my son's car could win and he could advance to the next level. Or if we lose, we could fix the car and then find another district's derby. Probably similar for other events. Is it fair for anything competitive to have other district scouts win things in another district? Probably not an issue for casual competitions such as camporee competitions. Very much an issue with pinewood derbies and such. Very much for things such as "top seller" or etc. Also, it would be difficult for the other district to recognize your eag ................ I'm just saying, if you don't like your district, your options are ... ---- Officially switch districts ---- Pretend to go it alone. No FOS. No recruitment materials. No popcorn. No support. But depend on district for advancement, rechartering and signing your paperwork. ---- Be a quiet member of your district (FOS, recruitment, popcorn, support, pinewood derby, ...) but participate with other district's activities (camp outs, training, etc) ---- Try to improve your district from the outside ---- Try to improve your district from the inside (help the district) The option I don't see as realistic is trying to "unofficially" be part of another district and then ignore your own district. That's just asking for headaches. ................ To be honest, I view "go it alone" as argumentative. You don't have to do FOS, popcorn, camporees, roundtable, etc. But units still depend on their district. Make it an official switch or work with your district. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattlePioneer Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hello Fred, We disagree. Personally, I never recall seeing a district activity limited to units in the district. I hear there are some DEs and district officers that are a pain in the neck to deal with. If that's the case, I think there's a reasonable argument for finding another district for services. Life is too short, and I would MUCH rather have leaders go to a neighboring district than quit Scouting. Not ideal. Not something that I would like to see. But perhaps better than struggling in a district with district leaders who are a pain in the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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