COR is a dictator

[JimP]

Our troop had a Scoutmaster run troop. The SM would have the boys work every council / district event and take the credit. The CC was married to the SM to add even more stress. The CC resigned and now the COR has added the CC position to his resume, is also an ASM, Advancement Chair and is removing committee members that are the core members. The story is that he "wants new blood". The SM has also picked his replacement on his own.

Is this just a case where the COR can do anything he wants? Same for the SM? I fear this is going to ruin the troop we started just a few years ago. Do we just move the boys to another troop? Thank you in advance.

[qwazse]

COR has a lot of latitude, but cannot be registered as more than that and CC. That doesn't mean he can't act as other positions. Do you have other preferences for SM?

Regarding your boys, are they proud of their troop? If so, stick around and play nice with whatever adults are placed on the committee. Let the boys know that even if you have disagreements with the adults, that should not keep them from having fun scouting.

If not, then offer to take the boys visiting other troops to see how things are run. If they take you up on the deal, make some calls. Visit a few meetings, attend camp-outs.

[jpstodwftexas]

Are the Youth Happy?

[Scouter99]

No point fighting the CoR unless you think the Institutional Head is going to step in favorable to you. Weather things out, and like Q said if the boys are having fun AND the program is holding to standard, stick with it. If they're not having fun, or the program goes south fast, then start shopping.

The SM is approved by the CoR and CC, so the current SM might have picked his own replacement, but, no, the CoR isn't bound by that decision.

There's a revamped Committee Guidebook hot off the press, you ought to get a copy and read it through. The new Leader's Guidebook is a few months behind schedule, so keep an eye out for it, too.

[moosetracker]

Agree mostly with what everyone else says.. Accept for one thing.. If you think your son is fine because he doesn't know better and thinks this is what all BSA troops are like, and the program is not good. I would take him to visit other troops in the area.

 

Running all the council/district events seems to me like to much.. Sure it will give your son planning and organizational skills, IF, the boys are allowed to run it, and are not just used as the brawn.. If adult lead, then your son learns nothing except how to follow orders and be a worker bee.. He also never gets to enjoy a district event.. Do they do anything else like camping, backpacking, hiking, bike riding that is not district event related???..

 

My son's first troop had a person, who didn't start out as SM but became it shortly after joining.. Even before joining this guy worked for the district and the troop ran a district event now and then, but not ALL.. But he had the parents of the scout do all his district work, that he took credit for.. Other things not all event related, organizing his roundtable meetings for him.. Working on district membership or finance for him as well as the occasional district event.

 

When you enter the troop you thought of it as a well functioning, highly active troop.. You needed to step back, to see that nothing was for the benefit of the boys or the troop, it was all for the benefit of one man to make him look good in the eyes of the district. (so ultimately I guess it helped your district).. But, take away things a troop shouldn't be involved in, and it was all that well functioning..

 

If you think your troop isn't running well, but your son doesn't realize it.. Find a way to have him step back and appraise it from a different perspective.

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

Find a Boy Scout troop and join it, what you have is not scouting.

[dedkad]

I feel like we are only getting half of the story. Why does the COR want new blood? Maybe he has good reason. Without more specifics on your troop, I wouldn't say one way or the other that what your COR is doing is wrong.