Booted Out Of Scouting For Speaking Up

[TAHAWK]

I have Scouted during the regimes of six SE's.  

 

One was a superstar: very effective and everyone loved him.  (The guy would show up at your backpack camp in the mountains with food to contribute to the mess and ask if he could join you.  He would then participate in your campfire and often contribute great stories.

 

One was a bean-counter and had nearly zero interaction with the paid people, much less the volunteers - for eleven years.  A cipher. He was very angry when the Board ended his employment.

 

One was super pleasant, did some good things, inflated the membership number by 1/3 fraud, and left the council broke when he left on a promotion.  He was found out and fired.  Had  come-to-Jesus meeting with National and was given a BIG council to run.  Flawed.  Ambitious.

 

One is super honest and I respect him immensely, but he is not fixing the problems.  He may be somewhat burned out.  I would have liked to see what he did twenty years ago.

 

One is super energetic, trapped in a no-win situation in a council that is so broke they have volunteers serving as DEs.  Who knows what He might accomplish in a more possible job.

 

One was an absolute reptile.  Ruled his employees by terror, lied by reflex, loathed volunteers as a class of folks, cooked the financial books and the membership numbers.  His rabbi at Region retired, the auditors appeared, and he "retired to pursue other interests."  (CHOP!)

 

So I have experienced a good range of SEs.  I never missed a chance to talk with any of them,  I figured I might find out something useful, it could not hurt, and I can disagree emphatically but agreeably if it comes to that..

 

 

I join those urging you to talk to the SE.  You can honestly tell him you did not understand the situation and want to be clear on his position.  How, at this point, can it hurt?

[davemetrano]

After joining and reading many responses on Scouter.com I am very thankful that I am in the District and Council that I am. It sounds like a lot of Districts and Concils are haveing

some serious problems.To those Scouters that are sticking with the Scouting Program with thses burdens I salute you and really wish you well. You are the example why we are

involved with the BSA. Good luck Scouters.

 

As far as the problem at hand, I would have asked the DE for a meeting and try to solve the problem, as it stood, you had nothing to loose.

[SSScout]

wc153221, ??

 

Any news??

[SeattlePioneer]

For many years.  the Chief Seattle Council has had a series of effective Scout Executives who have provided effective leadership and kept the Council financially able to do the things that needed to be done.

 

 

My district has had a series of reasonably capable to excellent District Executives.  District volunteer leadership deteriorated over several years,  but has been rejuvenated with new leaders over the past year.

 

My only criticism is that the turnover of SE and DE has been more rapid than is really desirable.

 

But by and large,  the paid leadership has earned it's money.

[Gone]

 

My district has had a series of reasonably capable to excellent District Executives.  District volunteer leadership deteriorated over several years,  but has been rejuvenated with new leaders over the past year.

 

 

We've had a DE-a-year for about 5 years now. The longest I recall was in for two years over the last 12 years. They all go on to council or national...of course, none having really done anything other than some brown-nosing.

[CubDaycampDirector]

The district we were in prior to this one has a problem keeping DEs.  Going backwards:
3/15, the DE left for medical reasons.

7/14, DE leaves for more $$$$.  She was so young and perky, it was understandable why those old guys at Council wanted her in the office.   She even "bounced" all over the place.  (Cheerleader voice and all)

6/13, DE leaves after burning out.  Best DE out of the bunch----young, energetic, former Eagle, gung ho about the whole Scouting experience.  Burned out after being on call 24/7/365 (for example, he made arrangements to go out of town for Mother's Day, to see his mom.   The council booked an event for him--specifically, after he had made the arrangements and had the ok to go by council.  (Needless to say, that event went DE-less, and he put in his notice to leave after daycamp was over)   They would call him at all hours of the night over anything.   We ran daycamp together----I heard the voice mails left for him at midnight by the SE.  "R, we need to meet and go over the budget reports.  Will next Friday at 5 work?  Call me back ASAP with a response." "R, please call me ASAP to discuss the port a potty bill."  AT midnight.   Sheesh.  No wonder he wiped.

5/12, DE leaves for unspecified reasons. 

11/11, DE leaves for unspecified reasons.  We think he flipped out after his first day on the job---at Cuboree.   With over 2000 attendees.  Yep. They introduced him at the bonfire, and he handed in his key the next day.
Sept 2011, DE leaves for new job. 

Those are just the ones I remember.  I know there were at least 2 in 2009-2010, but I wasn't as involved at that time (just started).

[packsaddle]

LOL, at first I was thinking those were month/day numbers. WOW! And then the last one cleared things up. But even then...that's impressive.

[CubDaycampDirector]

LOL, at first I was thinking those were month/day numbers. WOW! And then the last one cleared things up. But even then...that's impressive.

Sorry, I should have put them the other way around.  I was trying to go through them in my head, and if I didn't go backwards, I'd miss someone. 

 

Our SE was just moved to another area.  He was here for the whole time we were in Cubs.  Waiting to see if the new SE has her head up her behind like the last one....