I want to be Scoutmaster while my son is in Scouts

[jtswestark]

Beav - I dont think I agree with that. They ask for coaches at sign up, and you get to nominate yourself at that time. I know Ive been disappointed at least once when I see a coach that was selected that I or others were way more qualified than, but nobody knew I was interested in the position because it felt odd nominating myself. Or at work when a vacancy comes up, we may ask for internal applicants - equally as appropriate.

 

There may be plenty of things going on between the SM & CC that no one else is aware of. Maybe all the current SM needs to know is that someone else is actually interested and that gets them off the hook. My preceeding SM hung on for years because no one else was expressing any interest. Now, qualifying wtih I am not a CC: What I would consider a red flag is someone undermining the SM and doing things behind his back, without his approval (been there and didnt like it one bit!). But I dont see anything wrong at all with offering in a low keyed and humble manner if theres ever a need, Id be interested and leave it at that? But make sure its left at that, make the offer once and let things go from there.

 

JTS

 

[John-in-KC]

I think, jts, you need to read the following:

 

Selecting Quality Leaders, BSA Pub 18-981

http://old.scouting.org/commissioners/resources/18-981.pdf

 

You will note it says nothing about self-nomination for Scoutmaster.

 

Beavah said it, and said it right.

[jtswestark]

Ok, that's all well and good, for the CC side of the process. But I still don't see any real problem with letting at least the CC know you 'if the need should arise'... If I were agressive about it then that's a different story and there's your red flags, no doubt.

 

Anyways, just my opinion, of a current SM. If I know a particular Dad/ASM is interested, and I have a good feeling about him them I'd feel better about moving on. If I don't have that good feeling, or nobody is on the radar, then I might hang on longer than is really good for the unit. But because there isn't anyone on the radar, the CC may be accepting of my performance, even if I see it as going downhill (which is exactly what was happening to my predecessor - hung on for nearly 18 years!). Each situation will obviously differ with the each player's relationship. All I can do is imagine my committee and knowing how my parents work together. I don't think there'd be a red flag among them... but if we should get a new player suddenly on the scene making waves I could certainly see flags going up.

 

Jack

[Buffalo Skipper]

You will note it says nothing about self-nomination for Scoutmaster.

In fact the words "nomination," "nominating" or "nomination"  appear no where in this document, for self or other. 

That is because there is no "election" of positions.  They are selected by a committee.  Identifying one's self to the COR or CC that you are interested is one way to make it known that you are willing to commit to being a troop leader.

[John-in-KC]

If there is one thing I've learned about Scouting in the last ten years, it's that all the parts have to fit together. That starts with the unit/Chartered Partner/Council relationship, and works its way through the various program methods supporting the aims.

 

That they don't fit together, rather often, is one of the root causes of challenges we see here. The other challenge, which BW rides, is lack of training to the tasks at hand.

 

 

[scoutingtexas]

While I will tell you the fact that if it is me or not me the Scouts will be better off if the current SM is out of his post.

We have made so many suggestions to have our current SM, let the boys lead the troop, here are sugestions to follow, here are quidelines we need to follow, his response, yeah I want to try that. It lasts for a meeting or two and the meetings are run nice and smooth. Then its back to 10 minuntes of meeting and the rest is play time. Then when we need to go somewhere we ask questions and its all hurry up and we don't know and we should have done that.

We paid for sending him to Woodbadge seemed a waste as all his "projects" are almost done, he says, and our troop hasn't seen very much progression.

 

 

[Gold Winger]

" Think of it like being high school football coach. You don't get to "put your name in" because you want to be your kid's football coach. Yeh don't get to decide whether the coach current coach is retained. Da school considers candidates when it has a vacancy, and looks at qualifications and fit for the program. Scoutin' is the same."

 

You must not know many ADs or have much experience with high school sports or your metaphor wouldn't be so off base.(This message has been edited by Gold Winger)

[Beavah]

Yah, scoutingtexas, yeh are an ASM in this troop?

 

So aside from takin' shots at the SM, what are you doin' to help?

 

It's up to the committee and CO what they do with their SM. Your job is to assist your Scoutmaster in helpful and productive ways. I'd worry about doin' your own job, instead of tryin' to do the committee's. If you do that well, then yeh make yourself a candidate for SM in the future.

 

B

 

[Gold Winger]

"For me, someone who is "pushy" about being a SM or an ASM is a red flag, eh? That says that da person for some reason really wants to have contact with kids, rather than just help the program. Creepy! Possible predator behavior, or at least someone who is goin' to be a risk and disruption."

 

Oh, sheesh! An ASM says, "Gee, I think that I could do a better job" so you think that he's a pervert.

 

I may have said this before, if you have real issues bring them up to the CC and COR. If they say, "We're happy . . ." there's not much else you can do except to help the current SM and maybe nudge him into what you think is the correct path. Of don't be surprised if he tells you that your help isn't needed anymore.

 

Of course the CC could say, "Do you think that you could do a better job?" or he might say, "We've been thinking of a change, can you recommend a replacement."

 

So now you've been told all possible things from "Shut up, do your job and suffer" to "talk the people in charge."

[scoutingtexas]

"Shut up"

by Gold Winger

 

Wow so (dip)liomatic

 

Maybe the needs of 1 (Gold Winger) needs to be contolled to the needs of protecting Scouts.

 

[eagle77]

scoutingtexas,

I am a SM and for a long while I was an ASM. One thing is I never forgot what my job was. As an ASM my job was to work with and support the SM. When the SM program was moving away from what the boys and what BSA says they should be doing, I sat down with him and talked about adjusting the program a bit. Mainly because scouts told me what they would really like to do. When he refused to even bend a little and give these boys a true scouting program, I decicded that I could no longer support his style of scouting. I told him and the other leaders that I was resigning and going to another troop. One month later I was the new SM of the troop. No name calling or back stabbing, he didn't want to do it anymore and I wanted to do it in the worst way. Not because my son was there. If all you want is to SM a troop your son is in then maybe you need to find a COR that would like to start or revive their scouting program. From the way you come off though it seems your troop would fold the day after your sons 18th birthday or his Eagle. A good scoutmaster, to me, is dedicated to the scouting program and all the scouts that are in the program, not to being a SM for their son. Just a thought.

 

Bill

[Gold Winger]

"Maybe the needs of 1 (Gold Winger) needs to be contolled to the needs of protecting Scouts."

 

Hmmm. . . . I'm trying figure out if that makes sense. Not really but I'll go on.

 

Texas, did I tell you to shut up? No. I said that you were told to shut up and do your job. Big difference.

 

If you get off of your Texas sized horse and read what I wrote, I'm one of the ones who said to take your issues to the CC and COR. However, I'm guessing that you don't want to do that because they'll probably tell you "just clam up and do your job or quit." Instead, you seem to want to stage a coup.

 

For whatever it was worth, I thought that you had some genuine issues with your SM. I see that I was wrong.

 

You come off as a certified nut. Half baked allegations about what your SM is doing on campouts with "friends." Now, wanting to stage a coup.

 

Thank you for playing, have a nice day.

[scoutingtexas]

I believe first reference of "shut up" was from GW

Yes the issues are genuine. Scouts are first.

Not the needs of one leader to take and make lies to fit his or her needs for themselves.

 

Playing games is not the issue-the faith and beliefs of young men are.

[John-in-KC]

This is a simple bifurcated choice. I said this in the other thread, it bears repeating here:

 

As an ASM, one of your responsibilities is loyalty to your Scoutmaster. If the program is off course, if he will not respond to quiet cups of coffee discussions of the need for change, you may either:

 

- Resign your ASM position and then raise #### as a committee member.

 

- Decide to live with how he does business and support the man.

 

There is a third option: If your SM finds you here, backstabbing him, you may find yourself gone from the Troop and the Chartered Partner. All the SM has to do is tell the CC "Person X is no longer one of my ASMs", call the DE with the same message, and ask the COR to order you off the property.

 

Is this what you really want? Just keep backstabbing your SM. One of these days someone else in your area will read this, connect the dots, and pass the word to your SM.

 

He's supposed to obey the Scout Law as an example to the youth. So are you, and that includes LOYALTY to him.

[Gold Winger]

Good grief! You are a nut.