Committee rules running amuck

[The Blancmange]

It's tough to acheive 300 ft. separation, though. Need a large warehouse.

[GKlose]

I'm with evmori and Kudu on this -- troop committees don't get to decide what does and doesn't count for Camping MB. That is clearly MB counselor territory.

 

I suppose you could argue that they do for rank advancement T/2C/1C, via a Board of Review, but that is starting to get into an SM/Committee territorial dispute, if you ask me.

 

Guy

[OldGreyEagle]

I did not realize B-P himself coined the term Parlour Scouting and that he recognized the "numerous regulations" culture of the BSA as a threat to scouting as far back as 1927

 

 

[Eagle92]

Also when indoors, you need to make sure the "tent" is near the potty and the nitelite is on. Otherwise your 2yo may get scared and have an accident

 

Don't think I have to worry about that again, as he keeps getting mad at me 'cause I won't let him camp outside with his brothers yet. that changes in two weeks att eh council's family camp out Gotta start them camping young!

[acco40]

Facts

1) The Scoutmaster is in charge of the troop advancement program.

 

2) IOLS training is not required for adults to take Scouts camping.

 

3) Merit badge counselors determine if merit badge requirements are met.

 

4) For the Order of the Arrow - the Scoutmaster determines "nights/days" camping.

 

5) The committee's purpose is to support the program.

 

Opinion

1) Troop Committees are famous for sticking their noses where they don't belong.

 

When I attended Philmont - PTC, it was for the "Scoutmaster's Only" training. One evening they showed the Disney "Follow Me Boys" movie. The movie got the biggest cheer when Fred McMurray's wife suggest that the Troop Committee handle something and Fred, the Scoutmaster, responded by saying that the Troop Committee can't handle anything or just screws things up (something along those lines).

[acco40]

My favorite requirement is to sleep "under the stars" - please tell me how on Earth I could not meet that requirement.

[OldGreyEagle]

Lemuel Siddons: How can I rest? Who's going to finish building the camp out at the lake? Who's gonna get the free lumber and who's gonna get the free labor? Will you two stop "Lem"ing me? Who's gonna see that everything's ready for dedication day? Who's going to coordinate all the activities and who's going to... Edward 'Whitey' White Jr. - as an Adult: Lem, the Troop Committee will handle all that. Lemuel Siddons: Oh, the Troop Committee, they'll gob everything up!

[CalicoPenn]

Sure, the committee could set those rules - up to a point (as was pointed out, the MBC decides if a camping trip counts for camping merit badge, not a unit committee, and it's the SM that verifies the numbers of days and nights camping for OA< not a unit committee).

 

However, it's a pretty stupid rule since there are unintended consequences.

 

If it were me, I would feel that a weekend of my time was just wasted by the Committee. I'd hand them the SM patch off my sleeve, and encourage my ASM's to do the same. Then I would work with the ASM's to form a new unit and poach every single Scout in that unit who doesn't have a parent on the committee and who wants to join a real Boy Scout Troop.

[evmori]

The Troop Committee doesn't decide what counts for rank, either. That is up to the Scoutmaster!

 

And the rule they are trying to enforce is bogus. This committee needs to get itself trained 1st.

[qwazse]

... When our committee put in the rule of Leaders having the full training of a SM within a year of registration or they are denied going on events, it was not something the committee came up with on a whim. The SM at that time came to the committee and asked that they put this rule in place and enforce it. ... - MT

 

Which comes to my rule (stated before, but I'll repeat it in bold): Never ask someone for a rule. They might just make one for you!

 

God bless those committee members who protect their SMs and Advisors from their own stupidity and don't make rules they ask for but don't need!

[evmori]

I think one more rule is necessary for this committee.

 

To be a committee member, one must be fully trained for their postion.

[Gary_Miller]

I'll add one more rule.

 

Committee members must attend monthly Round Table.

[gcnphkr]

I'm not sure where the committee has the authority to make this call. I don't see this anywhere in the Guidebook. The closest is:

 

* Advises the Scoutmaster on policies relating to Boy Scouting and the chartered organization.

 

The CO can make a requirement that authorized camp-outs require a trained leader. But if that was the case then the tour permit should not have been signed by a MC, assuming that there was a tour permit. But the committee does not set policy for the unit. Okay, if the committee is the CO then it can set policy.

 

Committee meetings should go like this:

 

SM: The scouts want to do X, Y and Z.

 

Meeting: Find ways for the scouts to make X, Y and Z happen.

 

Then I wake up.

 

[moosetracker]

Well I think there is a difference between the rule our committee created, and the one this troops committee created. Our SM asked for a rule for the committee members to be trained before going on outings.. He already had his own rule that he would not accept an ASM who had not sat on the committee for at least a year, and who was not fully trained. So this rule was truely on and about those committee members that wanted to tag along on scouting events. The committee does take care of issues concerning it's own committee members, and parents.

 

He had an issue over having 12 - 15 parents coming on camping trips with no training, so his worries all weekend long was not about the scouts but about monitering the parents. He did not want to cut them off all together, but insisted that if they were to go, they were to go with the full training of any of his ASM's so they could be an asset and not a burden.

 

This other troops committee made a rule up that punished the scouts for the fact their SM was untrained.

 

Your right the SM should have jurisdiction over what effects the scouts, not the committee.

[Gary_Miller]

jet526, "Committee meetings should go like this:

 

SM: The scouts want to do X, Y and Z.

 

Meeting: Find ways for the scouts to make X, Y and Z happen.

 

Then I wake up."

 

 

A good committee does an experienced SM make.