Removed as Scout Master with no notice

[Oak Tree]

I know that by the book there can only be one Scoutmaster, but I think it's entirely possible that the committee and the Scoutmasters all believed that having two Scoutmasters was ok. Both could even fill out an application and indicate on each one that they were both Scoutmasters. This might only get rejected at the council office, and it seems entirely possible not even there.

 

So let's say they were co-Scoutmasters.

 

I agree with ScoutNut - you really need to talk to your CC to understand what's going on.

[Thomas54]

 

 

Well its sounds like any shortcomings you may have had in being new Scoutmasters would have been compensated by drive, enthusiasm and organization. Your commitment to learn the craft of being a SM and to do right by the troopis to be commended. I would sure appreciate someone like you in my troop.

 

 

I am sympathetic to your mistreatment and hope that you will find a way to continue to serve the scouts in your troop.

 

PS

I sure would be interested to find out any explanation your committee gives you.

 

[Stosh]

Wereas there can be only one SM per troop, the two interested people could always flip a coin and have one SM and the other ASM. The only problem would be that just the SM person would get some of the major mailings from the council.

 

With all the training you have received it might not be a bad idea to offer oneself up as another ASM (there can be as many as the troop needs) if you wish to be working directly with the boys or as a MC if you wish to at least have some input in the operations of the troop.

 

Either way, don't give up on the boys even if the adults are being difficult about it.

 

Stosh

[moosetracker]

Strange - I have been CC. I know if I heard from another troop member that my SM had resigned the first thing I would do is call them and hear it from them, and ask why I wasn't the first to hear of it, rather then hear it through the grapevine. Not swear in a new SM before I talked with the old SM.

 

I know it might be easier with everyone there anyway, but the committee meeting really should not be held during the troop meeting for the fact that you guarentee that it can not be attended by the SM or any ASM's. But you were in the same building, it would not have killed the CC to talk to you before the troop & commitee meeting started, if she could not reach you by phone. Or if the comment was made in the committee meeting to come out and pull one of you aside for a minute to confirm it.

[eisely]

This defies common sense. Either someone is incredibly incompetent or there was genuine ill will intended. If anyone on the committee had any reason, inluding second hand information, to seek your removal, the committee as a whole had an obligation to talk to you first. If there was a different understanding regarding your intentions and the intentions of the committee at the time that you and the other person volunteered her services, then this is organizational incompetence reflecting very badly on the CC. The CC owes you an explanation. At a minimum the removal, justified or not, was handled very badly.

 

It is correct that there can be no such thing as "co scoutmasters." Your council should register only one scoutmaster and any number of assistant scoutmasters. The entire concept is flawed. If the CC really thought this was a valid concept, then the CC is truly ignorant of the structure of a properly organized troop.(This message has been edited by eisely)

[boomerscout]

Do you deserve an explanation? Certainly! Does that mean you will get one? Not necessarily!

What hasn't been broached: Is the new Scoutmaster male?

Can you contact the SM that resigned before you stepped up? He may have some insight.

[BartHumphries]

Perhaps it was brought to the committee's notice that you cannot have co-Scoutmasters and, not wanting to promote one of you above the other, they instead just brought in someone new. I really don't know why you're asking us why they'd do such a thing -- they're the ones you should be asking. As for whether they *can* do that, well, they just did it, so yeah.

[qwazse]

Whatever has happened, I hope you are not discouraged to the point that you write yourselves out of the picture. If your troop is large and active and you like the newly appointed SM, he/she will need your support. It is great to have ASM's in the depth chart. It's great to be one and take turns helping the boys organize activities. Instead of mapping out five activities, each of you offer to coordinate one. As a crew advisor, I rely on our troop ASM's a lot. One lead a contingent to Philmont when neither I or the Troop SM was able to go.

 

When you're not needed for something, throw a line in the water and see if the fish stopped biting. Or, check if the back of your eyelids are the changing color.

 

Keep trained, attend district roundtables, communicate, communicate, communicate.

 

P.S. - Enjoy this weekend!

[SR540Beaver]

Everyone is correct in that there is no such thing as co-SM's. That being said, we have a troop in our district that has......drum roll please......co-SM's. They must read Scouter.com and follow the "make it up as you go" and "whatever works for you" crowd. Let's just say that lots of other folks look at them and scratch their heads a lot.

[Miquin1978]

Love2Camp,

 

Is the new SM a man? Is it possible the committee is so old fashioned that they preferred to have a man as SM instead of two women?