Last year, my Assistant Scoutmasters made the rule for me that I cannot go to a Troop Committee meeting without one of them present. Well, to put it in a nice way, I was set up. (BTW, I usually call the ASMs to remind them about the meeting but I did not this week) A Scout's parent jumped me tonight because I "embarrassed" him in public in front of his friends with one of my famous "Come to Jesus" talks. A "Come to Jesus" talk with me implies that we need to talk about some things. Nothing bad or deregatory. Usually, I ask what is the problem and how we can fix it. This parent also jumped me about another Scout who was going to do an ESLSP at a local cemetery. Well, I told them what this Scout had said he could not get ahold of the caretaker and was told "BS!" by this same parent. BTW, did I mention that he was a former Scoutmaster of my Troop. Getting back to the story, after he started blowing up at me about his son (I can count on one hand how many meetings he has been to in the last 1.5 years) , I told him that he could leave and that I would not be talked to in a demeaning manner. He told me that he would not leave, so I said fine, whatever, and told the Committee that whenever they were ready to talk with me in a civil manner that I would be back and promptly left. In the meantime, I tried to contact the Institutional Head because I knew she was somewhere in the church. I did eventually find her and one of the ASMs showed up and eventually walked back into the Committee Meeting and a civil discussion ensued. They (The Troop Committee) told me that I was not talking with the boys in an appropriate manner which was refuted by the ASM because he has been personally present when I have had to talk with individual scouts ( I never talk to the Scouts without other adults present. I kind of would like to remain a Scoutmaster and Venture Crew Advisor). I was also told that I was talking bad about different Scouts when they haven't showed up for meetings in 6 months or so which was not true (you should have heard what the other Scouts have said and I had to tell them to drop it or they need to fix their attitude towards those boys). I can go on and on about tonight. I felt like I lost about 1/2 of my butt this evening. The funny things about this is that had one of the other ASMs been present, nothing would have been said. I am starting to think that I need a new Troop Committee that will work with instead of against the current adult leadership in the Troop. The funny thing about it is that the Pastor of the church stated that she had personally seen this happen before with a Troop she was involved with north of my present location. So far this year, we have had 3 Eagle Scouts, 2 completing their final requirements for Eagle Scout, possibly 1 Heroism Award, picked up 3 kids who have never been in Scouts and I can honestly say that my Troop is boy-led. Where is my problem? Maybe it is the Troop Committee or maybe it is me? I don't know what to think at this point.
Just so you know, I am actively recruiting new Committee Members at this point in time. There is one with previous experience as an ASM and the other was in Scouts as a boy. Looks like there is going to be fun in my Troop! LOL
