Boy Run "NO" :?:

[t305spl]

Anyone else have or had a problem with the adults not wanting to let go? What did you do? What will you do? Some want it to be a dictatorship led by them.

[BM_Crawford]

Learn to compermise. No one should have real "control" it should be a team with each party doing their job and helping one another. THat's my opinion anway and that is what we have begun to do in our troop and we have more kids at the meetings, better plans and alot more fun!

[RWSmith]

Matt,

I'll tell you the best kept secret in Scouting... and if everyone knew about it, our rentention numbers would soar... I, for one, sing it loud. (Because I learned this lesson myself, the hard way... A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.)

If you (the Scout) are not happy (pleased, satisfied, whatever) where you're at, then by ALL MEANS, sit down with your parents and tell them you want to go shopping for another Troop. And then do it. I know it sounds too simple; but, I can promise you, it works every time.

Yes, I know this post can be taken from several different angles, and of course, you've tried to work around it, make compromises, etc. but... a dictator can only remain in power as long people follow him. And you have to know that for every Scout Troop out there that is being run poorly, incorrectly--and the boys just ain't having any fun, there's ten more that are getting it done and having loads of fun. This ain't just about Boy Scout Troops; this philosophy applies to almost any and every volunteer thang. Sometimes, the grass is greener on the other side. Once you reach a point where you're fed up and can't take it anymore, for goodness sakes, don't quit!... Just go find another Troop!

[Rick Tyler]

Sometimes, the grass is greener on the other side. Once you reach a point where you're fed up and can't take it anymore, for goodness sakes, don't quit!... Just go find another Troop!

My boys and I did this six months ago. My older son (15 year-old almost-an-Eagle) said, "If I had known how good this troop was earlier, I would have changed a year ago." Just making the decision to look is the hard part.

Good luck.

[Scouting179]

If someone won't let the boys run the troop, they need to be told to step back. Besides this, you could: move to another troop, contact your district leadership, contact the unit commissioner.

[West]

If someone won't let the boys run the troop, they need to be told to step back. Besides this, you could: move to another troop, contact your district leadership, contact the unit commissioner.

Start with the last two, if there isn't improvement do the first.

[Lynda J]

this was happening with out troop about 4 years ago. The SM was running the show. They had gone from 22 boys to 6 and only three of those showed up. The SM's son made Eagle and he quit. New SM. Boys run back up to almost 20 with more coming in.

Another Troop in our district moved to another district because of the same problem.
What adults sometimes forget it the point of this program is to teach the boys to govern themselves. If we don't allow them to do that and in the process sometimes make mistakes they won't learn to be responsible productive adults.

[BM_Crawford]

this was happening with out troop about 4 years ago. The SM was running the show. They had gone from 22 boys to 6 and only three of those showed up. The SM's son made Eagle and he quit. New SM. Boys run back up to almost 20 with more coming in.

Another Troop in our district moved to another district because of the same problem.
What adults sometimes forget it the point of this program is to teach the boys to govern themselves. If we don't allow them to do that and in the process sometimes make mistakes they won't learn to be responsible productive adults.

I agree with this Lynda. Almost every aspect of scouting is for saftey or learning. It teaches you to communicate with others and make decisions that effect a large group of people. These skills carry on into the RW

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Good adivce given out here.
One thing that might help is to get more adults involved too. Sometimes the power of more knowledge from the adults to point out the program and remind those trying to take over that this is in fact NOT the BSA program could help. Since you didn't give us much information to go by such as: are you a scout asking or an adult, how many boys are in the troop and how many adults are regularly involved? What if a team of boys approached the SM or other adults to address this? Other wise, I'd go through your council. I would suggest that even though this maybe a hard thing to deal with, try to stay in the troop before just leaving for another one. You will feel really good if you can make change happen and will help other boys as well. Good luck!

[West]

Another good idea is to get in touch with the head of your charter orginization, or the Charter rep. Trust me, they don't like to hear that the program isn't being run as it should and it's haveing an adverse effect on both membership and quality of the program.

[The_Ed]

Another good idea is to get in touch with the head of your charter orginization, or the Charter rep. Trust me, they don't like to hear that the program isn't being run as it should and it's haveing an adverse effect on both membership and quality of the program.

Can you do this anonymously. My troop has a strange situation. The adult leaders (the main one being the Senior Patrol Leader's mom) think the troop is close to being 100% boy run. When in reality it is close to 0%. She butts into everything. No one likes her son, but he was the only one to run for SPL. There making ridiculous rules. Many younger boys are quitting. My biggest worry is getting the SPL's mom mad. I'm close to eagle and she said that the leaders may stop signing off on the Scout Spirit requirment. I have the requirment but think if I get her mad she wouldnt sign off on it. I posted our situation on here earlier on a different Screen Name (forgot my password). Basically our troop is going down the drain.

P.S.- The SPL's mom is has been the merit badge counselor for most of his merit badges. I'm pretty certain he did not do any of the requirments for most of them. My biggest complaint is he has all the merit badges but she has not offered them to the rest of the troop. Is there any way to get them turn in for this?

[West]

Well, I'd go in and talk to the head of the CO and express your concerns. Ask him not to pass your name along. If it's really that bad many of your friends ought to be willing to do the same. If he hears enough he'll at least want to check it out. I am operating on the assumtion that you are chartered by an orginization that wants to support scouts, rather then simply tolerating them.

[Chief J]

Alot of good advice in this thread so far. I would like to sum it up with one word. COMMUNICATATION. Sounds like the Troop is not working together and many of the folks who should know that could change things are not in the loop. If the Unit Commissioner, is not informed and helping, and the Troop Committee and SM Staff and PLC working together, then it is a wreck.

I agree the Chartered Organization can make the changes needed but also agree that they need to support Scouting and not just tolerate the program.

If all else fails, and the leaders refuse to communicate and work toward the aims and methods of Scouting, then vote with your feet and move to a Troop that does. I ask that you change units, and not give up on Scouting, because as you can see from these boards, there are alot of people who care and are devoted to ensuring a top notch program for our members.

Good Luck
Chief J

[West]

I would also ask that you consider this: Is the troop trying to improve? Right now we are in the process of rebuilding and giveing things back to the boys (we had one scoutmaster really mess things up), and it's starting to go quite well. We've got the best current outdoor program around. Now we just have to maintain it so that people will recoginize that fact. We also are also more boy run then any of the troops i nthe area (though we still need to improve a bit more in this area). However, if all the guys had given up on the troop a year ago (when I came in and got the process started) none of it would have happened. A year and a half ago I would have transfered out. Now we are starting to get guys transfering in.

[diamondbackAPL]

our troop is just the opposite. the leaders try to let the boys run the troop, but sometimes they turn over complete control and don't step in when they should.

[don]

diamondbackAPL and any others
You bring up a question that I and I think many other scouters struggle with.
When do you think an adult should step in. I have been told the only time an adult should step in is if there is a safety issue.

[ASM-142]

The adults in my troop try to let the boys do things their own way within reason. We get involved in "after' planning when reservations need to be made and/or permits need to be obtained. We also get involved where cost is involved to make sure that the boys realize the actual cost of an activity. If it is a safety issue we are involved immediately.

We let the boys plan their own activities which includes making their own mistakes.

[Lynda J]

I have heard boys complaining about the adults not letting them run the troop. But sometimes when you get to talking to them you learn that some of the things that the boys are wanting to do don't meet BSA
safety standards. Boys at 14-16 think they know more than the adults. They also think that bad things can't happen to them. So when the adults say no to something suddenly they aren't letting the boys run the troop.