[RogerR]

I've been a team member, a technical mentor, and now a teacher. I've been a student, a college kid, and now a husband. I've been everything scout to Lead Mentor. With the exception of the position of principle/administration/school board, I've seen every side of this coin before. With all of that experience under my belt, Kim's advice is the best on this thread. It’s the most likely to quickly and successfully resolve the situation. Trying to turn this into some sort of 'you vs. him' conflict will only further slow any progress, and end up with someone walking away from the team insulted and uninspired.

Now that I'm a teacher, I realize how much work it is to make sure a team can exist. It takes a huge amount of time, effort, and personal money to keep it going. Very rarely will students (or even other mentors) see this. After the lights go out, I'm still here calling vendors, processing invoices, filling out POs, badgering FIRST HQ, firing emails to potential and current sponsors, filling out school board paperwork, defending the teams existence to the administration, and cleaning up the bits of flotsam that the team missed (not included: all the regular teaching duties). On the one day (or two, occasionally) a week I have off, I spend most of the afternoon picking up supplies and running errands.

My team this year has been great; they've been safe, clean, respectful, dedicated, thorough, and gracious. My family has been supportive, forgiving, and helpful. With the support of both team and family, I've been able to push a lot harder than in years past, however, it’s still unbelievably stressful. Based on the original post, I doubt the teacher has either of these, and that makes robotics season for him overwhelming and frustrating.

If you want to get him back on the same page, try and find out what he needs help with, and help him. Even if you don't agree with his methods, he wants you and the rest of the team to succeed. Talk to him, listen to him (as Kim said), and work with him. You're all on the same team, unless you make it otherwise.

Originally Posted by fox46

...First of all, the shop is not *HIS*. He is merely an employee of the board- he does not own the equipment and resources in your school. Contacting your administration is the right way to go. What would *I* do next?

Originally Posted by fox46

Work with your mentors and sponsors. Explain the situation if they are not already aware of it, then move everything - and I mean everything robotics related off-site to your mentor's garage. Have another teacher or the administration let you into the room and collect all your equipment. There is a magical key known as a cordless drill which can defeat nearly any lock! If it can't then it's friend- the bolt cutter, will. Your teacher will quickly get the message and he will then have to make the judgment call as to whether he's with you or against you. In any case, it doesn't matter- you will be free to work off-site as you please...

DON'T DO THIS!

The morning after you do this, your team would cease to exist, and in all likelihood, you might be facing criminal charges. And while he might not "own" the tools, materials, or workspace (though he probably does own or has paid for some of it), it is his responsibility. Theft and destruction of property do not bode well for a team’s future.

TL,DR: You're all on the same team. Don't fight with him, listen to him, and then try to figure out where your differences lie. And don't break into the school and steal stuff.