MB Counselor restrictions?

[hot_foot_eagle]

In another thread Vicki states: "I counsel four MBs (the maximum allowed by my council)" - which got me to wondering.

 

At first blush a restriction of four MB's seems rather arbitrary.

 

It would seem reasonable that an individual might be found with the right combination of professional and personal interests to make a good MB counselor for the Citizenship triad, Law, American Heritage, and perhaps one or two other closely related badges. . . and that's all assuming that said counselor doesn't have any hobbies.

 

Is there an overabundance of counselors? Is the four badge restriction meant to try to limit the workload on an individual or does it have some other purpose? Is this a common restriction?

 

On a related note, how much vetting of prospective counselors is done? (I'm thinking subject matter expertise, not background checks.)

[Lisabob]

My council has a limit of 5 MBs per counselor and as far as I'm aware, no serious check of qualifications. One has to specify why one is qualified when filling out the initial paperwork, but I have serious doubts that anyone ever checks up on whatever is written.

 

Now in our case, I've been told that the 5 MB limit comes from a time when some MBCs signed up for 20+ MBs, and some scouts could (and presumably did?) earn all MBs in their entire careers just from one or two people in their home troops. That is seen as a potential abuse of the "trustworthiness" of a scouter (can someone truly counsel 20 or more badges and do them all justice?), as well as a poor use of the adult association method.

 

 

[evmori]

Mine has a limit of 10. National has no limit.

[Nike]

The limit makes sense in that it forces troops to recruit more adults as MBC, exposing more of them to Scouting, and exposing the boys to a wider array of interesting adults.

[ccjj]

Our council has a limit of 8 per MBC. Personally, I am only a counselor for 4 at this time. My 18 year old son, is also a MBC for 4.

 

ccjj

[Ohio_Scouter]

Our council has no limits on the number of badges a counselor may counsel.

[Bob White]

More importantly, National makes no restriction and the council has no authority to alter that since it is a national policy.

 

What the BSA does recommend is that a counselor stay within a single area of expertise such as a registered nurce could councel any of the healt and medical related merit badges, or teacher could do the scholastic topics, and a lawyer could do the civics related topics, etc.

 

I would expect many councils adopted thes types of local rules because of local abuses, like a scoutmaster who tries to register for all the Eagle Required bages so that he can do them all at troop meetings himself and then point to all his Eagle Scouts to show what a good SM he is.

 

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Beavah]

Yah, I really dislike da councils that put on the added restrictions. Very arbitrary. And I've known some fine men and women who were outstandin' counselors for groups of badges. Why would yeh turn down the offer of a great counselor in an area who has the time to do multiple badges?

 

Councils can do it, of course, simply by not acceptin' MBC applications for more than 5 or whatnot. They are not obligated to approve any person for any badge.

 

I don't recommend it, though. If yeh have a problem with abuse, address that problem with the individual, eh? No need to mess up the entire council when yeh can pull one SM aside and say "Sorry, George, we both know you're abusin' the system here, so we're limiting you to 5 if yeh don't cut it out."

 

The way it's set up in some councils, a BSA Aquatics Director might not be allowed to counsel all the aquatics badges. Just silly.

 

Beavah

 

[evmori]

I would bet the reason councils limit the number of badges a counselor can register is not for control but rather management of records. We have read how councils seem to be lax in this area & can you imaging the mess if MB counselors were allowed to register for as many badges as they wanted?

[Trevorum]

I have never heard of restricting the number of Merit Badges one can counsel. As Beav notes, that seems to be a rather broad solution to what I suspect is a very narrow problem.

 

 

[prairie]

Lisabob wrote: (Now in our case, I've been told that the 5 MB limit comes from a time when some MBCs signed up for 20+ MBs, and some scouts could (and presumably did?) earn all MBs in their entire careers just from one or two people in their home troops.)

 

One would think a better way would be to limit a Scout to 5 MBs from any one MBC.

[Eagle92]

Personally I don't think that a council should restrict MBCs to s specific number, but to areas they are qualified to teach. For example I am registered to do all of the aquatics MBs, except sailing, so that's 4 mbs there. that's from being a BSA lifeguard and YMCA lifeguard instructor. I also do First Aid since I am a AHA instrcutor for work. I also do the three citizenships b/c of my academic background, and Indian Lore b/c I am the lodge's AIA adviser. that'a a total of 9 MBs I teach. Plus I probably teach a few more if I wanted

 

Now would I try for things like plumbing, nuclear energy, or hosrmanship? Heck no as I have no background in those areas. And I would expect council to deny my request to teach them since I am not qualified.