Merit Badge “Blue Card” Revised

[JMHawkins]

Alot of scoutmasters need their egos deflated.

 

Then they shouldn't be Scoutmasters.

 

This is a poor way, a bureaucratic way, of going about solving a leadership problem.

 

But then that's what I've come to expect out of National.

 

We need to encourage more, and better, use of discretion at the local level. Instead, we're substituting rules and proceedures that only empower the very people who are eroding the value of the program.

 

 

[JMHawkins]

Alot of scoutmasters need their egos deflated.

 

Then they shouldn't be Scoutmasters.

 

This is a poor way, a bureaucratic way, of going about solving a leadership problem.

 

But then that's what I've come to expect out of National.

 

We need to encourage more, and better, use of discretion at the local level. Instead, we're substituting rules and proceedures that only empower the very people who are eroding the value of the program.

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

So, we are pretty keen on saying that the scout's advancement is up to the scout and its up to the scout to advance. Then we are also saying that although the scouts advancement is his own responsibility, the scoutmaster needs to have sharp control over what meritbadges the scout may work on.

 

If a scout does not seem like a fit to the merit badge he wants to work on and the the scoutmaster can't talk/counsel the scout out of it. WHy not let him try? Maybe the Scoutmaster will be proven correct or the scout prevails

 

WHy not allow the scout the possibility of failure? We talk about the benefits of failure, why does it not apply in this situation?

[OldGreyEagle]

So, we are pretty keen on saying that the scout's advancement is up to the scout and its up to the scout to advance. Then we are also saying that although the scouts advancement is his own responsibility, the scoutmaster needs to have sharp control over what meritbadges the scout may work on.

 

If a scout does not seem like a fit to the merit badge he wants to work on and the the scoutmaster can't talk/counsel the scout out of it. WHy not let him try? Maybe the Scoutmaster will be proven correct or the scout prevails

 

WHy not allow the scout the possibility of failure? We talk about the benefits of failure, why does it not apply in this situation?

[Eagledad]

>>Alot of scoutmasters need their egos deflated.

[fred8033]

Eagledad ... strong response for a topic that you assert 90% of the scouters wouldn't care less about. Counseling and advising is great and the full purpose, but it is very different than being a road block.

[Eagledad]

Strong responses from a very small sampling of scouters in this forum. Road block? If they are road blocks, it's only from the way they were trained or a misunderstanding. Not a passionate desire to control.

 

I think I'm the most boy run member on this forum and I dont see any conspiracy. It's just a process that has been part of the program since I can remember. Next to aged based patrols, this policy has .01 negative affect on boy run.

 

But hey, I'm open to a personal poll of leaders at your next Round Table. Let us know.

 

Barry

[skeptic]

This change is so minor as to be almost negligible. All it does, from my point of view, is try to assure that the leader does his job as it was intended. The whole point of having him do this is to allow him to counsel the scout and ascertain his readiness. Logically, even with the old wording, that was the intent. Unfortunately, too many SM's either do not understand their job, or are unwilling to do it. There could be a time when a scout is not quite ready, and he should be helped to see that. Just because an 11 year old scout loves horses, he is not yet likely to be ready for Horsemanship, especially if he is one of the really small boys right out of Webloes. A boy with no swimming qualification is not "allowed" to take boating badges until he is certified a swimmer. Some scouts, possibly most, have not actually read the requirements, or simply skimmed them without understanding.

 

I simply continue to have a hard time understanding the noise made by a few every time something is changed, even if it is only clarification or simplification. No scout is being done a favor by the leaders not trying to help them do advancement properly and completely, rather than letting them slide through because they might have their feelings hurt.

 

We seem to have way too many people in the program that do not grasp the main intent from the beginning, helping a boy grow into a productive man and citizen. That job entails more than feel good patting on the head. But it also requires flexibility within the limits of the program, and making common sense decisions without constantly worrying about not crossing all the t's, or dotting all the i's.

 

Maybe this slight change would not have been suggested if the original statement had been understood as it was intended if you read beneath the surface.

[frankpalazzi]

All this change accomplishes is to close a perceived "loophole".

 

[Eagledad]

Thinking about the alternative you guys have been discussing here, I was wondering what you guys were thinking on scouts who would let their parents be the counselor of all badges?

 

I'm not challenging the suggestion of taking the SM out of the MB process, I actually like it. But what is your thinking on the issue of a scout using just one counselor for all the badges.

 

Just curious.

 

Thanks or Mahalo

 

Barry

[fred8033]

Using a parent as a MB counselor generally defeats the purpose of the MB program unless the parent really has special expertise in the topic. I'm not against using a parent as a MB counselor any more or any less than using the same MB counselor for more than one or two merit badges.

 

IMHO, the benefit of the MB program is only partially in each topic. The bigger benefit is learning to reach out and work with people. Followed by learning to complete requirements and chase/close-out obstacles to completing something worthwhile.

[Eagledad]

I sorry, I wasn't very clear. I'm talking about the abuse of one person (usually a parent) being a counselor for all the badges for the purpose of speeding up advancement. I had this problem myself with a couple families. How would you discourage that abuse with a no checks or balance MB process?

 

Barry

[OldGreyEagle]

"...you guys were thinking on scouts who would let their parents be the counselor of all badges? "

 

I would have to question the District that would approve one person to council 21 merit badges ranging from the Citizenships to Camping to Environental Sciences to Family Life to Personal Management and beyond. Such ecletic renaissance individuals exist, I just don't think there are that many to worry about.

 

SHould really fuel discussions at the Star and Life Boards of Review, wouldnt it?

[Eagledad]

>>Such ecletic renaissance individuals exist, I just don't think there are that many to worry about.

 

SHould really fuel discussions at the Star and Life Boards of Review, wouldnt it?

[skeptic]

What system that bypasses the SM? Am I missing something here? The change in the blue card still requires the SM approval if I read it correctly.