Number of Merit Badges

[evmori]

My district recently placed a merit badge counselor testt on our district web site. The following is a question I have a question about:

 

Q 3 : A Scout may earn no more than five Merit Badges from the same Merit Badge Counselor.

1) True

2) False

Checked answer (2) was Wrong

 

Reason: This is incorrect; it is the policy of the Council that one counselor can only serve as the counselor for a total of five merit badges for any Scout. If an individual serves as the counselor for more than five merit badges, the Scout can lose credit for the badges in excess of five earned from the same counselor.

 

It is my understanding Nationl policy has no limits and councils can not alter that policy. Am I correct?

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

 

[mk9750]

Ed,

 

Although I think a policy like that has some merit, I am not aware of anything like it in our Council, or nationally. I am only guessing, but it might be that the local Council has the right to make such rules.

 

But if it isn't a national rule, and if Councils aren't permitted to make one like it themselves, I hope you point it out to them. Like I said, I think it might be a good idea. However, if it ain't allowed, it ain't allowed.

 

Mark

[scoutldr]

Qualifications of Counselors

Persons serving as merit badge counselors must be registered as a merit badge counselor with the Boy Scouts of America. They must be men and women of good character, age 18 or older, and recognized as having the skills and education in the subjects for which they are to serve as merit badge counselors, as well as having the ability to work with Scoutage boys.

 

Register merit badge counselors by using the basic adult registration form. All merit badge counselors must be approved by the council advancement committee. Merit badge counselors are not required to pay a fee if they are only registered as merit badge counselors.

 

There is no restriction or limit on the number of merit badges an individual may be approved to counsel for, but they must be approved by the committee for each specific merit badge.

 

There is no limit on the number of merit badges a youth may earn from one counselor.

 

An approved merit badge counselor may counsel any youth member, including his or her own son, ward, or relative.

 

Older Venturers, age 18 or older, make excellent counselors.

 

Source: District Operations Manual, Advancement Committee

 

 

So, as has been said ad nauseam in this forum, the rules is the rules and we may not add to them...presumably even at the Council level.

[scoutldr]

PS: I hope this also answers the age-old myth that Scoutmasters can sign off certain MBs, e.g., Camping, Cooking, etc. It just ain't so, unless they are registered as approved counsellors for those MBs.

 

PPS: I wonder of all those youth staff at summer camp are legally signing off MB requirements?

 

HMMMMM.

[evmori]

scoutldr,

Is what you put in your post your council or national policy?

[scoutldr]

It is from the District Ops Manual and "Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures", Cat no 33088B...both are National publications, as far as I know. I was having this same arguement with a friend from another Council. So, I looked it up and found out I was guilty of perpetrating a myth (learned from a District trainer!).

 

http://www.meritbadge.com/bsa/info/policy1.htm

 

[scoutldr]

Well, I just reread the link that I posted and answered my own question about summer camp. Every time I go look something up, I learn something new!

[evmori]

scoutldr,

Thanks!

[mk9750]

sctldr,

 

What did you learn when you checked out the info about camp merit badges?

 

I am of the understanding that qualaified MB Counselors train youth staff to teach and test the skilss required, and upon the youth staff attesting to the counselor that a candidate sucessfully completed the requirement, the actual MB counselor signs the blue card. Although I am certian in practice this process doesn't happen this formally, I take it on faith that it happens, and is permitted. Do I need to worry?

 

Mark

[mk9750]

Sorry for the typos. I try to proof read my submissions before I post, but I pushed the button too early.

 

Ed, I am guessing from your location our Troops attend the same summer camp (at least every other year - we go to Canada in even years). If you go to Heritage, we are in the same boat as far as this goes. Any opinions?

 

Mark

[evmori]

Mark,

Yep. We go to Heritage. Week 4.

 

It seemds the counselors at Liberty are well trained. There have been some occasions where I would not let a counselor sign a blue card as completed because they try to substiture for some of the requirements, but as a whole they are pretty good.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[mk9750]

We're Freedom the last or 2nd last week of the season (which ever week contains a new moon). I've enjoyed my stays there although this will be the first time in the last 7 years I won't be going. My dad was from the general area (Maxwell, went to Brownsville H.S.). He used to tell me about driving a beer truck when he was 13 up and down that hill.

 

Except for the rifle program at Freedom, I've always felt pretty good about the MB program. Youth teach and test all classes, though at the range and in the water, there is VERY close supervision by the adults. My probelm with the rifle range instructor is that his safety program leaves much to be desired. I suspect my probelm is that we're a suburban troop, and he is a country guy, where firearms are kind of second nature, and doesn't figure guys in PA need a lot of detailed safety instruction. But after my first year there, we won't permit our guys near the range.

 

All in all, though, a great camp on a great piece of property.

 

Mark

[scoutldr]

"Camp merit badge counselors must be qualified (see "Qualifications of Counselors" above). Camp staff members who are qualified in the subject and are younger than age 18 may assist the merit badge counselor with instruction. The merit badge counselor or instructor in a particular subject should be available to both individuals and groups. Because of the need for continued practice in some subjects, it will be necessary to meet candidates at a certain time each day. For other subjects, it may be necessary to meet as a group once or twice during the week."

 

"Each counselor must maintain the exact standards as outlined in the merit badge requirements -- nothing deleted, nothing added -- and make himself or herself available at the time most convenient to the Scouts. Partial completion of merit badges should be credited to a Scout on the Application for Merit Badge and given to the Scoutmaster at the end of the week.

 

There is no time limit for completion of merit badges other than age 18."

 

I'm pretty sure it doesn't happen like this at our camp, either. But, I will pay more attention this year. I seem to remember the Program Directors complaining that they were up until the wee hours Friday night signing all of the blue cards. The way I read the policy, a qualified MB couselor needs to be at each program area, with under 18 youth staff assisting, but not running the show.

 

Maybe someone else is familiar with camp accreditation standards...I don't have access to them.

 

 

[Eamonn]

No one will ever know, how much pain this question has caused.

Our District Merit Badge List, was a stinker.

It had not been up-dated for many many years.

In fact when I called the first two names on the list, I found out that these people were dead and in the ground.

We had one Assistant Scoutmaster who was the counselor for no less then 42 Merit Badges. Now I am aware that there are some very gifted people out there but 42 ??

We looked at the National policy, and found that there is no limit, and yes you can be the Merit Badge Counselor for your own son.

Most of the Scouts who attend Summer Camp at Camp Conestoga, come home with 4 or 5 Merit Badges, but we had two troops that after summer camp had Scouts with over twenty.

Guess who one of the Assistant Scoutmasters was ?

We as a Council will no longer approve a Merit Badge Counselor for more then five Merit Badges.

As we have the right to approve or not approve, we are within the guidelines.

[scoutldr]

Perhaps our Professional brothers can answer the question....what's the point of having advancement policies if Councils are free to do what they want?

 

I agree, Eammonn, this is an abuse of the system, and that Troop should be ashamed. Merit Badge mills drive me nuts. On the other hand, if the ASM is, indeed an expert (and the District Advancement Committee should screen this before approving him/her), and the requirements were met, who are we to judge and assume that there was something amiss?