Revoking Merit Badge

[AndrewMcHorney]

Hello:

Is it possible for a merit badge to be unrewarded? We found out that a Scout earned the Personal Management merit badge did not do the 3 month requirement. The Merit Badge Counselor is the father who up until recently was the Scoutmaster. Is there anything that can be done? The Scout is a Life Scout.

[Rick Tyler]

Is it possible for a merit badge to be unrewarded? We found out that a Scout earned the Personal Management merit badge did not do the 3 month requirement. The Merit Badge Counselor is the father who up until recently was the Scoutmaster. Is there anything that can be done? The Scout is a Life Scout.

Generally speaking, once a registered MB counselor signs the card, that's it -- the boy has the badge. I have no idea what BSA's policy is in cases of lying and fraud. I would make a beeline for your Council's Scout Executive. I expect the average District Executive wouldn't touch this case so you might as well start at the top.

Good luck.

[freebyrd1964a]

I'm shocked that a former Scout Master and Merit badge cousiler would allow that, even with his own son. There should be some ramifications to that also.

I'd also make a beeline to cousil. However I do think that there is an alternate solution to take in the mean time. One of the requirments for advancement to each rank is "Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life." If the boy is working on Eagle then he obviously did not and is not fullfilling this requirment. I'd hold up his Eagle until he corrected his deficite with the Personal Management merit badge. I'd make him go back and fullfill all the requrements for the badge. In other words, I'd basically make him earn the badge all over again.

This suggestion may not work, but I personally think that he needs to be taught that he can not earn his rank by bending the rules.

[wagionvigil]

Knowing what you do. The troop could hold up any advancement that would involve that MB IE: Eagle until it is re done!

[freebyrd1964a]

The more that I think about it, the more upset that I get. Is there something that can be done to the MB counsiler? Obviously he is "helping" his son through the process.

[Guneukitschik]

This same situation comes up every now and then when a counselor starts handing out merit badges like candy!

All we can do is notify the council and have his name removed from the list.

You cannot hold it against the scouts for the counselor being an idiot!

It is not the fault of the scouts who got the "free" merit badges...

[freebyrd1964a]

I disagree to a point. The scout is a life scout heading to Eagle. He's been involved long enough to know that he didn't earn the mb. Now I don't feel that he should take the worst of it. His father, who was the SM and a MB counsiler shouldn't be allowed to continue as a counsiler.

[Chief J]

There are some Troops who have adopted a policy that a Scout cannot have a related person be their Merit Badge Counselor.

I do not believe that this is any type of BSA policy, but a Troop policy. Perhaps, this is somthing for your unit to look into for the future.

Chief J

[wagionvigil]

I disagree that this is not the scouts fault. there is a little thing called Trustworthy . ALso Scout Spirit comes into play.
AS far as the no relatives that is not a BSA policy and is not a policy that anyone should try to adopt. It has been discussed earlier in the forum and it was a good discussion. Take some time and look for it. I am one that does not like to hand feed people information. If you are truly insterested in the answer you will take a few minutes and look for it.

[evmori]

I don't think a merit badge can be taken away once awarded - earned or not. But I do believe you have a Scout Spirit issue here!

As far as the MB counselor, I do think your council can remove him as a MB counselor.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[PaulSWolf]

BSA is quite specific on this topic. If the badge was certified by a registered counselor who is authorized to teach the badge, it can not be revoked. The Counselor can (and should) be removed. The Scout should be encouraged (but can not be forced) to finish the requirements. The issue can be discussed at the BoR, but can not be made an absolute stopper.

BSA also has a rule that states that a registered counselor can counsel ANY Scout, including his/her son. A troop may not change that rule. However, that doesn't mean the Scout can choose his parent as a counselor for any badge he wishes to earn. It is the Scoutmaster that chooses the counselor, not the Scout, and the Scoutmaster can choose to assign a different counselor if one is available. If, OTOH, there is no other counselor reasonably available, the SM must use the parent if the parent is qualified and registered.

There is also, BTW, no limit on the number of badges that any counselor can counsel, provided he/she is qualifed for each, and there is no limit on how many badges a Scout can earn with the same counselor, if the SM assigns that counselor.

[wagionvigil]

While I was District Eagle Advancement Chair. I would ask at BOR if the scout thought he was deserving of all the MB he has. If I knew what you know about the scout and the MB I would probably have him come back again if he said he was deserving. I had one instance when I asked a scout if he was deserving of Eagle. WHen He said yes I asked him about the assult charge that was against him for taking a ballbat to a person. He was delayed for another 6 months as the Board thought he was not living up to the scout oath and law. He was fortunate that he was only 16 at the time.

[paul beckwith]

It is not possible to take merit badges away from a Scout even if they were given by a counsler who did not make the Scout do the requiriments.The Scout cannot be held liable for the actions of a adult Scouter.Report him to your district Exec. who will know what actions are to be taken.The counsler should be removed from counsling all badges untill the District Committie takes into acount his actions and deals with him.

[West]

I'd hold up his Eagle until he corrected his deficite with the Personal Management merit badge. I'd make him go back and fullfill all the requrements for the badge. In other words, I'd basically make him earn the badge all over again.

This suggestion may not work, but I personally think that he needs to be taught that he can not earn his rank by bending the rules.

This is exactly the idea I would go with. Also once he complets the badge let the issue go and pretend it never happened (though no more merit badges should be taken from his dad).