MB buddies

[Lisabob]

I'm curious about how you understand the buddy system rule for merit badges. My understanding (from training) was that scouts should not have one-on-one contact with their MBCs for obvious reasons, but that the "buddy" could be mom or dad or anybody at all - not necessarily required to be another scout.

 

Recently I've been challenged on this by a couple of MBCs in our area (who refuse to meet with a scout unless there is at least one other scout present) and a parent of a boy in my son's troop, and I saw the same thing mentioned in the thread on limits on MBCs.

 

If the "buddy" could be just about anyone, doesn't that obviate the "problem" of rounding up another scout who is a) interested in taking the same badge and b) available on the same schedule? Mom or dad or whoever provides the ride to meet w/ the MBC could simply serve as the buddy too.

 

And while we're on this topic, what if the meeting is held in a public location (library, McDonalds, etc.)? Is the fact that the scout and MBC are in plain view of lots of other people sufficient, or does the buddy need to be right there at the same table with the scout and MBC? What if the scout arrives by himself to this public location? Do you send him home, or meet with him in full view of the general public (the general public being a sort of buddy I guess)?

 

I appreciate that some of this might be a matter of interpretation rather than hard and fast policy so I'm hopeful that we'll avoid any policy-quoting duels here.

[Gonzo1]

Lisa,

I'd be inclined to say that anybody could be the buddy "as stated in the literature". Another scout is not required.

 

I think meetings in public places are OK, but I wouldn't accept McDonald's customers as buddies. There's nothing wrong with McDonald's customers, I'm sure they are nice people, but no single individual is accountable to anyone else. If I were to accompany my son at the public place, I might sit where I could observe, but not be distracting.

 

G

[scoutldr]

The buddy can be anyone. Similar to a SM conference, the encounter should take place in plain view of another person, but they don't necessarily need to participate. It's usually more fun if two scouts work together on a badge, but it's not required. I've even heard it said that it's acceptable for the MBC's spouse to be the "third person", however I would not recommend it.

 

The bottom line is "no one on one contact".

[Beavah]

Yah, I think some confusion got introduced by the supplementary training module. The supplementary module pushes scout-aged buddies. That was AFAIK a personal notion of the author(s), but it does not change the real policy.

 

The real policy, no one-on-one, is as Lisa'bob describes. Same as SM conferences, MBC must be done in the presence and view of others. Beyond that, it's up to the MBC, the SM, the boy, and the parent what they're comfortable with, eh?

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Ditto scoutldr & Beavah.

[FScouter]

Whenever a body decides to make up a new rule or interpret a BSA policy to his liking, it at least ought not conflict with what the boy is told in his Boy Scout Handbook: Along with another Scout, a relative, or a friend, set up and attend your first appointment with the merit badge counselor.

[jr56]

I have utilized just about all of the above, except meeting at Mcdonalds. I have seen scouts use a fellow scout, parent, and I have utilized members of my family if necessary.