CBC

It seems that our world is filled with acronyms or the use of a few initials to represent a certain phrase or title.
CBC is one we need to get familiar with as it will be one of the hot topics in our world of Freemasonry here in the Grand Jurisdiction of Michigan.

CBC or Criminal Background Check is an issue which the Grand Lodge of Michigan feels very strongly about. CBCs are a current component of life for many of us. Whether applying for a job, a professional organization, volunteering to help with youth groups, and many other situations.

It is a reflection of the society in which we live. Society is much more mobile than in prior decades. It is not unlikely for younger people to hold in excess of 7-10 jobs in their lifetime and very unlikely that they remain in the same locale.

Given the huge influx of internet leads generated by the Grand Lodge website we are receiving many inquiries for membership and the majority of the time we really don't know the applicant.

In reading some BGP reports, I have noted that some lodges require that the applicant attend various social functions of the lodge so they can get to know the applicant, a great idea. We are so starved for membership that we have not been doing a good job of investigating who wants to join us. RWDGM Lemons stated that we have to remember the applicant is joining us...we are not joining them.

The Grand Master has also stated that there are some issues that have occurred that may have never happened had we had a CBC program in place.

The issue of privacy and confidentiality has come up and the company which is chosen to do the CBC will also be the custodian of the records, and that the local lodges and GL will not have access to these reports for retention.

As mentioned before just exactly what is our fraternity worth? Is it worth screening potential new members to safeguard our members, members families, and our reputation. The question has been posed, what if a policeman, attorney, judge, cpa, clergyman, or others who may have been through the CBC....or for that matter a grandson, son, nephew, or other relative of an existing member applies for membership do they go thru the same CBC process......the answer is yes.....and here is why......if want to open ourselves up to potential lawsuits then this would surely lead to that....by excluding certain groups and not including all who apply is morally and ethically wrong but probably against some law...not sure I'm not an attorney. I feel the professionals would see it as good thing by protecting our reputation......and I'm sure that any parent will agree that we know everything our sons, grandsons, and nephews have been involved in...right....probably not.....so everyone goes thru the same process.....then we know and are being fair and equitable.

In conclusion is our fraternity worth requiring a potential member to jump thru this hoop....in my opinion most certainly.....YES