New Edict in Kansas; Does your state require a background check?

[Stinger in Kansas]

Our new Grand Master has issued an edict requiring all new prospective candidates to pay for a background check before receiving the first degree. Our tradition was built on our brothers bringing qualified candidates to Freemasonry and I trust the brothers in my lodge to bring good men to our lodge. I do not understand why the Grand Lodge would require the background check. In a time when it is becoming harder to bring new qualified members into Freemasonry this makes no sense. In addition this edict was passed even when most past Grand Masters and Masters of the lodges were clearly against the change. As the Senior Deacon in my lodge I question why after so many successful years of Freemasonry built on the reputation of our brothers where we are headed and what would make someone think they need to reinvent the wheel. I can think of a few notable Master Masons who would not pass a background investigation under the governments in charge at the time they were Masons.

 

[jaya]

That was voted on by Grand Lodge here and is now required. It is done to check for felonies. With the amount of moving around that many people do, it would be easy for someone not to be completely honest about their criminal background. I have not heard if the background check has stopped anyone from being admitted or not. This rule is only a year old. It was voted on and passed by the GL in 2010 and went into effect Jan of 2011. It is only a tool to be used by the IC. It passed readily.

 

[Winter]

Stinger, You are absolutely correct. We should be able to trust a brother to put forward an acceptable candidate. Sadly, that has proven in almost all jurisdictions to not be the case. It is no secret that standards have fallen in many places in an attempt to increase membership. This has led to an influx of men who may not represent the level of character that we must maintain. While I am saddened that we have come to this, I can also see the need.

This practice would not be necessary if we were making Masons, not members in our Lodges.

 

[Windrider]

We just started background checks in Massachusetts a few months ago. The petitioner is given a form for the check which he does on himself. The results are sent to him, not Grand Lodge or the local lodge. He is asked to bring the printed results to the investigative committee meeting. Sometimes that meeting doesn't happen as a result.

 

[goomba]

As far as I know Alabama does not do this. However, I do like the idea. There are plenty of people who seem like good folks on the outside but have numerous run-ins with law enforcement. I am a new Mason, but have been a LEO for years now.

 

[Stinger in Kansas]

Jaya I am glad to hear your state actually voted on the change. It sounds like the lodges had a chance to discuss the matter and voted which sounds proper to me. Given time to debate the issue maybe I would be swayed to feel the same way. Winter I do not agree that standards have fallen in my area. Freemasonry was founded on the principle of trusting our members to bring in good members. We have always vetted "To subject to thorough examination or evaluation." our own candidates and if one slipped through the process we have avenues to remove them. Every organization has active members and paying members. They are both important and just because a member doesn't come back to lodge does not mean he is a bad mason. Windrider a questions did your state vote or was it an edict? Goomba I appreciate your comment and would ask you to think back to when you were invited to become a mason. Would you have been willing to give your SSN and pay $20 before ever entering a lodge? I am enjoying the conversation and I am really trying to look at this on both sides. Please keep the comments coming.

 

[jaya]

I don't see the paying of $20 (actually $15 here) a big deal. There is a $100 initiation fee anyway. That fee is refundable if you do not go through the degrees while the background check fee is not. I have been asked for my SSN to join many organizations due to background checks. Same with applying for some jobs. I am also one of the most security concious people that you will find. However, there is reason to have the background checks for different things. I have nothing to hide. I even ran a background check on myself just to see what was on it. I would recomend doing that for everyone just to make sure there are no mistakes. That has happened before.

 

[jason]

I thought background checks was normal, but I guess not. Florida we have a criminal background check. I had it done in 2006. It costs $15 and is non-refundable.

 

[goomba]

The night I turned in my petition it had a $35 check attached to it. So $20 would have been even better. To the SSN it is used so many places from the DMV to the doctors office that giving it to the lodge would not be a big deal to me. Especially knowing these men are trustworthy. People can be manipulative and dishonest. I don’t look at this as talking anything away from the men vouching. I see it showing the men petitioning that we take our fraternity seriously and gladly welcome good men.

 

[Winter]

Stinger, in the GM's edict did he state a reason for the background checks or was it given without one? Also, since it is an edict and not a Code change it should only be valid for the term of that GM. Unless subsequent GM's wish to continue it.

As has been stated, our modern society's interpersonal relationships tend to be of a much shorter length than traditionally due to individuals being increasingly mobile. Gone are the days where a person was born, lived, and died all in the same home or neighborhood and friendships and contacts persisted for many years. And everyone knew, or knew about, the general character of the people in those circles.

Now, it is not inconceivable at all that a person moves to an area and petitions a Lodge with the Brothers and the community having little or no insight into the history of that person. Sadly, the era we live in almost requires that a criminal background check be completed as part of the normal petitioning process. I wish that this wasn't the case, but I think we must be practical here.

 

[Custer148]

At AC in Feb, the NE GL voted on a Grand Master's recommendation to have a mandatory background check, which would be sent to the GL office from there to an agency to do the background check, then be sent to the head of the investigation committee of the Lodge. This recommendation failed to recieve enough votes to pass.

 

[BukeyeJackson]

The GL of Ohio doesn't require it; The PHAGL of Ohio does. I also believe they have higher dues. Ours run (on average in the District) about $60. My Lodge Initiation fees run $150 ad annual is $50. There is discussion to change it to a per capita + X based fee.

 

[Windrider]

[snip] Windrider a questions did your state vote or was it an edict? [snip] Please keep the comments coming.

It was an edict. One I agree with. I meet good men all the time through the Grand Lodge web site and they seem like they would be great brothers. I usually meet with them a few times before I bring them to meet the Master. I've, so far, had one decide to stop the process when they found out about the background check.

The only thing I'm slightly worried about is that the petitioner might be harder on himself than we would be with him. At the New Wardens' Workshop I attended, a man who was Master of one lodge and secretary of another did the background check on himself. He was "tagged" with a moving violation in PA. I wonder how a nervous candidate would be seeing something bad come back to haunt him, like running a stop sign a few years ago. Not exactly murder or treason.

 

[Winter]

I don't know of any jurisdictions that are going to bar an individual for a moving violation. LoL

And it should make the candidate think before applying.

 

[KSigMason]

Idaho has it on our petitions so that if the Lodge so desires they can do a criminal record check, but it is not required. I can see it coming soon as a requirement in Idaho though.

 

[Duncan1574]

I don't know of any jurisdictions that are going to bar an individual for a moving violation. LoL

And it should make the candidate think before applying.

We had this Jewish motorcycle guy once in Wisconsin, but he turned out okay and then he moved back to Florida.

 

[FF Sparky]

I dont know what our GL requires for background checks, but we have Brothers who are Corrections Officers(which I recently applied for) that do check history of incarcerations. Does this hurt a possible candidate? No, If he is honest about it. I mentioned the past I had(granted it wasn't felonies but I did have a couple stays in jail), one of the Brothers told me being honest about it was the best thing I did. Now I enjoy being a part of this Fraternity and he is happy I'm a Brother.

 

[jaya]

Careful with corrections officers and police doing checks without permission. That is a conflict of personal interest and could get them and your lodge into trouble.

 

[goomba]

I am a police officer and a member of my lodge asked me to do some checking. I had to tell them I could not do that because it would a felony in my state to use my public position for personal use.

 

[Windrider]

I am a police officer and a member of my lodge asked me to do some checking. I had to tell them I could not do that because it would a felony in my state to use my public position for personal use.

None of the Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) would use any of the tools of their trade to do a background check on a Petitioner but they do have memories. If the Petitioner was arrested by one of our brothers, I would expect him to bring that up to the Master so the issue can be explored with the candidate. I don't think that would be a problem, but maybe I'm wrong.