[Ansteorra] Fw: [Burkhaven] bad stuff here in the east

[Bob Dewart]

This just might explain some.

Gilli
Burkhaven, An Odyssey of Learning
http://home.hot.rr.com/burkhaven/
----- Original Message ----- 
From: DZ 
To: Burkhaven at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 7:37 AM
Subject: [Burkhaven] bad stuff here in the east


http://www.nbc10.
<http://www.nbc10. com/news/ 13283614/ detail.html?
dl=headlineclick>
com/news/13283614/ detail.html? dl=headlineclick

PHILADELPHIA -- Six children who were sexually abused
by the youth 
director of a medieval history society filed a federal
complaint 
Tuesday alleging the organization failed to take
adequate precautions 
to safeguard children from predators.

The civil complaint stems from the conviction of
Benjamin Schragger, 
45, who in 2005 pleaded guilty but mentally ill to
charges including 
involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, child rape,
indecent assault 
and related counts.

The four boys and two girls, identified only as John
Doe or Jane Doe in 
a pair of lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in
Philadelphia, are 
seeking unspecified damages from the Society for
Creative Anachronism, 
a group with 30,000 participants worldwide that
studies and re-enacts 
the Middle Ages.

Schragger was known as "Lord Ben the Steward" to the
dozens of children 
he mentored over the years as a local leader of the
society. Schragger 
led the local chapter for more than 10 years and also
directed the 
youth program for the society's East Kingdom, which
stretches from 
Canada to Delaware.

The plaintiffs contend that the society failed to
require background 
checks of adults who took part in children's
activities, and didn't 
uniformly follow protocols widely used by scouting
groups and other 
children's organizations that require two adults
present at all 
activities.

The complaint also claims the society "adopted a
head-in-the- sand 
attitude" after it knew, or should have known, about
the abuse.

"It is time for the SCA to take responsibility for
failing to protect 
these children," Jeff Fritz, attorney for five of the
young plaintiffs, 
said in a statement. "The SCA failed to adopt and
implement appropriate 
policies and procedures to protect these children,
robbing them of 
their innocence."

On weekends, children gathered at Schragger's parents'
farmhouse in New 
Tripoli, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, to
make period 
costumes, construct chain mail armor, engage in mock
battles and do 
other activities related to the period. The home was
known among group 
members as "Tulgey Woods" or "The Manor."

Prosecutors said Schragger abused 11 children, ages 7
to 14, from 1999 
to 2003, usually during sleepovers while Schragger's
parents were away.

Schragger, who was deemed by the sentencing judge to
be a sexually 
violent predator under Megan's Law, will not be
eligible for parole for 
about 30 years.

A spokeswoman for the Society for Creative
Anachronism, which has its 
headquarters in Milpitas, Calif., said she was unable
to provide 
immediate comment.

Bibo Ergo Sum...I Drink Therefore I Am
Virescit Vulnere Virtus...Courage Grows Strong at a Wound
Today is the tomorrow I was worrying about yesterday

__________________________________________________________You snooze, you lose. Get messages ASAP with AutoCheck
in the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_html.html


__._,_.___ 
Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic 
Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members | Calendar 
 
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) 
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional 
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Visit Your Group 
SPONSORED LINKS
What's your issue? 
Film it. Change the world. 

Business News
Hot Headlines

Get localized news

for your area.

Y! GeoCities
Share Interests

Connect with

others on the web.

Y! Greetings
Mothers Day eCards

Send eCards to all

the Moms you know
. 
__,_._,___