[Steppes] SCA in the news. Not good news.

[Aaron Robb]

I would have to say that, unfortunately, the SCA is not unique in
showing up in the news when one of its officers is accused of
something horrible like this (for instance the story about Ed Kramer
of Dragon Con fame http://www.tcj.com/3_online/n_dragoncon.html).

The best protection for children is vigilent parents. While it may be
possible to do background checks on every MoC, Officer, etc., it is
not possible to know everything about everyone a child might run into
at an event. I'm constantly shocked at how many unattended children
there are at events, and how little supervision is often provided. No
matter how bright a 6 year old is, there is no reason for them to be
playing unattended in their camp (or more often wandering through
other people's) while their parents are half a mile away at the
listfield. 

We can do little beyond background screening of officers on that end
of the equation, but if more people spoke up when they encountered
unattended children (or at least didn't start staring at their feet
when one of us pulls a child out of a hazardous area and asks where
the heck the parents are) we could possibly prevent the oppotunity
for such predators to have access to vulnerable targets. Perhaps I'm
just overly sensative to this, but there is a culture of
permissiveness at many events which can change if we choose to.

Philo

--- Greylond Aston <greylondaston at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Here is something that i just found. 
> 
> A Minister of Children from the Kingdom of the East(I
> think, but it is Weisenberg Township, PA mundanly) has
> been arrested.
> 
>
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_5schragger-4oct30,0,7379260.story?col
> 
> First let me say that I know nothing beyond what is in
> the story linked to above, but I'm looking for more
> information. Also, I don't want to imply that I think
> he is guilty or not. However, the danger is there and
> the Society is getting pretty big. I don't think that
> anyone we know and play with is a danger, but I'm
> wondering. 
> 
> What safeguards does Steppes and/or Elfsea have to
> prevent something like this? For that matter the
> Kingdom? What procedures are followed when approving a
> MoC? What about people who are MoC for only one event?
> 
> I don't want to sound like a worry-wort or want the
> Kingdom and Baronies to have to come up with even MORE
> paperwork, but I think our children's safety should be
> treated with due care. One of the things that Sara and
> I love is being able to use the SCA as a family
> activity. So far everyone involved has treated Andrew
> very well and helped us look after him during events
> and we would like to know that we can continue with
> that feeling. 
> 
> I think that it speaks highly of our local area that
> there are several children that have practically grown
> up in the Society and are treated like part of a big
> extended family, but I believe we should be proactive
> when it comes to these kinds of dangers. Also, if we
> develop some kind of procedures to prevent this, even
> is some kind of basic background check, we can show
> mundane society that we do try to prevent it.
> 
> 
> 
> Greylond
> 
> 
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears
> http://launch.yahoo.com/promos/britneyspears/
> _______________________________________________
> Steppes mailing list
> Steppes at ansteorra.org
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/steppes


=====
Aaron D. Robb, M.Ed., NCC, LPC


"It's easy to answer the ultimate questions - it saves you bothering with the immediate ones."     John Osborne, _Epitaph for George Dillon_

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears
http://launch.yahoo.com/promos/britneyspears/