Re: [Fwd: the BSA Police!]
Settummanque, ("MAJ)
Wed, 15 Jan 1997 20:13:44 -0600
If anyone feels generous, I *really love* Eudora Pro 3.0 (I'm trying it out
because
everything else crashed about a week and two days back!)
It's really wild how "suggestions" become "regulations":
>> This is a very nice page, however I must caution you and anyone else on
>> this list... It is strictly against regulations of the BSA to post
>> rosters of youth menbers on the internet. You may look it up for
>> yourself.... This is due to Youth Protection reasons. I think rosters
>
>and where might someone look this up at?. I know there has been plenty of
>discussion on whether or not it was appropriate, but as of yet I have not
>seen anyone reference explicit regulations such as above.
NOWHERE is the operative answer, Jeff...the BSA hasn't decided for sure as of
yesterday whether or not they were going to "go down that stream". In all
practicality, however, the full names of Scouts (and Scouters for that
matter) should
not be posted if there's any concern for abuse or taunts from other kids.
The BSA's
Youth Protection policies have not been updated (look for some changes, but
not yet)
only because the final report of the BSA's technology assessment task force
hasn't
finished their business.
Jeff's right....we HAVE been around and around this issue before several
times
last year, and there was not a conclusion to completely satistfy everyone.
As a matter
of fact, there were more questions generated as a result of the discussion
and the
topic naturally died off.
A "roster of youth members" is no different than a roster printed in the
local newspaper.
If you compare the access of the local newspaper to that of the Internet,
you will find
a lot of simarilities to which *I* feel we should move this discussion
toward. In the
community's newspaper, the names of those outstanding students are listed,
describing
their personal acheivements...and Scouting should do likewise through the
newspaper
(electronic or otherwise). In the community's newspaper, photos are taken
showing
youth performing various projects and the cutline tells who the persons
are, what
organization they are with and what they are doing. If a person was
"really bent",
he or she could pick up the telephone book, find the last name and address,
and go
find the kid themselves. They don't need a computer to do this.
Now, you've placed everyone into this "standoffish" role, whereby they
don't even
want their photos taken for the local paper, which is silly at one extreme
and a
possible danger to the community in another. Without photos, we would not
recognize our community, state and national leaders (the President not seen
on TV
or in the newspaper....he may like it but the vast majority of Americans
would want
to see their leaders doing "regular stuff"). Without names, everyone
become "first names"
and we tear down the ability to recognize cultural differences, to
understand others, and
even to distinguish one "Mike" from another (I'm sure those with common
names like
mine can remember times where they have felt VERY unconfortable after someone
yelling their name in a large forum and answering them....only to find out
that you were NOT
the "Mike" or whatever that they were yelling for!).
So, until the BSA actually puts pen to paper and gives local Councils a
policy or a
recommendation, use that old Scouter (common) sense. If you feel that the
page would
tend to have the potential of causing harm, don't use names at all.....you
can use nicknames or
initials. If you feel that that would take away from the promotional
aspect of the page, use
the full name. ALWAYS get the permission from the family....you'll never
know, they
could be a member of the federal witness protection program!! Finally,
ALWAYS get the
permission of the subject, just like if you were doing it for the local
newspaper. Some kids
really LOVE being in the paper or on electronic screens all over town...and
others resent it
and will resent you for doing it without their consent.
This country is full of rules and policies.....the strongest, however, are
those that are not
written but are applied by just thinking through things.
This is one of them.
Settummanque!
-----
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle)
http://www.vhm.com/~uscardnl/
Deputy Public Affairs Officer, 21st Theater Army Area Command
Kaiserslautern, Federal Republic of Germany
"everything I say is "on the record"; speaking ONLY for myself unless
indicated"
personal inquiries via blkeagle@midwest.net or kyblkeagle@aol.com
professional inquiries via waltonm%po2.hq@taacom.kaiserslautern.army.mil
-----FORWARD in service to youth and the nation-----
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