Re: TWO DEEP LEADERSHIP thread
Jesse E. Cross, III (JCROSS@BEOWULF.MHSL.UAB.EDU)
Mon, 21 Mar 1994 13:49:24 CST
I have been monitoring this list through a friend for some time now.
I decided to subscribe last Friday, March 18, 1994.
The "TWO DEEP LEADERSHIP" thread has proven to be very interesting.
So, I decided to add my two cents worth, here goes...
There seems to be two camps, the Hard Liners camp that says if its
policy you follow it to the letter without question, and the
Interpretive Camp that says you are going to have to interpret the
policy. Doesn't the real answer lay somewhere in
between?
Lets look at the American Heritage Dictionary's definition of the
work "policy" 1. A plan or course of action as of a government,
political party, or business, designed to influence and
determine decisions, actions, and other matters. 2. a. A course of
action, guiding principle, or procedure considered to be expedient,
prudent, or advantageous. b. Prudence, shrewdness, or sagacity in
practical matters.
As a volunteer for Boy Scouts *I* am the adult and am expected to
behave as such. This means that I'm supposed to know the policy and
apply it. A well written policy works about 90% of the time. What
about the other 10% of the time. that's when I as an adult am called
upon to make an adult decision that will affect the life of the boy
or boys I'm in charge of and my life. Therefore I'd better be sure
of what I'm doing! The other hand is, if I as and adult am so
paranoid that I'm not going to make any decisions and always defer
to the written policy, then I'm useless as a leader!
I like part 2a of the definition that states, "...guiding
principle...". I have to take that guiding principle and apply it to
the situation I'm in at the moment. If I make a bad decision then I
have to live with the consequences, hopefully those consequences
won't ruin my life. And, yes, unfortunately, the boys in my charge
have to live with the consequences of my decision too, just as they
have to live with the consequences of decisions made by their
parents, doctors, teachers, mayors, state legislators, congressmen,
etc. My hope and prayer to God is that the consequences of my
decisions won't ruin the lives of the boys in my charge.
If a direct accusation of sexually molesting a child is brought
against an adult leader why not apply the wisdom of Solomon.
It seems to me that an adult leader who genuinely cares about the
boys in his troop will voluntarily remove himself from contact with
the boys until the issue is resolved.
The other side of the issue is, if we as adult leaders are informed
of a suspicion of abuse, it is still just that, a suspicion. Until a
boy or his parents approaches us either directly or through legal
recourse with a direct accusation we can only be careful and watchful
and do our best to make sure that the boys are not put in any danger.
Perhaps a re-assignment of that adult to another position. I do
believe that the person under suspicion has a right to be informed
of the suspicion. Perhaps another adult saw something he considered
suspicious that has a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Enough cloak and dagger, that's the game Professional Scouters at the
National, Regional, and Council levels play!
I think the point of confusion and disagreement in this
thread has been the difference between a suspicion and an
accusation. Lets don't ruin the lives of boys by ignoring an
accusation! But, lets don't ruin the life of an adult by treating a
suspicion as an accusation. Lets make *adult* decisions here!
When all is said and done, it is our (i.e. the adults leaders who
care for and love these boys) responsibility to be ever vigilant
watching over them. If something happens to them we are the ones
responsible! I'm sure National did its best to write a good policy,
but in the end the lawyers who work for National made sure that the
policy was so worded that National and its Professional Scouters
are protected. They don't give a tinkers damn about the volunteers
or the boys!
/s/ Jesse E. Cross, III
The screwdriver is the programmers best friend!
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
