Re: YP question
Ben Parker (bparker@INTERACCESS.COM)
Thu, 27 Mar 1997 16:46:37 +0000
On Wed, 26 Mar 1997 15:19:22 -0700, Jonathan Dixon
<dixonj@ROCOCO.COLORADO.EDU> wrote:
>... my friend will need to bring the boy to the meeting and
>take him home afterwards. Is this a problem under Youth Protection
>Guidelines?
>A related, more generalized question is under what circumstances I, a
>scouter, can take a boy to/from a scout meeting (or OA meeting)? I do
>not have any children, so is there any way for me to take one boy to a
>meeting someplace or bring them home? How about boys being picked up by
>relatives (not guardians), friends, siblings, etc.?
BSA's YPP policies have an absolute prohibition of ANY situation where
there is only one adult alone with one boy, unless the adult is the
parent/legal guardian of that boy. This means anytime, any place,
transportation included.
If you have 1 adult (driving) and 2 (or more) scouts in the car, you are
OK until you get down to 1+1, then you are not OK, unless its your own
son, so drop all the other boys off first. No you may not drive 1 boy to
an OA meeting or whatever.
If it is a merit badge counselor, the Scout is supposed to bring a buddy
(other scout or parent/relative) or the couselor had better have thier own
kids/spouse/someone else present.
SM conferences do not violate this because they occur out of hearing, but
not out of sight of other scouts/leaders present. boards of review always
have several adults present, etc.
However, the real world being what it is, sometimes you may be in a
situation where you have to do this because the alternative is to abandon
the boy, which can leave you legally liable, an even worse situation. So
you may wind up giving a boy a ride home sometime. Just be absolutely
clear in your mind that when doing so, you ARE violating the YPP policy.
If possible, call the boy's parents to explain, and give them an ETA.
Expect no help from BSA if anything ever happens. You are taking a risk.
--
________________________________________________________________________
Ben Parker ............ (Oak Park IL) .......... bparker@interaccess.com
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
