Re: Youth Protection and National Failure (update)
(no name) ((no email))
Mon, 18 Jan 1999 11:41:05 -0600
I wanted to make sure that I didn't post this until I received more
than one confirmation; I try as hard as I can to make sure that I
post responsible and accurate information here as I can get access
to!
I've read with a great deal of personal interest in the "string"
(topic) "Youth Protection and National Failure." I can recall when
I was selected to take part in several National and International
activities as an youth or adult, and in those cases not only was
there a strong attention to detail but also a sense that those
"straphangers" (those national, regional and other folk that were
coming "because they were told to do so" or "for the ride") were
there for a specific reason: to backup the leadership that were
advising and supervising the youth attending.
As mentioned, a group of four Scouts were stranded at an airport
for up to a 24 hour period of time because of a series of failures
on the part of leadership of the BSA's World Jamboree contingent.
The youth acted responsibily, as Scouts should and there were no
harm done to the youth. However, the issue did raise a LOT of
issues which the Operations Group Director and his staff are
PERSONALLY involved in after hearing about the incident first-hand
and then second-handly from "interested parties."
Shortly after I read the posting, I contacted several Scouters whom
would know the "national end" of things a little more than me up
here in cold Minnesota, and with their assistance, I pieced
together what *could have* gone wrong. I posted this to the list
in *my reply* (not National's, but my own), adding that I'm sure
that this wasn't meant to happen, but sometimes a series of small
errors balloon into something larger. I received replies here
which stated that "perhaps I'm leaning too much toward National's
point of view."
But over the weekend, I got two separate responses to my personal
inquiry, and another one which I didn't ask the person, but rather
the person shared the information with me!
Two, from someone who works AT the BSA's National office, basically
confiming what I stated and adding that "the person that you stated
was "indisposed" was actually working another issue, and couldn't
get to the phone fast enough." with no other details.
I was also told that the snack machines have been moved from where
I said they were.
The other, from someone who lives in a suburb close to National's
National Office:
"Many employees (and retirees) of BSA National live in my
neighborhood. I asked one "high-placed source" about the lack of
phone coverage, and he said that he was aware of the situation, and
had investigated it himself. There was, in fact, phone coverage
that weekend, but when the Scouts called from the airport, the
person manning the phone was in fact on it solving another problem.
The phone system didn't give the Scouts a busy signal, but
"bounced" the call to a default location -- the guard desk. The
guard correctly informed the caller that the offices were
closed, and would re-open on Monday. The Scouts, being the age
they were, neglected to tell the guard that they were in a jam, so
he didn't understand that action needed to be taken ASAP; in that
case, he would have gone to the office of the person who was
supposed to be "on call", and there might have been a better ending
to this tale. My neighbor still hasn't gotten to the bottom of the
genesis of the problem: how these Scouts ended up in an airport
for that length of time with no adult supervision."
The situation is IMPORTANT, and from what I understand, is being
investigated from two ends: from the Western Region end (the Region
responsible for those youth) and from the Operations end (as they
have responsibility for any Scouts attending a national or
international event or activity). Because of the sensitive nature
of the actions which took place, you and I won't be reading about
it in _Scouting_ or in the local papers.
A "black eye" for our national program?? You betcha. Is the BSA
being responsive enough (only in *my opinion*)? You betcha! If I
was a parent of one of those Scouts, would I be concerned about
sending him on another Scouting event like this? Not in the
slightest!! When everything comes down to "brass tacks", it was
the training and coolness of those Scouts involved, stranded at the
airport, where the REAL STORY should be emphasized. They behaved
as if *there were* adults present. They showed a high degree of
character during the entire period, and although they were tired
and hungry, they "used their resources" and their leadership skills
to "make it work."
It does NOT take away anything that SHOULD have happened, and it
certaintly doesn't excuse the BSA. But as I wrote before, there's a
lot of blame to go around here, and it shouldn't all be placed at
the feet of the BSA.
Thanks to those that assisted me in confirming what went on from
the BSA's end, and thanks for a civil conversation about this
topic, both online as part of the discussions here as well as
offline!
Settummanque!
(c) 1998 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") blkeagle@mninter.net
http://mninter.net/~blkeagle Burnsville, MN 55306-7130 (612) 435-3085
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@server.kaiserslautern.army.mil
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