ThenNow

With permission: Former Boy Scouts’ Head of Abuse Prevention Says Group Is Still Unsafe for Kids Michael Johnson’s accusations come as the Boy Scouts solicit votes for a bankruptcy settlement from more than 82,200 men over childhood sexual abuse Michael Johnson, former youth protection director of the Boy Scouts of America, said the group remains a ‘high-risk organization for child sexual abuse.’ Mr. Johnson held his post for over 10 years. Soma Biswas Updated Oct. 12, 2021 6:06 pm ET The former youth protection director of the Boy Scouts of America accused the organization of failing to fix its system for protecting children from sexual predators, allegations that come as the group lobbies thousands of sex-abuse victims to support a settlement offer to end its bankruptcy. The allegations of Michael Johnson, who left the Boy Scouts in December, come at a sensitive time for the youth group, which is seeking the votes of sex-abuse survivors for a bankruptcy restructuring that would resolve 82,200 claims of childhood abuse. Votes are due by mid-December on the settlement offer, one of the largest sex-abuse compensation plans ever. Mr. Johnson, in a letter addressed to Congress, said the Boy Scouts continue to be a “high-risk organization for child sexual abuse” and do “not meet an acceptable standard of care to assure parents and communities that children in the organization are safe from sexual abuse.” He said the Boy Scouts also fail to prevent sexual abuse incidents committed by other youth, doesn’t properly screen adult volunteers and leaders and “continues to minimize the significance of child sexual abuse risk in the program.” A retired Plano, Tex., police detective, Mr. Johnson was hired as the youth protection director in 2010 to put programs in place to respond to and prevent sexual exploitation. That same year, a Portland jury issued an $18.5 million award against the Boy Scouts in a landmark sex-abuse case that would shed light on the youth group’s knowledge of suspected incidents of sexual abuse. Mr. Johnson’s letter, dated Oct. 6, said known offenders are still volunteering in the youth group and have access to young people. A Boy Scouts spokesman said on Tuesday that Mr. Johnson was the architect of the expert-informed policies the youth group has implemented to keep children safe, put in place over his more than 10 years of service. “Today, Scouting is safer than ever before,” the spokesman said. “We are disappointed to hear Mr. Johnson’s characterization of the program he spearheaded and the concerns he raised, especially given his past public support for the robust measures the [Boy Scouts] instituted at his recommendation.” At a press conference on Tuesday, however, Mr. Johnson said he was excluded from key meetings on policies on abuse prevention while he was at the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts have acknowledged past failures to protect children and apologized to abuse survivors, while saying that current abuse-prevention protocols are among the strongest of comparable youth-focused nonprofit groups. Mr. Johnson’s letter said the organization still fails to sufficiently screen both adult and youth volunteers and leaders, and to fully inform families of incidents. He said the Boy Scouts lack access to files on known offenders kept by troop-chartering organizations that administer and support most scouting activities. The letter also called attention to the “large number of youth-on-youth sexual abuse within scouting.” Mr. Johnson said he was asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement when he left the Boy Scouts “in exchange for a large sum of money,” and refused. The Boy Scouts said his employment was terminated “as part of a difficult but necessary reduction in force” resulting from the bankruptcy restructuring. Like other eligible employees whose positions were eliminated, “Mr. Johnson was offered a severance package that, as standard practice, included a nondisclosure agreement and a nondisparagement clause,” the spokesman said. Jeff Anderson, Mr. Johnson’s lawyer, said in an interview Tuesday that the Boy Scouts made progress on its screening policies after he joined, but over time the organization pushed back against many of his recommendations and it became evident to him that it was not sincere. Mr. Anderson also represents hundreds of claimants in the bankruptcy case and said he is against the Boy Scouts’ settlement plan. At the press conference on Tuesday at which he was accompanied by Mr. Anderson, Mr. Johnson said he “tried, but could not make the needed changes within the organization.” The Boy Scouts have offered $1.8 billion, plus the rights to additional insurance, to make peace with abuse survivors and shield itself from future litigation. Funding for the compensation plan comes from the Boy Scouts and hundreds of local councils, as well as insurance proceeds and a settlement with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The proposed deal needs the approval of at least two-thirds of the survivors who filed claims in the bankruptcy case and a judge’s approval in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., where the Boy Scouts sought protection in Feb. 2020. Many abuse survivors are getting conflicting advice on the bankruptcy plan. It has the support of a coalition of law firms representing the bulk of the abuse victims, but it is opposed by an official committee tasked with looking out for the interest of all survivors. Under the proposal, victims’ claims would be valued at anywhere from $3,500 to $2.7 million each depending on the severity of the abuse suffered, where it took place and whether suspicions about the perpetrator had been reported to the Boy Scouts. Plan opponents have said the settlements aren’t enough to cover abuse liabilities, which they believe are higher than the Boy Scouts’ estimate of between $2.4 billion and $7.1 billion.

What was the IVF entry on him? Did BSA create it on their own initiative subsequent to the initial conviction? Upon hearing the charges? Was the arrest in any way related to BSA? I’m not poking, just asking because a better understanding of the facts will help me ponder and respond. Or, ponder and don’t respond, just hit one of those little buttons of which I’m glad someone else noted there are far too few to cover the range of emotions and reactions evoked by posts on this forum. Anyway...

I hear that and I agree. For me, I had no idea there was a current or former Director of Youth Protection (or YPT for that matter until late 2019). During the live feed viewing of his remarks, all I could take in from Mr MJ, through my tears, was someone (anyone) who is, was or had been officially part of BSA National saying they are “sorry” and “we failed you…I failed you.” If BSA leaders knew the power and impact that had/has, they would have at least gone to acting classes to up gin up some tears before the 2.18.2020 announcement. Their attorneys would’ve benefited their case by having a morsel of even a slight hint of compassionate consideration, as well. Ms. Lauria has been ice since that infamous day in Delaware. (“You’re as cold as ice. You’re willing to sacrifice our…” dignity in the name of financial expediency?) As I said previously, I believe the worm may have turned on this pivot. We shall see. I hope so. TCC time…

We had a very lively exchange on the topic of regular old Murder v. “Soul Murder” back in the good ol’ days on the forum. How much child sexual predation lacks premeditation? Not much. Is the murder of a soul left to fester within the victim any less murderous? When I used the term “soul murder” (not of my coinage), I was immediately rebuffed with the comment, “show me the body.” To which I said, “I have the body right here. I’ve been dragging it around with me for 50 years.” Premeditated child sexual abuse is soul murder in the first degree, and there are lesser degrees of soul murder following behind. Is a life lost of the same impact of a life tortured from within? I don’t know, but I like discussing and debating it. There is great value in this multi-dimensional dialogue. Well, there is to me and society at large, I believe.

I’ve asked this before and will try again, since COs are implicated in all of this. Does anyone have a copy or substantive excerpts from the 1970’s agreements?

I’ve refrained from reciting that which has percolated through my brain for the last 20+ years. There are those in my inner circle who don’t know or care what “Scout-like” is, means or implies. They have their own ideas about justice. I don’t advocate what that entails and have quelled the conversations around it. There will be a reckoning, however. When and what it looks like I don’t know. I may never see it this side of the dirt nap.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/former-employee-says-boy-scouts-of-america-is-safer-but-not-for-kids/ar-AAPr1Lj

A guy’s gotta have a dream. I may have to settle for all his assets, including his home, which I will bulldoze and replace with a monument and meditation garden dedicated to abused scouts.

I have an idea! Join us in state by state SoL reform by passing Victims RIghts Acts, to include criminal SoLs. That’s how we get them. I’m locked and loaded and waiting for the day. Maybe then he’ll take that photo of 13 year old me off his Fb page.

Sorry. Yes. I was referring to the previous comments which precipitated my comments which precipitated his comments prior to me precipitating your comments. I’m sure I should’ve quoted someone else or some other post. There’s a lot of precipitation on my screen and I misplaced my squeegee. Things are hazy.

So, until it’s fully known, I recommend no one infer or imply he’s a coward or ineffectual as a leader.

Some here have gone on and on about threats to leadership being the reason names at certain levels (boards, I recall) are not available to the public and the troops (small ‘t’) on the ground. Did you hear his comment about his family? Does he look to be the sort who is easily cowed, pushed around or running for the really big guys to protect him? I want to know more about that somewhat thrown away line. Was he referring to within the organization or without? Both?

We also need a, “You missed the joke, my friend” emoji.

You mean Mr. Johnson? If so, I think they punted it over the fence and into the tar pit. Here’s my take, now that I’m somewhat recovered from the press conference. (It will take more than a couple therapy sessions to work that out, I’m certain of it.) Regardless how damning or not, sky falling or aloft, sour grapes or not, highly substantive or not, it happened and it looked, sounded, smelled and tasted rotten to the majority of the public who might view it. To survivors, you read some of our reactions and you will certainly hear and read more. “Pitching it over to you, TCC, up in the booth.” Net, net? BSA took a YUGE credibility hit in the bankruptcy, if not much more broadly. HEADLINES (not details). BSA is going to need to eat some road kill crow and wring its hands if it’s going to maintain any equilibrium in the case. That’s just what I think and feel. Maybe too much feeling, but can you blame me?

Honestly, I think it primarily shifts the full force of leverage back to the TCC, where it rightfully belongs (imnsho). It utterly validates what it has been saying and likely assists in tanking the current Plan, opening wide the door to TCC 1.0.

So, to be clear, that REALLY does seem to indicate he NEVER got replaced as YP director. I guess that means they cut very close to the bone in all other nooks and crannies, leaving drilling into the marrow and sucking out the source of healthy blood production. Makes percent sense, er cents, to me.

Workin on it…

I’ll view it again and hope for the transcript, but I agree that is a hop and a step from what I heard. I think he would’ve made a very specific allegation if he meant to say precisely that. My sense anyway.

Sorry. This is an absurd response and you just did what you begged me/us not to do. Those things are true in light of my history here, my telling everyone here I’m involved with CHILDUSA Advocacy, the fact that this is not a Child Sexual Abuse in Society forum, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

I cancelled my 1:30 CT call and planned to run an errand. Not sure that’s happening either.

Honestly? That was brutal. I feel like I just had 4 hours of intense trauma therapy. I’ve felt this way before in other contexts. One that comes to mind is reading my trauma-focused life “story” to a group of patients and staff in residential child trauma treatment. The treatment center had a focus on Eating Disorders. That was in 2012. I cried so much my notes became barely decipherable. I’m exhausted.

Great, so it isn't BSA's fault it refuses to exercise sufficient oversight. They are a victim of society! We are talking about BSA. Why must this deviate to the broader population to dilute and distract from the focus? That’s why we’re here, right?

I sent the link to one of the top bankruptcy division chiefs in the country. I can almost 100% guarantee it.

Good bloody luck with that, BSA. Anyone who reads the transcript, and especially if they watch the video, will conclude they are grasping at straws and/or a life preserver.

Can we anticipate a speedy and easily available transcript? I’m thinking so without question.