How Dumb Do You Have To Be ?

[scoutingagain 20]

OK nldscout,

 

I'll play along and respond.

 

What violations did he commit?

 

Assuming this was a scout outing (it was on a scout camp) he violated the 2 deep leadership requirement for all outings.

 

Did the boys sleep in different rooms than the DAD?

 

Don't know. Ironically at our council camp the winter cabins are all one room cabins and Dads(multiple,never just one) routinely sleep in the same room as scouts, we have even had some Moms join us. Just wondering how many other council camps have one room cabins.

 

Was he one on one with the boys? Not when Eamonn apparently observed him, but like I said, a whole weekend with the boys provides many more opportunities for an adult to be alone with a scout than just a few hours.

 

Were the boys Boy Scouts? Don't know, but since they were on a scout camp, I assume so.

 

The point I am making is that once an adult finds himself alone with a youth, his(or her) personal and professional reputation and possibly a livelihood is competely in the hands of the youth. All the youth has to do is make an accusation or even an insinuation to the right (or wrong) person. The youth or prosecutor doesn't have to prove a thing. It becomes a he said he said situation and while you may get a day in court and the accusation cannot be proven, society at large will assume your guilty. In the Catholic Church scandal, in addition to those Priests that have been criminally convicted, there have been several others that have been aquitted, and in my opinion, based on what I've read about some of the cases, falsely accused. Yes, they have been aquitted by they have also had to leave their long time parishes because of community concerns. There have also been an number of teachers that have found themselves in the same situation, of being falsely accused and having to resign their position and moving out of the area bacause they end up being harrased within the community.

 

Suppose, in Semper's Case, he or another adult comes across Charlie in the youth shower. For whatever reason they are not satisfied with the response of the camp director and feel they should report the situation to the DE or even law enforcment. Then rumors start that Charlie, a long time staff member at the local Boy Scout camp, is being investigated for the abuse of scouts at the camp. Not only do rumors start, but the local paper asks the local police to comment, and they say they can't comment on an ongoing investigation. The Camp Director is quoted as saying he's been aware of the situation for years. Out of the thousands of youth Charlie has served over the years a couple of young men in their 20's come forward and file civil lawsuits against Charlie, the Council, the BSA, and the Camp Director seeking several hundred thousand dollars in damages. (I mean no one would ever file a lawsuit seeking a lot of money unless they were really harmed right? That never happens) Charlie is never charged and the lawsuits are successfully defended. However, Charlie is forced to resign his position at the camp and because of the publicity is forced to move. This scenario is not as far fetched as it seems. I've witnessed it, and have read of several others, just in our local paper over the last few years.

 

Now, I have no reason to believe any youth member of the unit I serve would make a false accusation, however I'm going to do my best to fully comply with the G2SS or YP Guidelines to not put myself and my family in a situation to find out.

 

Those that think some of the YP guidelines are silly, (and I'm not directing that comment to members of the forum, more towards the twit decribed in Eamonns intial post), should consider the risks they are taking. In their hearts, I'm sure they know they would never do anything to a youth member, so they feel it's OK. I'm saying it's not just about the youth.

 

SA

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aardvark 10]

I run into the one-on-one situation every campout!

 

I drive an old Land Rover; only two seats. Every campout, one of the Scouts wants to ride back with "Mr. Art" in his "English Jeep",

 

And, everytime I have to explain I can't let them!

 

Try and phrase it so the peodophelia flag isn't raised; explain I have another stop on the way home, or it's a long trip, the Land Rover isn't fast, so we'll be an hour later getting back (which is a great excuse for getting out of unpacking the Troop trailer and clean-up!)

 

I'd like to have one of the lads along; I'm proud of my old car. But my reputation is more important!

[frank10 12]

Aardvark,

Don't hold back. Tell them exactly whyt not. That way when some one else tells them its ok to be alone with them the scout will know it is not and report it. A scouts best defense is knowledge. Both my scouters and scouts know the rules and that any "Exceptions" are to be reported to me.

[Lynda J 10]

Two deep for a reason. It will only take one time of some boy saying this guy "touched" him to take his pompass tail down. The problem is that he could take the district and troop down with him.

If the Council won't do anything about it there is little you can do. Except protect yourself.

 

When I do MB counseling I will not meet at my home and will not meet without at least three boys there.