posted
What really annoys me is all these stories tend to make people paranoid (not that I'm saying that's wrong - when our children's safety is concerned we should always err on the side of caution) and then they begin to think ANY person who works with kids must be a pervert.
My cousin is an elementary school teacher. He decided to major in education, was intending to be a high school coach, and yet when he did practicums with the elementary ages he found he really enjoyed working with the younger kids.
His principal has to reassure parents every year when their 1st grader is assigned to a male teacher that he is, in fact, a good teacher who has never had any trouble. Funny, they don't call up and ask the principal if he's done a full background check on the female teachers.
So these jerks who take jobs with proximity to kids in order to molest them, make life much harder for good, decent men who want to work with children. And sadly, many kids need positive male role models in their lives, but men feel discouraged from it because people are always looking at them sideways if they say they volunteer or work with kids.
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posted
I understand that. Though I dn't think I've ever questioned the motives of any of the male teachers or volunteers at the elementary school (I'm a reading mentor volunteer, too).
For me, though, this decision is just about listening to the messages that the universe sends my way, reading meaning in coincidence. May be stupid, but I prefer to listen.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Yeah. I'm still debating when to let them go to the restrooms in restaurants and airports by themselves.
My take on it is that Robert is okay in the restrooms most places by himself, if we are within sight of it. He'll probably be shaving before I'll let him out of my sight at Hartsfield, though (j/k, though maybe not by much )
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posted
There's no indication that this guy molested anybody. Not that pornography is a victimless crime, but in my opinion there's a large difference. I am curious however, about whether he distributed pornography or merely recieved it. I haven't seen a clear indication of what happened.
As far as boy scouting goes, I'm very much in favor of the program. If the rules are followed, your boys should be very safe. The BSA policy on "two deep leadership" is a pretty good defense against molestation. Teaching your children some basic safety tips (covered by BSA requirements somewhere along the line) adds extra security. And finally, since any BSA unit needs adults to keep it running: VOLUNTEER YOURSELF, and you can keep tabs on your kids that way.
Of course, I haven't been a member for a number of years, since they don't want me. But you can't take the scout out of the boy, as they say. I just wish the current leadership would wise up and figure out a way to bridge the gap. Their old publications said that Scouts were supposed to defend people of different religious belief, including those with "no religious belief at all."
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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If Scouts did not prohibit atheists, nor require them to say the "to God" portion of the Promise, would you feel comfortable participating or allowing your children to participate in the Scouts if there were non-denominational prayers (as they are usually implemented in the U.S. - inferentially to the Judeo-Christian (and possibly Islamic) conecptions of God, if not explicitly so) at most or all of the functions? Assume respectful silence were required of those not participating in the prayer.
posted
I don't think he molested anybody. I think it's a shame that this will probably completely ruin his life.
Honestly, I'm not opposed to scouting. I think BSA's policies suck, though that probably doesn't have much impact on the program.
But, no. Not this little gray duck.
Besides, with my boys' other interests, it just doesn't seem necessary. I understand, though. If I had daughters, I'd be very involved in Girl Scouts, I bet.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Without knowing the exact nature of the material, I'm willing to err on the side of caution and rule that someone with child pornography presents an unacceptable risk to the safety and well-being of children.
The argument can be extended to all forms of porn, but I will also remind you that most forms of porn are legal and someone willing to risk the considerable legal and social penalties to collect illegal and taboo porn is not someone I want in close proximity to the subject of his fantasies.
Because, at the end of the day, I don't really need to be able to buy a PlayBoy. The articles were never that interesting.
If, however, I was buying "Snuff Bunnies Weekly," I think most people would be concerned and rightly so.
That is precisely what I did. Earlier in my life, I simply didn't notice the religious elements of scouting. They just were. They were not intrusive. I still think that the religious requirements are too minor for either side to make a stink about.
Later on I heard that a boy and his father weren't allowed to join because they refused to sign the application, I agreed with the scouts, on the grounds that you don't try to change the organization from the outside. I was a scout, and I felt that the scouts had always accepted my state of belief, so I didn't think there was anything I needed to change.
But when I heard that the BSA had kicked out two agnostic boys who were working on their eagle rank, I hoped fervently that the courts would side with the boys. I felt like the organization had kicked me in the teeth. I was still in scouting, and so was my son. I didn't leave scouting then, but I reduced my participation, and tried to lay low. Eventually I heard such things coming from the national leadership that I just couldn't contintue. My son's troop still tried to get me to participate, but eventually I dropped out entirely. I still support the Boy Scout program, I think it's the best program of its kind in the world. I just don't like the hunted feeling of being part of an organization that publicly states that I can't be a member.
As far as the guy with the pornography goes, I think the scouts draw the line in an appropriate place also, but I have some sympathy for him. I have very little sympathy for molesters.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
This is partly to bump the thread because Dag asked the question and I'd like to know what he thought of my reply, but also to clarify:
I can't say whether I have sympathy for this particular man, because I don't know the circumstances. I'm not sure I can put it into words, but I can imagine circumstances where someone was tempted by available pornography and succumbed to it, rather than actively seeking to seduce children.
Does that make any sense?
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posted
Actually, rereading Dagonee's question, I can go further.
There were times when I helped scouts to work through their understanding of the religious requirements. Also a time when I helped a scout plan a religious ceremony at a camporee. This last was toward the end when I was pretty self conscious about religion in scouting, so I think I might have done a better job of it if I'd been freer to discuss my belief with him.
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posted
Glenn, thanks for bumping it. I missed this somehow.
That seems like a reasonable position to have. My take is that there are organizations who can have an organizational belief or position ("there is a God") without requiring that every member subscribe to it. It depends on the organization and how central the belief is to the organization's stated purpose. It also depends on whether membership implies professing the belief and whether the manifestations of that belief exceed the person's comfort level.
To make an almost absurd example, it wouldn't work if the organization were a Church. But the Boy Scouts allow contradictory beliefs amongst its members, so I'm not sure central the tenet is. I do think the Scouts are about much more than just the activities, but teaching teens how to discuss their very different beliefs in a useful and respectful manner seems like an important part of their mission.
quote:I just don't like the hunted feeling of being part of an organization that publicly states that I can't be a member.
quote:I can't say whether I have sympathy for this particular man, because I don't know the circumstances. I'm not sure I can put it into words, but I can imagine circumstances where someone was tempted by available pornography and succumbed to it, rather than actively seeking to seduce children.
I might be able muster a very little sympathy for him going to jail for so long in those circumstances, but if I set policy for an organization that worked with children, I would still fire them even if they just succumbed to available temptation.
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