[MR] Strong languange on the Merry Rose (Re: Society Notice)

[Wayne (Axel) Remes]

    It' not a question of inconvenience to me as a youth marshal, or to the
minister of the pages academy, it's a question of inconvenience to parents
and children when children's activities no longer are being offered because
autocrats can't find anyone with the background checks to run them, or
because the only people capable of running them are tired of traveling to
far parts of the kingdom specifically to hold them. How about after
traveling half the breadth of the Kingdom to a university you discover your
kids can't take part any classes because none of the classes are being
taught by people with background checks. This is in all likelihood going to
happen and not rarely.
     It's not a question of will many of us normally involved with various
youth activities get the background check, because the majority of us
probably will, the problem with this requirement is that when there are 15
kids and 1 maybe 2 youth activity people, that no one can help, unless they
remembered to bring their card. The problem with this plan is not the
problems the youth activities will have after it's implementation, it the
problems kids and parents will have finding youth activities at events after
it's implemented.
    Let's look at youth combat now, cause in my opinion you are looking at
what will happen to youth activities in this kingdom following the
implementation of background checks.  Have you noticed youth combat seems to
happen mostly at events in Sacred Stone and the DC area, and infrequently,
if at all, anywhere else in the kingdom? This is because the only places in
the kingdom where active youth marshals exist are in those places. For youth
combat to occur anywhere else in the kingdom one or more of us from the
north or the south of the kingdom or Mungo must travel anywhere from 4 to 6
hours to get to it. I know that more than once I have had to turn down
requests to go to events to run youth combat because of other commitments. 
   When I got involved in the SCA in the early 80s, it was EXTREMLY rare to
find youth activities occurring in the SCA at all. There were those
(childless adults mostly) who felt children really didn't belong in the SCA
at all, that it was an adult organization. The general attitude towards
children in the SCA has changed 180 degrees, and this is a good thing. One
of the reasons it has changed is that there are structured youth activities
available. (As well as the general aging of the members and they're having
their own kids) I fear if the BOD implements these background checks the
reduction in structured youth activities that is likely will be a step
backwards in SCA events rather than forward.

Axel

-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of
stickjock at comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 4:08 PM
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [MR] Strong languange on the Merry Rose (Re: Society Notice)

My question is that we are a not for profit organisation, if we require this
for 
> members involved with the kids, and they pay for it themselves, is this a
tax 
> exemption? 

Yes, in this situation one would indeed be able to write this expense off.

Normally I try to stay out of  threads that have the potential of spiraling
out of control, as this one indeed has, but this is a subject that as a
parent and former law enforcement officer, strikes close to home.  I have
seen too many responses complaining of the potential cost involved and the
inconvenience that the suggested....yes at this point "suggested "course of
action would cause.......My question to all is, if these proposed measures
save even one child......is it still too expensive or inconvenient?

Miguel
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