[MR] Teenager abuse at Pennsic

[E. L. Wimett]

Hmmm.

I would assume that this was in some way related to the signs that appeared
in the bath house relatively late in the war indicating that the bath house
would be closed from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. (may have the hours slightly off but
that was the general gist) and that all personal property would have to be
removed by that time.

The signs looked like Cooper staff signs rather than SCA public safety signs
and my assumption at the time was that the Coopers had a problem with the
number of teens actually sleeping in the bath house which seemed higher than
usual this year even though the nights were relatively warm.  I thought at
the time that it was a drastic solution even though I know that some Society
members have been complaining for years about the D & D and Magik sessions
in the bath house and were even louder in complaints this year because of
the movie nights, as it were, for which a number of the laptops were being
used.

I can certainly testify that, when I headed to the privies in the middle of
the night on several occasions after the signs went up, there was a definite
Cooper staff presence which relaxed when they saw that I was definitely well
over 21.  (I was never confronted or asked not to use the actual bath house
facilities during the banned hours nor were any of the nearby merchants so
far as I know so the "closure" appears to have been limited to the area
outside the privies and not to the facilities or showers themselves.)

As a merchant whose living and working area is near the bath house I never
had a problem with the kids there, but if it was a decision by the Coopers
there is not a lot we can do any more than we could over the changes in
parking policy. . . 

Alisoun

-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Lord Mungoe
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 12:52 AM
To: atlantia
Subject: [MR] Teenager abuse at Pennsic

Greetings,
    I recently observed treatment by adult SCA members towards teenagers at
the Bath house at pennsic. (I had to do this quitely as my teenage daughter
would accuse me of spying on her.) I had heard from her some of the things
going on up there, but wanted to verify for myself what was going on. I was
realy apalled by the manners many of the so called adults extended towards
the teens and young adults that gather at the bathhouse.
    Example-A female merchant whose booth was 25 feet away chewed out a
group of youngsters for their lanquage while her 5 year old was at the bath
house by himself. I noted that the 5 year old was by himself, out of site
and sound of his mom when the incident occurred. This  is against the rules
of pennsic according to the book. He apparently came back and asked his mom
what a orgasim was. While I would not want my kids at that age to hear rough
language, it happens at Pennsic. (For crying out loud, large pink penises
have been know to be paraded through the merchant area.) No were in the
rules did I see anything about censurship. 

    Example-All of the personel gear left in the bathouse one night was
taken. You would guess that it went to the lost and found. Nope, laptops and
other gear was tossed in the dumpster. The kids retreaved it, and were then
confronted by some SCA security types and told to back away from the gear
they were going through, or they would be kicked off site in 15 mins. The
gear was gather and they were told it would go to lost and found. Guess
what, never showed up there. I found some of it, you know it, in a dumpster.

    By the way, how many out there have dumpster dived on the last day of
Pennsic?

    We have a appalling drop out rate of our kids in the SCA. This sucks. In
many ways I would like my children to continue in the SCA, but the way my
daughter and friends were treated by the so called "adults" kinda sours me
on the idea. Yes, they are slackers up there, but so were we all. I have
never seen any crack or meth up in the bath house, just teen banter and some
D&D. Those that know me can verify that I am a very over protective father.
(He he he, remember that any teen boys reading this!) and would not let my
daughter hang out there if I thought there was a problem. Only problem I see
is the ill manners of some of the adults. That is a area were we are losing
some of our best future members.

If a covered both was provided outside the bath house so that a teen refere
could sit, I would do so and give the kids their privacy (MAjor thing for
teens, tribalism.) and provide a adult voice for them in times of trouble.
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