For the remainder of this post the words that are black are the words of the BSA found in the letter known as "Open Letter to Parents" with a publication/release date of September 17, 2012. For the full text and additional resources can be found by going to:
http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/BSAYouthProtection/BSA_Communications/parent_letter.aspx
This link is currently working as of Sunday October 7, 2012 but may not work at a date in the future due to removal of the content or a change in the exact web address where this letter can be found.
Again as a reminder black text found in this post represent the exact wording found in the letter mentioned above. Any text that is found in red is based upon the opinions of ScoutingManiac or other authorized agents. Thank you for your service and commitment to our youth in Scouting found around the world.
Open Letter to Parents
September 17, 2012
Dear Scouting Parent,
We recognize you have entrusted to Scouting the development and safety of your child. (Thank you to all the parents out there that have given us Scout Leaders the privilege of working with your child. We as Scout Leaders even though we come from so many different backgrounds we also share a common goal which is to help the young people in our world to become capable and productive members of the global society we all live, work, and play in. Some adults may only be leaders because their child is involved but that in no way diminishes the impact each and every parent makes who serves their child and their child's peers as a Scout Leader. Other Scout Leaders including those who may have never had their own child in Scouting participate because we know that young people are the future and that we are dependent upon these persons to help guide our global society further into the 21st century.) We are honored by your faith in this organization and want you to know these are top priorities.
In this period of heightened awareness about youth safety (This heightened period of awareness about youth safety is directly associated with the release of the files known as the "IV Files" or more properly known as the "Ineligible Volunteer Files" and the recent news coverage of how a Scout Leader with purposeful intent to harm abused young people in both the Boy Scouts of America and the National Scout Organization (NSO) of Canada which is known as "Scouts Canada" over a period of about 30 years.), we want to share with you Scouting’s many important programs, policies, and procedures (All of the relevant programs, policies, and procedures used in the BSA are outlined in detail in the Youth Protection Policy or can also be found in the "Guide to Safe Scouting". Both of these documents are reviewed on a regular basis with updates occurring at least once per quarter unless the Health and Safety/Risk Management Staff at National determines that a policy update or health and safety advisory is necessary to prevent incidents from occurring.) that help protect our members. (While the Health and Safety/Risk Management Group at National Council has made many good decisions in the past they have recently released policies that are quite frankly absolutely ridiculous. In my opinion these absolutely ridiculous policies are interfering with my ability to provide the best possible scouting experience to our current youth members.) We are committed to consistently strengthening and enhancing our Youth Protection measures, and in recent decades, have expanded our programs significantly as more information and new techniques and technologies have become available to us. Recently, experts in youth safety and the media have acknowledged the strength of our Youth Protection programs in place today:
We want to ensure that you are aware of our Youth Protection programs, policies, and procedures, so you know what to expect of our organization. Our safeguards include the following:
These measures are by no means the full extent of our efforts, but given the media attention youth-serving organizations including Scouting have recently received, we wanted to share some of the most important aspects of our program. Additional information and resources can be accessed by visiting www.Scouting.org and clicking on the Youth Protection tab.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your local Scout executive. Thanks for all you do to support Scouting and help us keep kids safe.
Sincerely,
Wayne Brock
Chief Scout Executive
Boy Scouts of America
Open Letter to Parents
September 17, 2012
Dear Scouting Parent,
We recognize you have entrusted to Scouting the development and safety of your child. (Thank you to all the parents out there that have given us Scout Leaders the privilege of working with your child. We as Scout Leaders even though we come from so many different backgrounds we also share a common goal which is to help the young people in our world to become capable and productive members of the global society we all live, work, and play in. Some adults may only be leaders because their child is involved but that in no way diminishes the impact each and every parent makes who serves their child and their child's peers as a Scout Leader. Other Scout Leaders including those who may have never had their own child in Scouting participate because we know that young people are the future and that we are dependent upon these persons to help guide our global society further into the 21st century.) We are honored by your faith in this organization and want you to know these are top priorities.
In this period of heightened awareness about youth safety (This heightened period of awareness about youth safety is directly associated with the release of the files known as the "IV Files" or more properly known as the "Ineligible Volunteer Files" and the recent news coverage of how a Scout Leader with purposeful intent to harm abused young people in both the Boy Scouts of America and the National Scout Organization (NSO) of Canada which is known as "Scouts Canada" over a period of about 30 years.), we want to share with you Scouting’s many important programs, policies, and procedures (All of the relevant programs, policies, and procedures used in the BSA are outlined in detail in the Youth Protection Policy or can also be found in the "Guide to Safe Scouting". Both of these documents are reviewed on a regular basis with updates occurring at least once per quarter unless the Health and Safety/Risk Management Staff at National determines that a policy update or health and safety advisory is necessary to prevent incidents from occurring.) that help protect our members. (While the Health and Safety/Risk Management Group at National Council has made many good decisions in the past they have recently released policies that are quite frankly absolutely ridiculous. In my opinion these absolutely ridiculous policies are interfering with my ability to provide the best possible scouting experience to our current youth members.) We are committed to consistently strengthening and enhancing our Youth Protection measures, and in recent decades, have expanded our programs significantly as more information and new techniques and technologies have become available to us. Recently, experts in youth safety and the media have acknowledged the strength of our Youth Protection programs in place today:
- “The Boy Scouts of America is one group advocates say has gone farthest to institute such measures to safeguard kids.” (MSNBC, November 2011)
- “The Scouts’ current prevention policies are considered state of the art and several independent child-protection experts told The Associated Press that the Scouts—though buffeted in the past by many abuse-related lawsuits—are now considered a leader in combating sexual abuse. ‘The Boy Scouts have the most advanced policies and training,’ said Victor Vieth, a former prosecutor who heads the National Child Protection Training Center in Minnesota.” (Associated Press, January 2012).
We want to ensure that you are aware of our Youth Protection programs, policies, and procedures, so you know what to expect of our organization. Our safeguards include the following:
- All volunteers must complete a rigorous application and screening process before joining Scouting. As part of this requirement, applicants must provide references and submit to a national criminal background check. We also verify that our organization has not received any prior allegations of misconduct on the volunteer’s part by checking names in our Ineligible Volunteer Files. Our goal is to ensure that all adult volunteers represent the values and character outlined in the Scout Oath and Scout Law and are good leaders for your child.
- All volunteers are required to complete Youth Protection training and must renew the training every two years. This training is accessible to the general public online at www.Scouting.org, under the Youth Protection tab. Please review the training, as it provides important information about detecting and preventing abuse, no matter where it may occur.
- Scouting’s two-deep leadership policy requires at least two adults to be present for all Scouting activities. No youth should ever be alone with a Scout leader for any reason.
- Every Boy Scout and Cub Scout handbook includes a pamphlet to help parents teach their children how to recognize, resist, and report abuse. (If at any time you would like to review the information covered in the "Parents Guide to Youth Protection" please contact one of your unit leaders or you can request a copy from your Local Council.) If you haven’t done so already, please immediately review and discuss this information with your child. A copy of the pamphlet and other youth-oriented literature is available under the Youth Protection tab on our website.
- All Scouting activities are open to parents, (While all Scouting activities are open to parents and must be open at anytime to parents, please understand that it is sometimes in the best interest of the young person to do certain things without the parent being present or actively participating in that part of the Scouting experience. Again I would like to reiterate that all aspects no matter what are open to parents as per BSA policy. If you feel that access is being denied to you as a parent please immediately contact the top leader or the the committee chair of your unit. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with the results or you believe that questionable behavior has occurred please contact your Council Scout Executive immediately without any hesitation.) and we encourage families to enjoy Scouting together.
- Anyone suspected of inappropriate behavior will be immediately and permanently banned from Scouting. (Personally speaking I think that this policy has the potential to cause severe harm to some Scout Leaders (SL's), I do understand the reasoning behind while the BSA National Council has implemented this policy. Sadly though this policy is going to get SL's banned from membership that do not deserve to be banned. An example of this is that a parent who has a grudge against a SL could make up false accusations in order to get back for any negatively perceived action or behavior. This in my opinion is a policy that could set into motion a very dangerous and damaging precedence in Scouting especially, in a country where you can sue anyone for anything you want no matter how ridiculous the damages seem.) If you ever have any concerns about your child’s safety, please contact the BSA immediately through your local council. You can find the contact information by typing “Local Council Locator” into the search bar on our website.
- Internationally recognized child abuse prevention expert and former law enforcement professional Mike Johnson today leads Scouting’s Youth Protection program. Johnson, formerly a police detective investigating child abuse, working in close coordination with other experts in law enforcement, psychology, and other disciplines, is building upon these and other existing policies to further enhance Scouting’s safety, educational, and training programs.
These measures are by no means the full extent of our efforts, but given the media attention youth-serving organizations including Scouting have recently received, we wanted to share some of the most important aspects of our program. Additional information and resources can be accessed by visiting www.Scouting.org and clicking on the Youth Protection tab.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your local Scout executive. Thanks for all you do to support Scouting and help us keep kids safe.
Sincerely,
Wayne Brock
Chief Scout Executive
Boy Scouts of America
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