[Artemisia] RE: Background checks required for supervisingactivities for minors

[morgan wolf]

The information won't be for general consumption, only the Seneschals and Youth Officers will get it, and part of their job will be to keep the information confidential, with the noted exception of beginning the banishment process for any registered sex offenders trying to become a Youth Officer.  It is specifically a criminal background check, so "bad checks" won't show up unless it's check fraud.  A person's credit score will not be considered as part of their fitness for being a Youth Officer, but a DUI might be a concern.  And yes the Kingdom pays for the check.  I state this as a former Deputy Kingdom Seneschal who reviewed this policy when a certain recent banishment came up.

In short, the background check is to protect our children from predators, period.  If a person who was charged with burglary wants to be a Youth Minister, I don't think that's really a hindrance, but I won't be making that decision.  On the other hand, if a person who was arrested for possession of child pornography wants to be a Youth Minister, he/she needs to be banished, absolutely and entirely, as well as reported to the mundane authorities.  This is not the beginning of a witch hunt, it is an absolute necessity to protect your kids (again, I don't have any).  You also need to make very clear to your children the importance of telling another adult IMMEDIATELY if any adult touches them inappropriately, because the background check will only catch those applying of a Youth Officer position who have already been charged with a crime, not anyone who is not a Youth Officer or who has not been charged with anything yet.

You may get the impression that I have very strong feelings about this, and you'd be right.  Although I personally would prefer a drive out to the salt flats with any known molester rather than banishment or jail, my solution to the problem is more permanent and constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment".

Morgan

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