SCA Reference

There is an amusing Little Dee comic strip here, which refers to the SCA. (Neither very flatteringly or accurately, but still funny.) The date for the strip is April 23, if you follow the link after today.

Update: Here's an up to date link.

Background Checks

The article describing the policy is here.

It appears that the SCA will require background checks of all officers and
members supervising youth activities. Apparently the background check is
cursory, as such things go. A fee of $10 per check has been mentioned.
There is an FAQ at the link.

My view: distressing, but such is the modern world. The SCA really can't go
on having people designated as officers supervising youth activities without
making some sort of effort to vet them, as all schools and institutions
dealing with the young must do today.

I am aware of some critics in the SCA complaining that this is more about
CYA for the SCA than protecting young people. Well, yes. That's what the
Board of Directors is supposed to do, protect the SCA's legal status and
reputation. However, it is not true that this does nothing - it assures the
group and the SCA that the officers and members who volunteer to supervise
young people are not obviously unqualified. That is a plus even if it does
not solve every conceivable problem. No one in any organization can solve
every conceivable problem.

Assuming the information about the amount for the checks is accurate and
assuming that payment arrangements are not going to be handled in some other
way - there seems to be some question about exactly how it will be done - I
would be happy to pay for any background checks that are called for in
Stormvale.