From: tsa@cellar.org (The Silent Assassin)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Unescorted Minors at Events
Keywords: minors releases
Date: 13 Oct 92 19:49:07 GMT
Organization: The Cellar BBS and public access system

aboz@egf-bbs.uucp (Aboz the Untidy) writes:

> At Our last event (the second we've held) a number of people came from an
> incipient group about 100 miles away.  The attendees consisted ofone adult
> and half a dozen or so teen-agers (14 to 17), none of whom had a release
> signed by their parents.  What do you do in a case like that?  Tell them,

"Welcome to the event."
Sorry, but I see all this waiver this, and release form that in the SCA as a
very bad thing.  It is merely a reflection of the society which we are in,
but I have always thought of the SCA as a place where you don't need release
forms.  For me, the SCA is a place where you really don't have to worry
about getting sued, or needing to sue someone.  Perhaps for others this is
not as true, but that is one of the advantages of the SCA to me.  A 14 year
old can be almost as mature and contribute as much as an adult.  Or he/she
can be a total brat.  It all depends on the person, and unless you know
them, its a gamble.  But with my (perhaps naive) general faith in human
nature, I'd let 'em in.

> Sorry, you drove 2 hours for nothing?  Do you let then in and hope nothing
> bad happens?  Do you try to fax (as if there are any fax machines in
> Henning, MN) a signed release?  Well, we let them in.  Then we were
> confronted with the 14 yr old who took Miller-in-the-Middle as an excuse
> to grab some tush.  If he were an adult he would have been
> slapped...repeatedly.

It's a pity.  I would hate for some SCA members who happen to be teenagers
to be turned away from an event just because one person acted immature.  But
its a risk that I feel is worth taking.  
	As for the "if he were an adult..."  If you are treating him as an
adult by letting him in the event unescorted, he should expect to be treated
as an adult if he gets in trouble.  If you let a teenager into an event,
they are pretty much responsible for their own actions, and should be aware
of this.  Depending on the severity of their actions, I'd either give them a
talk  about why they shouldn't have done it, and explain to them that if it
happens again they will be tossed, or just toss 'em.  If their parents
complain, explain to them what they did, and that the autocrat has the power
to refuse admittance to anyone.

> We are in the midst of planning our realy huge January event, and plan to
> include a page in the flier stating "No one under 18 admitted without a
> properly signed release".  You think that will help?

It may help keep that from happening again, but it will also keep other
teenagers who might contribute from coming.  As I said before, its a pity to
exclude some teenagers just 'cause of the actions of a few.  
> Just wondering if other groups have run into this.
> 
BTW, I want to mention that the entire posting above is probably rather
biased, and should be taken with a large grain of salt.  Why?  because I am
16, have been in the SCA 16 years, and every since around 10 or so have been
wandering around events (mostly Pennsic) almost completely free from
parental influence.  I see the SCA as a place where I can be treated as an
independent person responsible for my own actions, rather than some kind of
pseudopodic extension of my parents, having to follow them around watching
them do boring things I have no interest in.  If that were true, I'd hate
the SCA, 'cause I like different activites than my parents do.
> -- 
> Berwyn Aethelbryght, Pursuivant of the Shire of Elverod, Grand Forks, ND
>                 BKA (Known on the BBS as) Aboz the Untidy


Patri Ibn Cariadoc, Shire of Hartshorndale, East Kingdom.

Disclaimer: Not being perfect, I may occasionally make mistakes.  Other than
that, however, I mean what I say.  I speak for myself, not any organization
                            tsa@cellar.org
this weeks quote: "I bought an internal modem, but I can't swallow it."
From: Ruth.Woodring@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Ruth Woodring)
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