Former Youth Protection Director on the dangers in Scouts BSA

[ThenNow]

26 minutes ago, skeptic said:

Some of you must be really good with knot tying, and even better with splicing with the way you twist things to make yourselves seem the only ones with valid views.  And yes, while this is regarding BSA, the issues extend beyond them, and if that is not important to you as well, then you need to step back and reexamine.  Your inuendo and often insulting responses is juvenile and very narrow, as well as hints at actual vengence.  Please do not embarrass yourselves further.

Sorry. This is an absurd response and you just did what you begged me/us not to do. Those things are true in light of my history here, my telling everyone here I’m involved with CHILDUSA Advocacy, the fact that this is not a Child Sexual Abuse in Society forum, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

[MikeS72]

18 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

Which indicates BSA tried to hit him with a directive NOT to cooperate with discovery requests.

Ha-ha. That backfired.

I watched as well, and that is not at all how I interpreted that comment.  I took it to be a response to not signing the NDA, and not talking about the problems he feels have not been dealt with adequately, not that someone at BSA tried to tell him not to cooperate with a discovery request.

 

18 minutes ago, CynicalScouter said:

Which indicates BSA tried to hit him with a directive NOT to cooperate with discovery requests.

Ha-ha. That backfired.

I watched as well, and that is not at all how I interpreted that comment.  I took it to be a response to not signing the NDA, and not talking about the problems he feels have not been dealt with adequately, not that someone at BSA tried to tell him not to cooperate with a discovery request.

 

[ThenNow]

2 minutes ago, MikeS72 said:

I watched as well, and that is not at all how I interpreted that comment.  I took it to be a response to not signing the NDA, and not talking about the problems he feels have not been dealt with adequately, not that someone at BSA tried to tell him not to cooperate with a discovery request.

I’ll view it again and hope for the transcript, but I agree that is a hop and a step from what I heard. I think he would’ve made a very specific allegation if he meant to say precisely that. My sense anyway.

[Eagle1993]

12 minutes ago, MikeS72 said:

I watched as well, and that is not at all how I interpreted that comment.  I took it to be a response to not signing the NDA, and not talking about the problems he feels have not been dealt with adequately, not that someone at BSA tried to tell him not to cooperate with a discovery request.

 

I watched as well, and that is not at all how I interpreted that comment.  I took it to be a response to not signing the NDA, and not talking about the problems he feels have not been dealt with adequately, not that someone at BSA tried to tell him not to cooperate with a discovery request.

 

What MJ said was that the BSA told him that he could not talk about the BSA to anyone unless it was required under a subpoena.  He said no one would ever tell him when & where to speak ... which is why he didn't sign the NDA nor the other agreements. 

 

[Eagle1993]

@ThenNow ... could use your magic

https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-boy-scouts-head-of-abuse-prevention-says-group-is-still-unsafe-for-kids-11634066497

 

[HelpfulTracks]

2 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

What MJ said was that the BSA told him that he could not talk about the BSA to anyone unless it was required under a subpoena.  He said no one would ever tell him when & where to speak ... which is why he didn't sign the NDA nor the other agreements. 

I am curious how his current comments relate to what he said in court while defending BSA and its policies. 

It would be interesting to see some of those transcripts

[Muttsy]

5 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Here's a really tinfoil hat idea: CynicalScouter = Kosnoff

Kosnoff is not that smart. 

[InquisitiveScouter]

1 minute ago, Muttsy said:

Kosnoff is not that smart. 

It's my delusion...all mine 😛

[CynicalScouter]

7 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

What MJ said was that the BSA told him that he could not talk about the BSA to anyone unless it was required under a subpoena.  He said no one would ever tell him when & where to speak ... which is why he didn't sign the NDA nor the other agreements. 

Ah, ok, yes, then I misheard a bit. Thank you.

[Eagle1993]

1 hour ago, skeptic said:

Some of you must be really good with knot tying, and even better with splicing with the way you twist things to make yourselves seem the only ones with valid views.  And yes, while this is regarding BSA, the issues extend beyond them, and if that is not important to you as well, then you need to step back and reexamine.  Your inuendo and often insulting responses is juvenile and very narrow, as well as hints at actual vengence.  Please do not embarrass yourselves further.

The many speakers did talk about other organizations.  However, they emphasized that BSA is a higher risk organization for youth because you have men taking young boys for extended overnight outings.  They also said that older youth (15-17) is the age when pedophilia begins.  BSA should be screening older youth more for those risk factors.  They also said boys are taught to be tough and many times boys translate that to being silent.  Finally, the pedophiles are known to utilize religious aspects of organizations to harm children.  So, the BSA is a mix of these that makes them much more risky than most youth serving organizations and why they need to do more than other youth organizations.

They also compared BSA to what the Olympic committee is doing.  One expert said in 2010 he was excited as BSA was one of the 1st to hire an outside expert.  Now BSA is going backwards and the Olympic committees are doing a much better job (BSA should copy some of their actions).

So, I think you are correct there are societal aspects of this, but BSA is now falling behind and it needs to be way out in front given its risk factors.

[vol_scouter]

An interesting tidbit is that at least for me, the concept that the BSA is a leader in youth protection came directly from Michael Johnson.  This comment is not to discredit him or cast aspersions but to rather source my information.  I suspect that all who have said such things have gotten their information directly or indirectly from Michael.  He is a nice fellow who really cares about children but never seemed to really understand Scouting.

[CynicalScouter]

4 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

They also compared BSA to what the Olympic committee is doing.  One expert said in 2010 he was excited as BSA was one of the 1st to hire an outside expert.  Now BSA is going backwards and the Olympic committees are doing a much better job (BSA should copy some of their actions).

Exactly. Outside experts. BSA cannot be trusted to police itself.

[CynicalScouter]

3 minutes ago, vol_scouter said:

He is a nice fellow who really cares about children but never seemed to really understand Scouting.

And that, in a nutshell, is the biggest blind spot for scouters and scouting.

"He doesn't really understand Scouting, therefore..."

Let me tell you this. The people who really DID "understand Scouting" got the organization into this mess because they were MORE focused on Scouting and its reputation and brand and LESS about the safety of scouts.

I WANT an outsider. I agree with Johnson: this cronyism of scouters and insiders leading the parade drove BSA into a ditch.

There needs to be OUTSIDERS or else you are just going to get the BSA groupthink of "we are great, we are perfect, we cannot be improved".

[malraux]

1 minute ago, CynicalScouter said:

Exactly. Outside experts. BSA cannot be trusted to police itself.

Safety of members seems to be something like accounting wherein its really good to have outside eyes on things.

[CynicalScouter]

21 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

@ThenNow ... could use your magic

https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-boy-scouts-head-of-abuse-prevention-says-group-is-still-unsafe-for-kids-11634066497

BSA's response
 

Quote

A Boy Scouts spokesman said on Tuesday that Mr. Johnson was the architect of the expert-informed policies the youth group has implemented to keep children safe, put in place over his more than 10 years of service.

“Today, Scouting is safer than ever before,” the spokesman said. “We are disappointed to hear Mr. Johnson’s characterization of the program he spearheaded and the concerns he raised, especially given his past public support for the robust measures the [Boy Scouts] instituted at his recommendation.”

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by CynicalScouter