Comments | aminahfiddler: New SCA rule, that is just wrong

aminahfiddler

New SCA rule, that is just wrong

Jul 06, 2010 08:45

Note: this is not a locked post.

If you haven't seen it yet, there is now a new pennsic rule. It was announced on JULY 6th. I encourage you to read the rule, and write your opinion about this. I have and here's my letter ( Read more... )

Comments 21

ladyaelfwynn July 6 2010, 13:05:33 UTC

When I read the rule, from your link before I read the rest of your post, my thought was, well, I'll certainly be re-thinking Pennsic.

I will think about what I want to say and write as well.

This sucks.

ladyaelfwynn July 6 2010, 13:39:34 UTC

Here's a copy of the letter I've sent ( ... )

aminahfiddler July 6 2010, 13:44:49 UTC

With this rule, and with your permission, I could take your child shopping, to the battles, to parties, but not to A&S.

Thanks for writing the letter. Let's now hope for the best.

haflagirl July 6 2010, 14:29:57 UTC

What confounds me is that teachers *do* have the ability to limit the ages of their students. When filling out the class submission form, there is a drop-down menu of the following choices:

All ages
12 and up
16 and up
Adults only

Having scheduled classes for the University, I can tell you that teachers use this quite a bit. Some are teaching adult-only material or classes where safety might be an issue, while others just don't have the personal level of patience to deal with those under 16 or 12.

Good letter btw. I have heard now that the official reasoning is because any place there is and organized activity with youth present needs to have a warranted youth officer present... or the legal parent or guardian. Unless they warrant every teacher or put a youth officer in every classroom tent, the logic is that they *have* to have this rule in place now.

Thread 5

haflagirl July 6 2010, 13:26:11 UTC

Although I don't agree with the rule or the timing and manner in which it was announced, it should be noted that it is not a society-wide rule, but one specifically created for Pennsic 39.

Read the open letter from the Deputy Mayor of Cultural Affairs:
http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn39/cultural.html

Yes, it still gives one pause to reconsider one's activities at Pennsic and whether or not one should bring their teens, so believe me, I'm not defending the rule. I'm just pointing out that it doesn't affect teens society-wide the way you may be thinking it does.

aminahfiddler July 6 2010, 13:35:20 UTC

Yes, i realize that it's a pennsic only rule. But I also realize how things creep in because it was done at pennsic, it must be ok for the Society at large.

Oh and I'm for children not being allowed. It's the older teens that I have a problem with a 17 year old is very different than a 12 year old. Hell, some 17 year old are in College, getting an apartment or getting married. I'm also against that it's not supervised adult. I know my first years at pennsic, i had a camp mate's kid go with me to almost every class I took. It was with parent approval. With the new rule that wouldn't be allowed. I have wonderful memories about the classes and the fun I had with her.

I do want kids to be safe. But I do want thoughtful logical rules to be applied. I also realize that you can't protect everyone from everything, oh don't get me wrong, I never wish for people to be hurt. But you just can't stop it sometimes. You are a parent, you know your child the best. You should be allowed to parent.

ladyaelfwynn July 6 2010, 13:47:43 UTC

I can't agree with your statements enough.

This rule feels like a knee-jerk reaction to some 14-16 year old taking a class someone thought was inappropriate for them whether or not their parents concurred.

I'm so sick of people treating teen like idiots. The vast majority of the Pennsic classes I've taken over the 15+ Pennsics I've taken I would let my 12+ kid take. There's only one I wouldn't let her take (that one on the Kama Sutra from a few years back) and a few that I would've wanted her to have been accompanied but that was because there were chemicals and fires involved and I'd want someone to help keep her from doing something dangerous.

Most classes are innocuous and if the person can sit quietly and listen and participate as needed and not be distracting then they deserve to be there no matter what age they are. There are some 14 year olds that are less distracting than certain know-it-all adults that regularly pop up in A&S classes.

haflagirl July 6 2010, 13:55:52 UTC

"You are a parent, you know your child the best. You should be allowed to parent ( ... )

Thread 9

<---------------------------------- mhael July 6 2010, 15:28:07 UTC

*lowers hand*
*shuts mouth*
*decides that's probably for the best*

(Also, totally OT, but THANK YOU SO MUCH for looking after our littlest ones on our vacation! YOU ROCK!)

Re: <---------------------------------- aminahfiddler July 6 2010, 16:32:23 UTC

Yea... You know it's bad when it makes me a non parent write a letter.

You're welcome for watching the fur people. FYI, Steve also got a tick. I know L. did so you may want to be on the watch for them. It wasn't a biggy, it was still crawling and gave Steve an excuse to burn something.

Sounds like they are already modifying it.

In case this doesn't hit your Kingdom list haflagirl July 6 2010, 19:36:09 UTC

Mistress Chai has posted the follwing letter, to be spread to wherever we see fit. I thought it would interest you to get some clarification. It's still not perfect, but in my world, point #2 makes it a lot more livable ( ... )

Re: In case this doesn't hit your Kingdom list aminahfiddler July 6 2010, 19:43:22 UTC

Here's what I said in my FB where someone
else posted it.
"Wow... she lied in your letter. The pennsic site, was just updated on July 6th. I looked on Friday for something else, it was not there. In fact in BIG RED letter is says June 6th. They also changed it from this morning where it said Legal guardian to guardian.

Lier Lier pants on fire Mistress Chai. I do not know if I know you or not. But today, you lost a bit of my respect."

I do read the rules every year. I was on the announcement page last week it was not there. It has not been changed everywhere from legal to just guardian.

I stand by my earlier letter. A 15 to 18 year old is not a child. They are a young adult.

Any class that I attend, I will happily take a young adult to as a guardian.

Re: In case this doesn't hit your Kingdom list haflagirl July 6 2010, 19:54:04 UTC

The legal guardian to guardian part was indeed just changed this morning, which is why the form letter and the encouragement to spread it. While I do agree with you that teens can and should have some independence, I do appreciate that this particular "softening" of the rules exists. It is a big one for me.

As for when the rule was created and/or announced, I can't speak to that. I've been more focused on my own role on staff and not checking out everyone else's info. I do agree that if the rule was created back in May a better effort should have been made to publicize it though. Would you like her email address so you can address her personally on your allegations of her lying in the letter? She is open to answering questions at the very least.

Re: In case this doesn't hit your Kingdom list aminahfiddler July 6 2010, 19:57:47 UTC

She was one of the people that I emailed this morning. I will wait to see if I get a response.

I am lucky, I do not have children but until this matter is settled, I will not encourage others with children. Because I would be very frustrated if I was a parent and had to tell my 16 yo that yes, yes, we can caravan to pennsic, yes, you can leave site and go shopping, yes you can go do a lot w/in reason at pennsic except take a class.

Thread 5