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- Demand Responsibility for our Kids Sake
Two young men I didn’t even know have been on my mind a lot over the last few days. It hurts me to realize they
will never have a chance to seek their dreams in this world.
The drowning of two boys attending a camp in Iowa is something that certainly hit at home with me and I’m sure
mostly everyone.
I have a 14 year old son that we send off many times to different functions. We are asked to sign the waivers,
etc. and off he goes.
Unfortunately, for two families in Kansas City off they went, but they did not return alive. The responsibility of
both the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the City of Pella, Iowa was taken way too lightly. The
negligence of both was the major contributing factors of the death of these two young men.
These two groups are not alone in their disregard for the safety of our young people entrusted in them.
I see negligence all the time in the town I live in a park where kids play, cars park, adults warm up for softball
games all in the same general area. An accident like in Pella ready to happen. We have warned our city
officials on occasions about what goes on there. They only take it as someone complaining rather than
someone warning them of a potential tragedy. They have done little to make changes necessary to prevent
accidents from happening.
I also see negligence all the time at different athletic events. Unqualified officials are assigned to officiate. You
put a whistle in their mouth and some of them go on a power trip that can become dangerous to those
participating. Officials have become a protected group that no one can criticize even when they allow games
involving youth to get out of line where the kids are in danger of injury or maybe even worse.
I witnessed that this past weekend when my son playing in a basketball tournament was involved in a game
where the officials let the game get out of control to where the players were put in danger. When both of his
coaches pointed this out to the officials they were threatened with all kinds of consequences. God help the
parent that would say anything as I did a few years ago in a similar situation and was threatened with being
thrown out of the building and banned for life if I didn’t keep my mouth shut.
Our schools are full of negligence allowing all kinds of things to happen on a daily basis that put our children in
danger. Bullying is a classic example of schools negligence. They allow certain students to “pick-on” certain
kids sometimes for years without doing anything to stop it. Sadly, sometimes teachers and other adults
employed by the schools not only turn their heads, but will even join in with their favored students to tear down
the one they have decided to “pick on”.
The “No Bullying Zone” signs on most schools as you enter are a joke and seem to only be there to protect the
schools so they can say, “We have a no bullying policy”. Unfortunately, most schools may have a policy, but few
times do they live by it.
With three children, I have numerous times through the years pointed out to different officials with different
organizations some of things that are happening that bring potential harm and detriment to ours and other
children. It is usually shrugged off and mostly met with denial by those in charge. At times, I have been viewed
as a complainer rather than someone trying to point out potential dangers for our children.
As parents when our children want to participate in a function we are asked to sign a waiver of some kind to
relief those that want to be in charge of some of their responsibility, which in itself may be a contributing factor in
this and other tragedies
After the tragedy it is always too late for someone. Law suits will not bring back the departed. They can only
send a much needed wake-up call to many.
It is difficult for any parent to have a policy that they will not let their children participate in activities or even pull
them off a court or playing field. This could also cause some harm to the child. It would be better to have those
in charge take more responsibility for what goes on.
Maybe, some form needs to be signed by the organizations to enhance their own knowledge of their
responsibility when they want to run camps and other functions. Too many take it too lightly and many times are
using the kids to make money for themselves and/or their organization.
It really is time for us all to wake-up and demand a higher regard to the responsibility for anyone we trust with
our children.
Quick, before we have any more tragedies like Pella.
| by Randy Novotny |
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| We invite your opinion on this or any other subject Email: Randy@WddNews.com |
- For information on the deaths of
2 young men from Kansas City
who were attending a camp in
Pella Iowa with the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes we refer you
to this story from the Des
Moines Register
Lawsuit centers on lights in
Pella pool - Papers were
signed saying they were non-
swimmers left behind