Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[RickG]

At my place of employment, I just completed a mandatory "harassment" online training. I could have stamped my feet and held my breath until I turned blue and refused to take it, and I could have quit my job. Or, I could just take the training. I took the training. Yes, YE is a volunteer program. But, so are a lot of other volunteer programs that require similar Youth Safety training and rules.

And that is your prerogative.

It's not the awareness training many of us object to, but the notion that as YE Pilots we are trusted with these children's lives (taking anyone flying is a tall order, never mind someone's kids) .... but not enough to spend +- 15 minutes alone with them on a flight around the pattern w/o a criminal background check. That is an oxymoron and it just makes no sense. If this was a traditional youth program as many reference, I would be the first in line if not a champion of background checks for all involved. But that is not the scenario we are dealing with, and why those of us with concerns as to how this policy has been implemented, should continue to stand our ground.

The only people this debacle is hurting are the kids ... and those of us who willingly share our time, financial resources and experiences in aviation. As other members have more eloquently stated, this program does nothing to protect the kids, nothing to protect us as pilots, and everything to protect the EAA. That does not make for a winning recipe, especially when a program is 100% dependent on volunteers.