Vacation Bible School and numerous other activities this summer may be few and far between as our government strikes again with another unfunded mandate.

Beginning July 1, all volunteers and employees who have direct contact with children must have clearances, participate in a three-hour training and possibly provide FBI fingerprints.

Thank you, Jerry Sandusky.

A few emails to my mailbox prompted my attendance at an "educational meeting" hosted by state Rep. Justin Simmons, R-131st, May 28 in the DeSales University Hurd Room, Center Valley, designed to explain the new law.

Mark Davis represented the Department of Human Services to present this new law and to answer questions from the audience.

Simmons said "Act 31 was enacted during the last session as part of a package of new laws designed to provide better protection for the Commonwealth's children."

The law requires any adult volunteer responsible for the welfare of a child or having direct contact with children to have clearances. A child is defined as under 18.

Organizations such as churches depend on their volunteers to teach Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. Those volunteers need clearances.

Adults serving in youth associations and Scouts will also need clearances.

Paid employees such as those in public works, summer camps, summer programs and libraries, foster parents, medical professionals, school employees, bus drivers and anyone having direct contact with children will need clearances.

All prospective volunteers must obtain the following clearances: a report of criminal history from the Pennsylvania State Police and child abuse history clearance from the Department of Human Services.

A fingerprint-based federal criminal history submitted through the PSP or its authorized agent is not required if the position the volunteer is applying for is unpaid and the volunteer has been a Pennsylvania resident continuously for the past 10 years.

Volunteers who are not required to obtain the FBI clearance because they are applying for an unpaid position and have been a continuous resident of Pennsylvania for the past 10 years must swear or affirm in writing they are not disqualified from service based upon a conviction of an offense under the law.

The training addresses recognition of the signs of child abuse and the reporting requirements for suspected child abuse.

Fines and/or criminal charges are increased for mandated reporters, those having direct contact with children, not reporting suspected child abuse or not obtaining the necessary clearances.

The PSP clearance cost is $10. The child abuse clearance is $10. The FBI clearance is approximately $28.

Who will pay the $50 to have volunteers teach your children about the Bible, serve them a snack or help them make a popsicle stick craft at Vacation Bible School this summer? Or the volunteers at the summer playground program your children will attend? The organization sponsoring these programs will bear the cost more than likely because they do not expect volunteers to have these clearances already.

Timothy Anger, assistant to the pastor, Lehigh Valley Baptist Church, Emmaus, said the church has 40 different volunteers on a rotating basis in the church nursery and 50 adults who work in other children's ministries. Anger said 30 adults help in some capacity just with the summer VBS program. Anger attended the meeting to voice his concerns.

"Our Christian school has about 15 staff and volunteers, but we have had them go through the clearances for many years now. But these new requirements will be expensive and time consuming," Anger said.

"The hassle and privacy issues raised may cause some volunteers to back out of helping, though we will do everything we can to make the process easy, cover the fees if needed and protect their privacy."

An email received from Jill Creveling, Horizon Church, Allentown, agreed with Anger.

"Although the Act is intended to help children, I believe it will hurt them by taking away the children's programs since numerous organizations rely on volunteers. Volunteers won't want to go through the 'hassle' and expense of having the background checks done and the volunteer leaders won't want the potential liability of criminal charges. In addition, many volunteers may refuse to help if there is something (not related to child endangerment) in their background they don't want other people to know about. This may be something they did as a foolish teenager. Churches are a place of second chances. We want everyone to feel included, safe and valued," Creveling said.

In a letter to her legislators, Creveling concluded, "I believe the provisions in this Act are too intrusive and infringe on the privacy rights of individuals. For example, requiring FBI, Pennsylvania criminal and child abuse checks for someone to be a greeter doesn't seem to warrant such an invasive process."

Comments from audience members noted the great burden this law is placing on organizations in Pennsylvania.

I would be hard pressed to find someone who would disagree with the need to keep kids safe.

When my children were Boy Scouts, I was trained as a leader following the two-deep leadership rule. No Scout was ever alone with a leader; it was always two leaders and one child or one leader and one adult parent with a Scout. For approximately 30 years, this pack has followed this rule.

At my church, many years ago, the insurance company required all volunteers working with children to attend a training by the Crime Victims Council and have background checks. I did not like it, but I did it because I wanted to work with my kids and their friends at youth club, Vacation Bible School and Sunday school.

I did learn to be more aware of strangers around children and become more observant of signs of child abuse.

In reality, there are pedophiles around us hoping to get close enough to our kids, earn their trust and then strike.

In some cases I believe the law is valid; in others, it seems a bit extreme.

And I believe our children will lose out on the interaction with some of the older volunteers who do not want their privacy invaded and choose to no longer volunteer.

That will be a shame.

Debbie Galbraith

editor

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press