Policy regarding minors in building with no adults

[russellhltn]

Is outside the church different than inside the church?

From the standpoint of legal liability - probably.

[gregwanderson]

Here in Northern Utah I've seen signs posted outside some church buildings listing prohibited activities, such as skateboarding. But my own ward's building has no such signs. I've seen church parking lots with gates that remain locked on weekdays, but not at my ward's building. Our Stake Center has a large playing field and "bowery" next to the parking lot. It's church property and the field is regularly used for non-church activities like AYSO soccer games. Another facility about 10 miles from here is the property of another stake (but not as close to their Stake Center) and is also used for non-church youth soccer on a regular basis.

So... I guess I'm not seeing consistent policies about the outdoor areas when I casually look around. But things seem to be working out okay.

[russellhltn]

Policy and practices are usually the result of experience. That could easily explain why some buildings have signs and/or locked gates and others do not.

Not sure what to say about the outdoor activities. Thinking that the outdoor areas might play under different rules, I consulted the section "Recreational Property Administration" in Facilities Management Guidelines for Meetinghouses and Other Church Property and it promptly referred me to Handbook 2:21.2. Item number 6 seems quite clear.

[gregwanderson]

Item number 6 seems quite clear.

Very interesting. The facility I'm thinking of, which is visible on Google Maps, can host three simultaneous baseball games, although those fields can host soccer games instead. I'm not aware of any church-sponsored baseball or soccer leagues, so they must just be anticipating a lot of simultaneous ward social activities where the kids will go off and play while the adults are preparing food in the bowery. But it seems to me that, based on what "item number 6" says, this facility is overkill for legitimate, church-only purposes.

Perhaps, under earlier policies, it was okay to use this type of facility for community-related (non-church) sports. But, whenever a new handbook is released we're instructed to destroy the old one. That makes it hard to verify the reason something like this was built. Perhaps it was more suited to earlier policies but, under current policies, I wonder why that Stake needs a place like this. (But the AYSO kids still enjoy it, for now.) For what it's worth, at least there's a sign at the entrance which says "Please Observe All Church Standards".

[russellhltn]

Perhaps, under earlier policies, it was okay to use this type of facility for community-related (non-church) sports.

That seems likely. I don't know why the church would have such a large property, but it might have been the result of a donation, history, or long-term plans for something else. Then again, local leaders might have been allowed to make an exemption by the higher-ups. Although in that case I'd think there'd be some language about applying for an exemption.

[bballrob]

While I haven't always had access to the handbooks, I had heard in the past that having an adult in the building was necessary due to legal liability issues. Most of the time, it's just the safest thing to do.

I have to say that with the right group of youth, it could be done without an adult, but I do think you have to be very careful in this area.

[silus99]

I like the policy my stake currently has. We had trouble with 16-24 year old guys coming in the building near the end of scouts to play basketball. It was not for Church league, just guys who wanted to play. Typically there would only be one or two of them that were members and often they were younger.

We adopted a policy that we could not leave anyone in the building alone without someone having a key. If a parent gave their key to the kid, then the parent took the responsibility for anything that happened. Sometimes we would have to kick all of the basketball players outside until they could get a member with a key to come supervise. If something happened to the building, they would just look at the key card records to see who last opened the door.

Our stake also has a policy that females and children cannot be alone in the building without a priesthood holder somewhere there, for their safety. So many times after scouts I would have to ask sisters to leave so we could lock the building.

[sbradshaw]

While I haven't always had access to the handbooks, I had heard in the past that having an adult in the building was necessary due to legal liability issues. Most of the time, it's just the safest thing to do.

There is a policy about having someone else present near the office when a bishopric member is doing a private interview with a woman or a minor.

[russellhltn]

There is a policy about having someone else present near the office when a bishopric member is doing a private interview with a woman or a minor.

Not a bad idea, but a new one on me. Can you find it or is it local?

[sbradshaw]

There is a policy about having someone else present near the office when a bishopric member is doing a private interview with a woman or a minor.

Not a bad idea, but a new one on me. Can you find it or is it local?

Handbook 1, section 7.4.