Bigotry in Big Brothers/Big Sisters
When I was 40 years old I applied to become a Big Brother. I figured I was perfect for the job. I had no criminal record. I had a very nice house on the lake, which I had built by myself. I had held the same job for ten years, as a full time Paramedic in that small town. I had never been married, had no kids. I had two cars, a new pickup, and a classic '62 Impala. I made pretty good money, I figured I would take my Little Brother over to Macon to watch the minor league baseball games, take him to movies, maybe teach him some carpentry etc.
Of course there is a strict screening program for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, but I figured I would have no problems. BB/BS was always running ads, "Join Big Brothers/Big Sisters and help out a child."
Well, about three months had passed since I applied, and I had not heard back. I had put down four friends for references, these were MDs, RNs, and Paramedics. I started asking them about their interviews. They said that the girl from BB/BS was asking them weird questions, such as, "Do you think a child would be scared of a big man?" [I am 6-3, and 220]. They were asked, "Do you think his loud, deep voice would scare a child?"
I talked to my caseworker, she said my application was "still being processed."
I knew a guy who was a Big Brother. He was a college boy, 20 years old. He didn't have a car. Whatever money he had was what his father had sent him. One of his motivations was, he was majoring in Sociology, and he got 10 course credit hours a year for being a Big Brother. He told me, "What an easy way to get a couple of "A's." He was a slightly built guy of about 140 pounds, I guess that was the secret to pass the screening.
I was fed up. I wrote the adminstrator of BB/BS and rescinded my application. In my letter, I told her, "Santa Claus is a big guy with a deep voice, and the kids all love him. What is wrong with you people?"
In a few days the administrator called me up, and she said she was embarassed. She said that I looked like a good candidate. They had told my caseworker that she needed to find another job, and the board was willing to review my case.
I just let it go, I knew there was some kind of weird PC stuff going on down there, I just didn't want to mess with it.
I would have been a good Big Brother.
I had a friend who also wanted to apply. He had been a Paramedic for 12 years, and had gotten a Masters degree in Biology while working at the EMS. But, while in college, he had gotten busted for a nickle bag of pot. He had gotten the charges dismissed, but it was still on his record that he had been arrested. After watching my experience, he knew better than to even apply.
Of course there is a strict screening program for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, but I figured I would have no problems. BB/BS was always running ads, "Join Big Brothers/Big Sisters and help out a child."
Well, about three months had passed since I applied, and I had not heard back. I had put down four friends for references, these were MDs, RNs, and Paramedics. I started asking them about their interviews. They said that the girl from BB/BS was asking them weird questions, such as, "Do you think a child would be scared of a big man?" [I am 6-3, and 220]. They were asked, "Do you think his loud, deep voice would scare a child?"
I talked to my caseworker, she said my application was "still being processed."
I knew a guy who was a Big Brother. He was a college boy, 20 years old. He didn't have a car. Whatever money he had was what his father had sent him. One of his motivations was, he was majoring in Sociology, and he got 10 course credit hours a year for being a Big Brother. He told me, "What an easy way to get a couple of "A's." He was a slightly built guy of about 140 pounds, I guess that was the secret to pass the screening.
I was fed up. I wrote the adminstrator of BB/BS and rescinded my application. In my letter, I told her, "Santa Claus is a big guy with a deep voice, and the kids all love him. What is wrong with you people?"
In a few days the administrator called me up, and she said she was embarassed. She said that I looked like a good candidate. They had told my caseworker that she needed to find another job, and the board was willing to review my case.
I just let it go, I knew there was some kind of weird PC stuff going on down there, I just didn't want to mess with it.
I would have been a good Big Brother.
I had a friend who also wanted to apply. He had been a Paramedic for 12 years, and had gotten a Masters degree in Biology while working at the EMS. But, while in college, he had gotten busted for a nickle bag of pot. He had gotten the charges dismissed, but it was still on his record that he had been arrested. After watching my experience, he knew better than to even apply.
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imagine what theyd do if they knew you liked guns?[:0] 0 -
Henry0Reilly beat me to it , look at the difference you can make in a childs life. Not all things come without a price, the difference you make in ONE childs life could be the difference in how they turn out. Please reconsider, you might be the only person they have that heads them in the right direction. No matter what you choose, Kudos for trying to do something for them. 0 -
We all have our biases. I agree, please reconsider. You could do so much for a child that has no postive influences in his/her life. 0 -
"imagine what theyd do if they knew you liked guns?"
Good question Bobski. I can't remember if the question of gun ownership was on that long form I filled out. If it was, and I said "yes", that is probably what blew the deal.0 -
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
"imagine what theyd do if they knew you liked guns?"
Good question Bobski. I can't remember if the question of gun ownership was on that long form I filled out. If it was, and I said "yes", that is probably what blew the deal.
I would have answered this, "Do you?"0 -
Please continue pushing through the bureaucratic bs. It's about the kids, not the paper pushers.
By the way, thanks for being such a generous guy who wants to share with a young man who needs a good role model.0
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