utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com On 14 Apr 2009, at 10:57, Roger Butz wrote:
Hi all, Patrick mentioned a discussion about loaning club equipment to schools and school kids and has asked me to comment , I've only seen one comment from Chuck re guarding loaning club scopes to students so I am not privy to any other discussion on the subject. The slas policy is : a person must be a slas member, at least 18 years old and cannot transfer club equipment to any other individual ,even another club member. There are numerous reasons for the different policies for borrowing club equipment that we have in acted over the years as way of addressing a myriad of issues and problems that seem to crop up, We have made changes or revisions as they were appropriate. Often what may seem like a good idea on the surface ends up creating bigger problems in the long run. I used to do a Lot of School star parties myself when I lived in the salt lake valley, and personally have rebuilt or retrofitted dozens of small 2ND hand telescopes and given them to kids or schools over the years, I am working on 2 right now, so I am of like mind that any chance to inspire a child to think of something other than text messaging is always a good thing , however as slas curator I see loaning slas scopes to kids, schools, or teachers to be used in a school program as a nightmare on every level. Damage, Tracking, Liability and Theft to name a few off the top of my head. and such a policy opens a revolving door that in my opinion would create many many headaches for slas and its curator. Free loaner scopes to schools or school kids? where would it end ? A hundred scopes would soon not be enough, it would spread like opening the observatory up to private boy scout Merritt badge projects. Having them come to a public star party takes care of a lot of these needs, we do dozens a year for this reason. The SLAS Loaner scope program is set up as a benefit for SLAS members.A loaner program for the county or private school systems should be funded and run by the county. Just the repair and replacement of scopes and parts would become a full time job very quickly. Any project like this might be better handled separately from slas, similarly to the NASA ambassador program or the like. Any way as you can tell I am once again with out an opinion. Respectfully, Roger the Dodger