Quote:
Originally posted by Wetzel
And FIRST is its own competition, and can choose not to accept certain values.
|
Can it? Currently, it is at a team's discretion to determine who participates on the team and how they participate. There are teams that accept anyone who wanders in, there are teams that only accept students from the sponsoring school, and there are teams that have implemented an application process to screen students.
FIRST has no mandates regarding how teams should use this discretion. Furthermore, do teams participating in FIRST have any legal affiliation with FIRST, the organization? If FIRST says, "Each team must be composed of equal parts males and females," are teams legally obligated to comply? If they aren't, can FIRST impose penalities against those teams?
FIRST's goals for growth are going to lead them into new territory. Particularly, as we garner more media attention and scrutiny, the practices and policies of the organization and its teams may come under attack.
Already, the 'family' feeling that many of us have experienced in the past is diminishing. Soon, it will disappear. I'm really curious to see how FIRST will adapt to that change, as well as how we, as participants, will adapt.
It seems inevitable that FIRST will have to mandate against discriminatory practices in the future. Right now, FIRST exercises no control over the 'inspiration' we're providing to our students. They're relying on good will and good faith in the mentors to do the right thing. It's noble, really, and it's worked amazingly well so far. Unfortunately, I don't if it's good enough for the "real world" of public scrutiny. ...and, as FIRST grows and gathers more attention, it's increasingly more likely that one of these "rogue" groups, like the KKK, may enter into the equation.
It'll be interesting to see how things play out when controversy finally comes to FIRST. Not all publicity is good publicity.