After a thorough review of allegations made recently over social
media against a Space Camp employee, the U.S. Space & Rocket
Center has concluded its investigation and taken necessary steps to
move forward.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., March 29,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- After a thorough review of
allegations made recently over social media against a Space Camp
employee, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center has concluded its
investigation and taken necessary steps to move forward. We
approached this situation with grave concern and extreme diligence.
The results of our investigation revealed the following:
- There is no evidence of inappropriate behavior or malfeasance
between any Space Camp staff and student campers.
- At no time were staff present in campers' bathrooms. Our
policies and our facilities are designed to create spaces where
campers may dress, shower, and use the restroom in private.
- We have received differing accounts on whether an employee
spoke to campers on subjects that are prohibited, such as
disclosing personal details, religious, or political points of
view. We have added a section to our camper and parent evaluations
to better capture and address any potential violations
quickly.
- All other policy violations that were the subject of the
investigation have been addressed as an internal personnel matter
and include transferring the employee in question to another job at
the Center.
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center adheres to all state and
federal laws regulating hiring practices. Our camp staff undergo
extensive nationwide criminal background checks which include
state, county, and municipal court-level information, Department of
Corrections data, state sex offender registries from across the
country, and multi-panel drug tests. We are an apolitical
organization with no social agenda. Our singular mission is to
inspire and educate.
Under our employee code of conduct, it is the expectation that
Space Camp staff act as ambassadors for the Space & Rocket
Center, both on and off site. Campers also commit to a code of
conduct while they are at Space Camp. Together, camper and staff
codes of conduct work in concert to ensure a safe learning
environment with clear boundaries where camper privacy is
respected, and the camp experience focuses on our mission.
We are recommitting to ensuring all our policies are understood
and enforced so that we can continue to provide a safe and friendly
environment for campers who come from all 50 states and more than
70 countries each year. We remain focused on our mission and strive
to maintain our position as the global leader for STEM
education.
About the U.S. Space & Rocket Center
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is
home to Space Camp®, Space Camp® Robotics, Aviation Challenge®,
U.S. Cyber Camp®, the Space Camp Institute® and the world-class
INTUITIVE® Planetarium. The Rocket Center has on display
significant artifacts, including the Apollo 16 capsule and the
National Historic Landmark Saturn V rocket. It is the Official
Visitor Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and a showcase
for national defense technologies developed at the U.S. Army's
Redstone Arsenal.
To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the
USSRC, visit rocketcenter.com.
Media Contact
Pat Ammons, U.S. Space &
Rocket Center, 1 256-721-5429, pat.ammons@spacecamp.com ,
https://www.rocketcenter.com/
View original
content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/rocket-center-strengthens-policy-enforcement-and-sets-eyes-on-the-future-302103877.html
SOURCE U.S. Space & Rocket Center