Here is Grand Master Dodson's edict on the matter:
To all whom it may concern,
It is with saddened heart that I write this.What you will read here is not one of the tasks that I,as Grand Master,expected or wanted to do.
For the last three years the Trustees of the Grand Lodge of Texas have been requesting the three Masonic Youth Groups to make sure that the Masonic Youth were protected by implementing some form of background checks on their adult advisors and have them trained in Child Protection Awareness.DeMolay International already had both of these requirements in place.The International Order of Rainbow for Girls didnot have them three years ago but because of the request by the Grand Lodge,they designed and implemented both these safeguards.Unfortunately,Job's Daughter's International chose to ignore all request made to it.
Job's Daughter's International dues not have these safeguards for their girls and have made no effort at the Supreme level to even begin implementing them.Because of this.in the first part of April this year the Grand Lodge Trustees requested that the three adult leaders of the Youth Groups in texas; DeMolay International,International Order of Rainbow,and the Job's Daughters International,certify that all their advisors have been background checked,protection trained and return the Certification Form to Grand Lodge by July 1,2006. Both the DeMolay and Rainbow adult leaders replied complying with this request.The Job's Daughters responded by answering that they could not certify their advisors.
This response by the Job's Daughters has come after months of negotiating in trying to find a way to comply with the request of the Grand Lodge.The adult leaders of the Job's Daughters in Texas have done everything within their power to comply with the necessary training and background checks.They already had devised their own system to implement these two requirements.Texas DeMolay offered their system as a way to certify the Job's Daughters advisors.The Supreme Guardian Council of Job's Daughters International rejected both alternatives and told the adult leaders of the Job's daughters in Texas to cease and desist all efforts to comply.
The issue for Grand Lodge is ,that because Job's Daughters has no Child Protection Program,it places the Grand Lodge in a position to be sued should a child abuse incident occur,because the Grand Lodge recognizes and allows Job's Daughters to meet in Texas as an approved Masonic Youth Group.
Based on the above circumstances,as Grand Master,whose fiduciary duty is to protect the Grand Lodge from reproach,I now edict that Texas Mason's will no longer be allowed to sponsor,advise,associate with or assist Job's daughters International.This edict is to take place immediately.This action results in the following:
* The Grand Lodge of Texas strongly recommends that no Bethel of Job's daughters be allowed to meet in a Masonic edifice.
*No Mason belonging to a Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas may be a member of any board,committee,or hold any office in the Job's Daughters.
*No Mason belonging to a Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of texas can be present at a meeting of the Job's Daughters.
This edict will be in force until December 2,2006 when further legislation will be acted upon at the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Texas.
Unfortunately this edict is necessary to protect the Grand Lodge,as well as the Masonic youth of our state.As I mentioned this is not something I want to do but having been elected by you to serve as Grand Master,it is needed to protect our Grand Lodge,
Sincerely and fraternally,
Brian R Dodson
Grand Master