Pullman Outrage at Paying for Proof “I’m not a paedophile”
A collection of the UK's best loved Children’s authors have threatened to boycott school visits should a proposed government plan go ahead which will force adults to pay for background checks before they can work with children.
Leading the charge against the government’s scheme are His Dark Materials trilogy author Philip Pullman, and kids spy-fiction writer Anthony Horowitz, the man behind Stormbreaker. Also lending their weight to the argument are iconic illustrator Quentin Blake, and authors Anne Fine and Michael Morpurgo.
The Vetting and Barring Scheme which is due to come into effect on 12 October 2009 will require all adults who wish to work with children to submit to a background check and be approved on a national database. Whilst no-one can dispute the well-intentioned motive behind such a scheme, the method of delivery is somewhat questionable. Adults will have to pay a compulsory fee of £64 in order to register.
An outraged Phillip Pullman told The Times: “Why should I have to pay £64 to a government agency to give me a little certificate to say that I am not a paedophile? It’s so ludicrous that it’s almost funny. But it isn’t quite funny – it’s actually rather dispiriting and sinister.”
Mr Horowitz was equally damning at having to pay to prove his innocence of any malpractice: “After 30 years writing books, visiting schools, hospitals, prisons, spreading an enthusiasm for culture and literacy, I find this incredibly insulting.” Meanwhile prolific children’s writer Anne Fine described the proceedings as “governmental idiocy”.
The Home Office said that the vetting was not meant to punish adults for wanting to work with children, but was intended to protect the safety of vulnerable youngsters. The question remains if the government was so keen to uphold the safety of children, why wouldn’t it foot the bill to carry out the checks?
Other news posted by David Finklehorn on Friday, July 17, 2009
