Well that's dumb. I guess no school meet and greets for the vast majority of Children's authors so they don't have to register.
Zero logic behind this. I guess everyone who happens to work with whichever gender they're attracted to should be registered as a potential rapist. Same logic. I guess everyone is a potential rapist or pedophile.
First off, Suspect site... To work in a most public schools in the US you have to be fingerprinted and opt-in to the FBI database and and have a criminal background check by the FBI to gain employment. I assume the UK has a similar system and are basically extending it to anyone who would want to work in a school, even as a part-time or a single showing. I don't think it is as absurd as this article or the knee-jerk reactions to it are claiming it to be. If you want to make your livelyhood off of schools, then don't be a pedofile and get fingerprinted. If you are unwilling to do that then don't make money off public schools.
Dear lord, people... if some kid gets hurt by [other person], it's "SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!", and then when someone actually does something towards that, it's "OMG, that's ******ed!". Make up your damn minds.
If thats true, its a double edged sword. Where's the guarantee that the 'potential' list won't harm the individual's career and standing? It seems like its a tad 'too much'. One day they are probably going to make it so that you can't even look at a child that isn't your own - and even then you'd need a permit and do it under government supervision. A lot of private schools, and I think public ones, here where I live don't allow, or at least discourage, parents from video taping their kid's at recitals and assemblies or school events with a camcorder or camera for the same reasons, "oh, you could sell the tapes/pictures, you could be a peadophile" - utter nonsense. They employ a photographer and video guy just to take photos and video for the prents to buy which is even more insane. I would hate some guy from a photography studio, most of which retain full image copyright, to take pictures at such an event and me not being allowed to film my own child.
I understand the intent but this seems to an overkill situation like using a Shotgun to kill a mouse, im all for protecting kids but to require them be on some list is nuts, background and crimnal record check fine, but to be put on a list because you "might" do something is wrong
Wow, we jump from putting authors who tour schools on a watchlist to a totalitarian nightmare where looking at other people requires permits. We're far away from coming near that level of watchdog-ity, even in the more strict countries (like the United Kingdom). And those private schools are brilliant. They've made a system that takes a fear (in this case, THINK OF THE CHILDREN, O NOES PEDOPHILES!) and twists it to make a buck. Most people will realize that it's a scam, but it's not like they're fleecing these people for hundreds of dollars. It's a movie that's gonna be $20-40, and shot more skillfully than the average parent with a handicam, that will be able to be shown at family gatherings. Sure, it may mean Busty Beauties 23: The Trampoline Edition might have to be put on hold for a month, but odds are you couldn't show that to Grandma at Christmas anyway.
'Minority Report' springs to mind. Seriously though, you are spot on. If we start having 'might' lists, we are all in serious trouble. Serious trouble. "You must register on the 'might commit mass homocide' list as you play violent video games...".
Jeez, remind me not to become a Children's Author if their gonna have you Register your name into database for Potential or known Pedophiles if you decide to visit a school or event full of children. Good Christ, that is stupid, not to mention ruins any possibility a writer might have for a normal life when everyone starts looking at them with suspcision because they found their names in the Pedophile Database.
I lost you on the 'Busty Beauties', but anyway... No offense, but if a teacher tells me I can't video my kid's performance, I'd tell them where to jam it. Sure, fine, my school made videos of performances, but to its credit, the videos were made by students from the media and film class, not some outsourced stranger. Schools can sell tapes of the day, fine, but it doesn't mean I have to be comfortable with it. If I want to take my camcorder or camera and film/shoot the performance/event my child is in then I damn well will. Back to topic, if JK is upset by this measure, I understand, as someone else said, a 'might do it at some stage' list is wrong.
Um... you can't... All parents have to opt-in for a performance to be able to be video taped. Some families have valid reasons not to want thier children video taped by strangers. if a Parent doesn't want thier kid video taped... no video cameras... You will be removed from the premises by school security and the police if you don't comply. Why do your rights supercede other parents rights not to have thier MINORS videotaped without thier permission and control. You can thank the 4th district court in Virginia for that ruling... But try do what you want in Australia. Only if every child's guardian's have given permission. Public schools are not public property and you can be charged for trespassing and arrested if you do not comply with the wishes of the school. They are not registering to be Pedophiles, they are simply complying to voluntary background checks. This is already done in public schools all over the world and being fingerprinted and having a background check is practically are quirement for any government job. This is nothing new and has been done for years. This is just being spun by a misleading article with the threat of totalitarion big brother to anger up people's blood.
People cry for more protection. When they're given it, they cry for more freedom. What the fuck do you want?
It's less unreasonable when you consider that "people" have differing opinions from one another. While a few individual idiots will complain no matter what, it makes sense that people who lean toward wanting security will complain when they feel there is danger, and people who lean toward wanting freedom will complain when they feel their freedoms are being restricted. It's not like it's all one guy just wanting to have it both ways.
Welcome to one of many flaws of a Democratic Government made up of two or more political parties. Each party represents roughly half of the population, and when one side is in power more than the other, things happen and change that only half the people want, so the other half gets upset about it. Case in point - this story.
