Shocked that MN recommend that parents use a website run by a twice convicted paedophile

[Feenie]

Seriously, MN? Sparklebox? Come on.

www.mumsnet.com/books/teach-your-child-to-read?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=Teach+them+to+read

His second conviction was directly related to this website - and even clicking through gains him revenue from advertising. This really needs rethink.

[Feenie]

a rethink

[QOD]

You just linked to his click bait site? Who are you talking about? It mentions Bear zgrylls
Link to what you say he's done?

[Feenie]

No - I've linked to MN's page that recommends Sparklebox

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8462650.stm

He is still a registered director and profits from this site, although he is now out of prison.

[JigglyTuff]

I've checked every link on that page and none of them go to sparklebox, nor is it mentioned on the page

[thepatchworkcat]

There's a link to Twinkl but Twinkl isn't Sparklebox and is not related to it afaik?...

[JigglyTuff]

No, it is linked to it at all

[LemonRedwood]

No, Twinkl isn't related to Sparklebox.

[LemonRedwood]

I can't see a Sparklebox link either.

[Saucery]

Which link leads to Sparklebox, please?

[GinIsIn]

But it doesn't recommend it?

[delilahbucket]

What you will be looking at op is a Google AdWords for the website. MN has no control over these ads. Google usually shows ads that are relevant to your internet searches.

[KatherineMumsnet]

Hi OP,

Thanks for flagging this - we've removed the link from the page now.

[Feenie]

Thank you, Katherine, much appreciated and very speedy.

Aside from the paedophile website link, it also contains some very questionable reading advice, actually. I wonder who wrote it?

Delilah and Fenella - it most certainly was recommended, as in 'you could try worksheets from x with your dc'.

I think you're probably seeing the page without the link now.

[Jessicabrassica]

This story first broke in 2010 so it's hardly news. It is a resource widely used in schools though. Our children often get worksheets from this site as homework. Our county reviewed the content of the site and the educational content is sound so they unblocked it and teachers continued using it.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Whenever I see a school that has sparklebox resources it makes me think badly of them.

[JigglyTuff]

I'm very glad but it's all a bit odd because it definitely wasn't on the original page that you linked to for me.

[Feenie]

The issue, Jessica, is not whether this is a new story, but rather whether MN wish to recommend and link to a twice convicted paedophile's website (and the speed at which they replaced the Sparklebox link with a Twinkl one tells you everything you need to know there).

I'll remind you again that his second offence related directly to this website.

Many LEAs still block it for that reason and obvious others.

[LemonRedwood]

Which LA are you in Jessica? I am very, very surprised that a school and local authority allows its teachers to use resources that benefit a convicted paedophile