to think that people are just too paranoid

[MaPrentice]

I was singing the praises of one of ds's nursery workers to the manager today - and mentioned that I think it is great that they have a man working there.

She said that originally he had been in the baby room, but that parents had complained so he was now in the older room. Also, he is not allowed to change nappies.

WTF? Either he is a capable, caring, qualified and CRB-checked member of staff or he isn't. If I had one moment's doubt that he was a paedophile, I wouldn't be sending ds to the nursery now would I? How horrible to be a man and have this sort of aspersion made about you. What is wrong with people and their paranoia?

totally agree - not everyone is a pedo - in fact most people are decent folk, it is getting rediculous

I know what you mean Ma, but it may also be to protect the male nursery worker too. It`s not right though.

ISn't this discrimination and therefore illegal? It 's appalling the way men are automatically assumed to have paedophile tendencies.

What exactly did they complain about?? And how can a nursery justify such behaviour with such strict antidiscriminatory policy??

Sounds very dodgy

My dd has a young man in her nursery class. He is doing a summer placing. Initially she was terrified of him and clung to the other staff everyday. The nursery manager considered moving him to another group but I insisted that he stay were he is. She just had to get used to him, which she's done very quickly.
Very ridiculous to think all men are pedos, just as much chance of a woman abusing a child in a nursery. Both extremely small.
Besides isn't this sexual discrimination in the workplace?

it would really sadden me to find out other parents at a nursery I was using had made a complaint about this kind of thing. Imagine how they are effecting their children if they are teaching them this kind of stuff :(

I cannot believe that this is allowed to happen? he is presumably properly qualified? How does gender make any difference - I would be taking it to employment tribunal if it were me.

It sounds a bit like the man who SUCCESSFULLY sued a major airline for asking him to move seats because he was sitting next to a child flying unaccompanied - on the grounds that it was their policy, in case he/another male passenger was a paedophile

the nursery manager should have told the parent that Mr X was excellent at his job and she was welcome to take her child elsewhere if she did not approve of any of their staff

whats the mother going to do if the child has a male reception teacher - are all males involved in child care roles perverts in her eyes?

I think the complaint was that he is a man - agree it is totally discriminatory, but perhaps the manager and male worker agreed that it is pragmatic to toe the line of parents' wishes rather than start a battle. and as crisproll says perhaps to "protect" him too - against bizarre allegations. Who knows.

given that ds has no father in his life, it makes me sad that he doesn't get to see a male role model helping with loo visits and nappy changes.

But the baby room's loss is ultimately ds's gain as he gets the male attention in what is otherwise for him a very female-dominated world.

"whats the mother going to do if the child has a male reception teacher - are all males involved in child care roles perverts in her eyes?"

In order, "stir up spiteful gossip at the school gate" and "yes". I presume that for people like that, Facebook will probably replace the school gate these days.

So depressing - when so many children don't have fathers living with them, both boys and girls need positive male role models and this kind of guff discourages men from becoming nursery workers or primary school teachers