Lupin - Physical Contact with Harry

[Heather Edmonds]

No: HPFGUIDX 2559

> But thirdly, Lupin is a teacher.  And teachers have to be sensitive to
parental
> fears that if they touch the kids their teach, they're some kind of
perverts
> who are coming on to their kids.  (Maybe Ebony could speak to this a
little?)
> Maybe it's more an issue in America, where there have been several
scandals
> about teachers who did cross the line with their students, making everyone
> paranoid and gun-shy about litigation.

I am currently doing teacher trainning in the UK and one of the first things
we are taught is that we must never ever touch a child unless it is for
their own, another pupil or our safety then we may use "reasonable force".
Eg. I can separate two children involving in fisticuffs but I should not
pick up a crying nursery child to comfort it. If we don't follow these
guidelines we are laying ourselves open to assualt charges. Incidentally the
only man in my tutor group has also been told not only must he never touch a
child he must ensure he's never alone in a room with one. Sad world isn't
it.

Heather