Deciding To Take The Risk
Saturday, January 01, 2000
The taboo against men touching children (Herald Sun, July 26) is an evil thing. I have a large family and run a small school. My life includes many important relationships with children.
I have had to think hard about my behaviour in this climate of suspicion against men - fuelled by a biased media campaign. Male teachers expect parents to worry. They live in fear of having their actions misreported or misunderstood, and fear of mischievious accusations.
On the other side, though, the greatest single fault in the way our society raises its children is the lack of relationships with men. So I have made a decision. I touch children - cuddle them if that's what comes naturally. I have decided to live with the risk of being monstered.
If you recoil from the touch of a child because of ideological pressure, you inflict emotional harm. Fear reigns and love is denied. The "hands off" policy is against the laws of nature. It is not the solution to the minority problem of child molesting. Let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Philip O'Carroll