Jolly lollipop man told to stop giving children high-fives

Blackleaf

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One of the things about the Puritan New Left which runs the Western world today is that they hate anyone having any sort of innocent fun.

Anyone seen to be having even the smallest amount of fun will soon find a ton of Left Wing bricks coming down on them.

One of the latest victims is the fun lollipop man Steve Allsopp.

Mr Allsopp, 62, has been helping schoolchildren cross Bridge Lane in Stockton Heath in Warrington, Cheshire, for four years.

Nicknamed the 'Jollyman', Mr Allsopp is loved by the kids and their parents for giving the kids high-fives as they cross the road.

But he was left 'visibly trembling' after being told by Warrington Borough Council to stop dishing out the high-fives after they received ONE complaint.

Now angry parents have called it political correctness gone mad and have said that he deserves an apology.

Mr Allsopp isn't the only lollipop man to be told by an over-zealous council not to high-five children.

Bob Slade, 65, had been a lollipop man outside the Manadon Vale primary school in Plymouth for four-and-a-half years, until he resigned last month after the council told him to stop high-fiving children because it was a 'safety concern'.

Banned from giving high-fives: Lollipop man so popular children nickname him 'jollyman' stopped because ONE parent complained

Steve Allsopp was told he had to stop by Warrington Borough Council
Father-of-nine, who recently suffered a stroke, was left 'visibly trembling'
Council says: 'He fully understands the need to put road safety first'

By Leon Watson 6 November 2013
Daily Mail

Council officials have banned a jolly lollipop man from giving children high fives after receiving a single complaint that he was holding up traffic.

Parents in Warrington, Cheshire, say they are 'outraged' at the way 62-year-old grandfather Steve Allsopp - who recently suffered a stroke - has been treated.

Mr Allsopp is so popular with children he has been nicknamed the 'jollyman' and has worked at the crossing on Bridge Lane in Stockton Heath for four years.


The 'jollyman': Parents from Cobbs Infants, Broomfields Juniors and St Monica's Primary schools say they are 'outraged' at the way Steve Allsopp (pictured) has been treated by Warrington Borough Council

But the father-of-nine was left 'visibly trembling' last Wednesday after he was told by Warrington Borough Council to stop dishing out high fives.

Clare Phillips, who has a daughter at Cobbs Infants School, said: 'We were coming home from school on Wednesday afternoon and you could tell straightaway that something was up.

'He is normally so full of life but he looked shaken and was visibly trembling. When he told us what had happened we were all outraged.'

The grandfather-of-14, from Latchford, Warrington, has been has been heavily involved with charity work following the death of his 14-month-old daughter Gaynor in 1974.

Two years ago he published a book called Steve the Lollipop Man and the Adventures of the Greenfly Villagers to raise money for charity.

Mrs Phillips said: 'The kids all love him and always want to stop and have a chat with him come rain or shine.


Support: Mr Allsopp is so popular with children he has been nicknamed the 'jollyman'

'They are used to having a high five from him when they cross the road. A lot of them have been upset by it all.'

Parent Barbara McCoy said Mr Allsopp - who has also been told not to speak about the complaint publicly - deserves an apology for the way he has been treated.

The mother-of-two said: 'He was sadly missed when he had a recent stroke and his colleagues were not a patch on him. I hope he gets an apology for this.'

Parents have launched a petition asking for the banning of high fives to be reinstated, calling it 'a ludicrous example of political correctness gone mad'.


Mr Allsopp has worked at the crossing on Bridge Lane in Stockton Heath for four years

Mother-of-two Joanne Higgins said: 'I never felt like it was causing any health and safety problems.

'The kids looked forward to it so would always cross the road with Steve, which is the safest place for them to cross.'

A council spokesperson said: 'Steve is a very popular local figure and he works at one of the busiest school crossing sites.

'At any one time he might be assisting twenty children and parents to cross the road.

'While Steve does an excellent job of being friendly and helpful during his work, his training emphasises the need to avoid or minimise distractions, and he fully understands the need to put road safety first, including while he's standing on the pavement.'

Mr Allsopp's case follows a lollipop man being banned from high-fiving school children by council bosses in Berkshire who said it 'confuses drivers'.

In July, Roger Green was told that he cannot greet pupils from Sandy Lane Primary School in Bracknell, with the gesture because a driver said it slowed down traffic.

Parents reacted angrily to the ban by Bracknell Forest Council some have complained to the school.

Last month another lollipop man in Devon quit his post after he was threatened with suspension for high-fiving school children by council bosses.

Bob Slade, 65, had been a crossing patrol supervisor outside the Manadon Vale primary school in Plymouth, for four-and-a-half years.

But the former dockyard worker resigned after Plymouth City Council said he would be suspended for four weeks for high-fiving children - which they said was a safety concern.


Read more: Banned from giving high-fives: Lollipop man so popular children nickname him 'jollyman' stopped because ONE parent complained | Mail Online
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karrie

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Seems to me you have no way of knowing the political stripes of the drivers who complain.

That being said, in the interest of safety, highfiving the kids is perfect. What better way is there to ensure that the children stay within the borders of the crosswalk, than to make sure they want to be passing close by the 'lollipop-man?' (man you brits are weird).
 

PoliticalNick

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Taking the whole 'left/right' thing out of the equation it does seem to be a PC society run amok. Since when in a democracy does the will of one overrule the will of many? I find it ludicrous that a single complaint could put an end to what is in so many ways a good thing. Not only does his high-fives encourage the children to cross where they are supposed to but it also puts a smile on their face and does more to bridge the ever-widening generation gap than a month of daily seminars. This is another one of those things to be cataloged right beside 'spirit day' and 'happy holidays' in the file marked 'stupidity'!
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
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Taking the whole 'left/right' thing out of the equation it does seem to be a PC society run amok. Since when in a democracy does the will of one overrule the will of many? I find it ludicrous that a single complaint could put an end to what is in so many ways a good thing. Not only does his high-fives encourage the children to cross where they are supposed to but it also puts a smile on their face and does more to bridge the ever-widening generation gap than a month of daily seminars. This is another one of those things to be cataloged right beside 'spirit day' and 'happy holidays' in the file marked 'stupidity'!

PC? I'm sorry, but, I think you're overusing the term. It has no basis in 'political correctness'. I suspect its basis is more in litigiousness than anything else. If someone has complained that an action is unsafe, then from there, if a child gets hurt due to it, your *** is on the line.
 

PoliticalNick

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Mar 8, 2011
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PC? I'm sorry, but, I think you're overusing the term. It has no basis in 'political correctness'. I suspect its basis is more in litigiousness than anything else. If someone has complained that an action is unsafe, then from there, if a child gets hurt due to it, your *** is on the line.

You are probably about right. It is more CYA than PC. OMG! WTF! C U L8TR! :lol:

From what I read though the complaint is not danger but that someone had to wait an extra few seconds in their car so the kids could be happy. Heaven forbid their is any joy or fun around a school.
 

Blackleaf

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Seems to me you have no way of knowing the political stripes of the drivers who complain.

Yes, I do. They are whining liberals who have nothing better to do but ruin innocent things for everybody else.
 

Blackleaf

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How do you know it wasn't a Conservative late for tea?

Because Conservatives have got more important things to worry and complain about than a lollipop man giving children high-fives.
 

PoliticalNick

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Yes, I do. They are whining liberals who have nothing better to do but ruin innocent things for everybody else.

All you do with this post is prove your absolute lack of intelligence and abysmal grasp of reality. Considering it is liberals who are more concerned about the social state and conservatives who are more self-centered one would most likely surmise the impatient driver to be one of those self-centered conservatives like you.
 

karrie

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Jan 6, 2007
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Because Conservatives have got more important things to worry and complain about than a lollipop man giving children high-fives.

I've read what you post, I'd have to say you've proved your assertion false. Complaining because Americans like baseball for example.