So cross! Lollipop man banned from high-fives
‘He is brilliant with parents’
IT was a friendly greeting to pupils on their way to school.
But council officials have banned a lollipop man from high-fiving youngsters – on safety grounds.
Colin Spencer, 83, who has had the job in Stockport for 14 years, was accused of causing a ‘disruption’ and ordered to focus on ‘ensuring highway safety’.
Meanwhile a crossing patrol man in Hull announced he is quitting after 20 years because parents complained about him high-fiving pupils.
Retired newspaper printer Mr Spencer said he was chaperoned by his manager earlier this week to ensure he stuck to the ban, which has angered parents.
The pensioner, known as ‘Lolly’ by schoolchildren, added: ‘She was telling me how I need to hold my stick and that I mustn’t high- five the kids because it’s too much of a disruption.’
Mr Spencer, who has four grown-up children, said the greeting was the highlight of his day, adding: ‘I love the job and I love the kids.
‘The money’s buttons but I do it because I love it. I can try to explain to the older ones that the council won’t let me [high-five], but the little ones wouldn’t understand.’
A text sent to parents at St George’s Primary School, in Heaviley, Stockport, read: ‘Please may we ask that children using the Bramhall Lane crossing patrol do not “high-five” Colin when crossing the road. Thank you.’
Howie Pickering, whose two daughters attend the school, said: ‘It’s bureaucracy gone mad. If a child is having a bad day, it can make all the difference.’
Amanda Woodhouse, whose four-year-old daughter Phoebe is a pupil, said: ‘ The text made me sad … Colin is such a lovely man. He’s always helping people and he’s brilliant with parents and kids. It’s such a shame.’ The school sent another text saying high-fives could be done on the pavement.
Across the Pennines, Bryan Broom, 77, said he quit after the council began investigating parents’ complaints about high-fives. But his decision to leave has upset other parents at Kirk Ella St Andrew’s Primary School, Hull.
Mr Broom, due to work his last shift today, said: ‘It’s been magic and I am very sorry to leave … but I just feel as though I can’t go on with the present atmosphere.’
Parent Geri McLeod-Pratt said: ‘The world is going crazy … it’s a real shame. Everyone is so upset.’
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘It says a lot about the management of public services … Conformity is everything.’ He added that if children enjoy the highfives they are more likely to cross the road in the right place.
Stockport Council said crossing staff must ‘continually observe the road’ and that Mr Spencer was asked to ‘stop high-fiving and concentrate on his core duty of ensuring highway safety’.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said a number of parents’ complaints about Mr Broom ‘were investigated but not upheld’.
Last month it emerged a council had withdrawn plans for a lollipop lady outside St Barnabas Cofe Primary School in Worcester as it deemed the road too dangerous.