[sclug] Looks like volunteering linux boxes to schools is now criminal offense

[Ed Davies]

Alex Butcher wrote:
> On Wed, 4 Jun 2008, Jacqui Caren wrote:
> 
>> From the often less than accurate vulture central seems to have
>> something here - I *hope* they have it wrong...
>>
>> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/04/government_database_volunteers/
> 
> I've been tracking and campaigning against legislation like this since 1998
> (RIPA), but your subject strikes even me as a particularly vexatious
> interpretation of the legislation; donating a computer isn't working with
> children (arguably, you're merely donating it to other reponsible adults, so
> I don't think even concerns about pre-compromised-for-paedophile-grooming
> fears should hold up). I sometimes worry that overly-vexatious
> interpretation does legitimate campaigns more harm than good.

Yes, I thought the Register article was putting it in
the worst possible light then Jacqui's reinterpretation
went a bit further.

Getting checked as a _volunteer_ is pretty cheap and
painless.  My astronomical society (which operates an
observatory on grounds owned by the London Federation
of Youth Clubs) requires it for committee members and
night operators (i.e., observatory keyholders).  The
paperwork takes an hour or so and it costs ?15.

At the moment it's the society's own decision to do
this.  If I understand the Register article correctly
the only change will be that it will become required.

As Alex says, donating a computer isn't working
with children.  Even doing on-site support and
teaching might not necessarily require a check if
it's always under the supervision of somebody who
is checked.  E.g., many of our society members help
out with their telescopes, etc, when we have groups
of kids at the observatory without themselves having
been checked, which is fine so long as somebody
with the right bit of paper is in charge.

In general the rules are a bit of a nuisance and
probably mostly a waste of time but there's no need
to add to the general level of hysteria around this
sort of thing (from all sides) by exaggeration when
there are quite legitimate issues to consider.

Ed.