When you’re sending your child off into school for the day, it’s only natural that you would want to give them a hug and a kiss of reassurance to send them on their way.
This is why eyebrows have been raised this week, after a British father revealed he was suspended from his job as a school-run taxi-driver, for kissing and hugging his young daughters at the school gate.
Tony Kemp, 60, was left confused and disillusioned when he received a phone call from a council official recently, informing him that he was suspended from his role with immediate effect. When Mr Kemp asked why the action was being taken, he was told “an allegation had been made against him, but he could be given no more details”.
In an interview with the York Press, Mr Kemp revealed he found out from a colleague that a certain rumour had been going around; that a man had been suspended for kissing and hugging two girls outside of school.
Mr Kemp revealed that, since splitting from his wife, his nine- and 11-year-old daughters always watch out for him on his taxi-run, and run over to him for a hug and a kiss. He said that a member of the public clearly misinterpreted the scene and jumped to the wrong conclusion.
After an interview with his local council, the charges against Mr Kemp were thrown out and he has been cleared to return to work – but, he says, the damage has already been done to his reputation.
“The past six days have been the worst of my life, since my father died 35 years ago. I’m personally devastated at the allegation aimed at me,” he said, adding that he is concerned about returning to work.
Commenting on the incident, a spokeswoman for the North Yorkshire County Council merely said: “We have followed the Child Protection Procedures. This matter has now been investigated and found to be false.”
