I'm gradually becoming convinced that England is an even greater "nanny state" than the United States. Witness this report from the Telegraph:
More than 270 pupils from four primary schools in Bedfordshire took part in the East Beds School Sports Partnership Athletics Day.Via Arbroath.
But there were no spectators present because the organisers said allowing them would make it impossible to prevent "unsavoury" characters from attending…
The sports day is the highlight of the athletics season for pupils at four primary schools - St Andrews, Lawnside Lower School, Dunton Lower School and Robert Peel Lower School… Pupils aged seven and eight compete against children from rival schools in the long jump, hurdles, sprint, 400 metres and relay races…
Organisers of the event… claimed that, because of the large numbers involved, they would have been unable to police who was entering the school grounds.
Paul Blunt, development manager at the East Beds School Sports Partnership, said the "ultimate fear" was that a child could be abducted.
"If we let parents into the school they would have been free to roam the grounds. All unsupervised adults must be kept away from children…