David Walliams Books Pulled by Some Schools as Heads Seek Guidance
Some UK schools have removed David Walliams books from their libraries after allegations against the author, which he denies. Head teachers' leaders want national guidance, while councils and retailers have split on whether to keep his titles on shelves.
Some UK schools have removed David Walliams books from their libraries after allegations against the best-selling children's author and comedian, and schools, libraries and parents face a difficult choice over what stays on the shelves. Walliams has denied allegations of sexual misconduct and abuses of power.
Walliams has sold more than 50 million copies of books including Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy.
Head teachers ask for national guidance
"Head teachers are already making difficult decisions about whether or not these books should remain on the bookshelves of libraries at the moment," said Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders. He added that several members had already taken the books off their shelves.
Di'Iasio urged the government to give schools national guidance. He told BBC Breakfast that schools should not be "leaving this open to one or two head teachers making one decision and others making a different one".
The Department for Education has been asked for comment.
Darren Morgan, head of Kings Road Primary School in Manchester, said he has removed Walliams' publications. The stories have helped promote reading, he said, but "when there are these allegations it's really difficult to keep these books on the shelves".
Steve Chalke, head of Oasis Academies, which runs more than 50 schools, said children cannot be shielded from the current coverage. A child who sees Walliams' name or photograph on a library book, he said, "can be very traumatising for some children".
Councils and retailers split
Waterstones, TG Jones and The Works say they will stop selling his books. His publisher, HarperCollins, cut ties with him in September.
Public libraries have also faced calls to remove his titles. Decisions on stock rest with local councils. The librarians' body CILIP said challenges to books can be "an extremely complex and stressful situation for library staff".
Kent County Council said it has no plans to remove the books. "The starting point is that books should be available to readers unless their content is unlawful," a spokesperson said, adding that stock is not cleared through blanket bans on individual authors.
Surrey County Council said demand for Walliams' books had "fallen significantly in recent years". His titles are "not illegal" and "remain available for readers to borrow", it said.
Camden Council in north London is putting the books in storage. A spokesperson told the Camden New Journal that removing them from display was "the most appropriate action" following the allegations.
Talking versus removing
Author Chloe Combi, who has written about Generation Z, said banning the books is not appropriate. It could mean important conversations "get swept under the carpet", she told BBC Radio 5 Live.
She said she was sympathetic to schools and bookshops that withdraw him, but added that none of it "is going to erase what's happened".
ITV News and the Guardian published reports on Tuesday alleging that several women have accused Walliams of sexual misconduct. Some said he groomed them when they were teenagers.
