ONE ARM Kid TV Show Host Creates Controversy | Cerrie Burnell & CBeebies | BBC

Parents defend BBC's Cerrie Burnell against claims she frightens children. | CBeebies | ------ [FEB 2009]

When a handful of parents complained that the host of a British children's television show was scaring young viewers, comments exploded on Internet message boards -- some so vicious they had to be removed.

Cerrie Burnell, 29, who was born with one arm, sparked heated message board debate after she was hired a month ago to appear on CBeebies, the BBC's digital children's channel.

One woman who called herself "Chiara's mum," wrote, "My daughter won't watch with the new presenters. She is only 2 and notices the lady's arm has gone. She thinks she is hurt every day."

One father said the show would give his daughter nightmares, and others said their children were too young to cope or even that the BBC was too aggressive in its policy to hire "minorities" to meet quotas.

Since the initial comments appeared, advocacy groups and parents of those born with "limb deficiencies" have seized on the story as a teachable moment.

"I find comments from complaining parents very hurtful," said Julie Detheridge of Coventry, whose 9-year-old son who was born without a right hand.

"Should my son be kept locked away in case he frightens someone?" she asked. "He is no less of a person just because he was born with part of his hand missing."

And today, commenters on the CBeebies Web site were overwhelmingly dismissive of what they called a "handful" of parents who were uncomfortable with Burnell's disability, likening their reaction to racial prejudice.

Burnell, who has a 4-month-old daughter and works as a teaching assistant at a special needs school, called the host's critics "small-minded."

"It can only be a good thing that parents are using me as a chance to talk disability with their children," Burnell told ABCNews.com. "It just goes to show how important it is to have positive disabled role models on CBeebies and television in general."

CONTINUE STORY: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=6946286&page=1

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[johnnybadman74]

I have no problem with this, infact the earlier we start to gently teach our kids about topics like disabilities or race the less likely they will grow up to be complete a$%^&holes.

If your parenting skills are so poor that you can't explain to your kids that some people are born with disabilities then maybe you don't deserve to be a parent.

[XsweetCookie]

People These Days, What So Everyone Who Has 2 Arms And Legs Are Perfect? Pfft What Nonsense! Hasn't History Taught Anyone Anything About Prejudice?

If Your Kids Don't Understand Why She Has One Arm Just Tell Them SHe Is No Different From Everyone Else, Geez Its Like People Never Heard Of Disabled People WHo Seem To Be Way Nicer Then so Called "perfect" People

[Sparklebuttons2012]

Go cerrie

[gextvedde]

I really don't understand the big deal. What's the alternative? Hiding people with disabilities in institutions? Honestly, it's not the bloody dark ages.

[ShannonSunShine94]

It's actually sick that this woman has been dragged from the comfort of her own home just to tell a bunch of shallow, heartless freaks on a tv show about how she feels about people saying their kids are "afraid" of her missing hand when really they can't face people who are less "perfect" than them. It's absolutely disgusting carry on, really in this day in age.

[ShannonSunShine94]

@OliviaSBee OMG, that is so rude what he just said to ya :O

[OliviaSBee]

@ShesActuallyMadForIt

And what exactly would make you think that? Do you often tell girls that they seem older than they are? Kinda rude, in my opinion.

Sorry, but I don't need internet strangers telling me how many years I've been alive - because I'm likely to know that far better than you do, don't you think? Get a life.

[ShesActuallyMadForIt]

@OliviaSBee You're not 14.

[OzzTonWentToSpace]

you can tell the guy helping her blow out the feathers was a tad bit uncomfortable. But i don't care whether she has an arm or not looking into the deeper meaning people have feelings ya know! . They should teach children at a younger to be open minded the rugby players at my school call me gay , or faggot and are incredbily mean to people who are gay. Life would be simple if we lived in an anime. Thats why im trying to lucid dream a place away from reality my own para para para dise whoah oh o

[frixon83]

I think it's a good thing for kids to learn that its shouldn't be an issue. Disabled people aren't different. They learn that while they are young it's only a good thing. Desensitising kids from discrimination.

[DisInfoWars]

Hot

[mark012498]

Some parents must be shallower than a kiddie's paddling pool :// How does this disability make her different from any other person on the inside?