FYI, here's a link to Random House's new contractual morality clause for children's authors.

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Jim Woods
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I would sign such a contract when hell freezes over. After Random House cancelled publication of "Jewel of Medina" (why isn't that breach of contract?), I think it rather odd that they're talking about morality and supposing they're gods enough there to be judging others' fitting types of behaviour.

Malcolm

That contract would be better served if it applied to priests. IMO, of course...

I liked those author responses that suggested counter clauses to protect the author from misbehaving Random House employes and execs. if enough authors insist on those, RH is likely to drop the morality clause from the contracts.

Jim Woods
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Sheesh!! You are right on target, as usual, Brew!

Can you imagine what our classic books (and great art) would be if they had a morality clause back then?

Homosexuals, dope addicts, and ne'er-do-wells - but they shore could write and paint!

Forcing morality on anyone is immoral.

I wish our politicians were required to sign something like that.

I can see both sides of this issue. While there may have been no written clause, most of us have held jobs where it was in effect. A newspaper reporter guilty of contributing would be out the door in a heartbeat. It wouldn't have taken that long for me to hit the pavement at Pinkerton's National Detective Agency.
In this age of tabloid journalism, a publishing company could take a real hit if one of its Young Adult writers ended up on the pages of the National Enquirer. Brew is correct about writers in days of yore, but Oscar Wilde and the others didn't live in the era of instant communication.
Writers in more modern times have been subject to higher, although frequently unjust, standards. The totally unfair Hollywood Black List is an example.
Like numerous clauses in the contracts of major publishers, this one is a matter to be worked out by each writer's agent and lawyer. That is most certainly how it will be handled.
In the meantime, it is unlikely that any writer offered a Random House contract will reject it out of hand. That would be difficult, but turning down something you don't have is far easier.

They should pass a "PeeWee Herman's Law"

Perhaps it would be better if they were to actually define what they find immoral, such as being convicted of ____ or being the subject of X tabloid. It should contain some rules of conduct, I think.

After reading all these posts again I have decided to go on being immoral. It's more fun.

Check out

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and don't stop at the first page.

Still working on it and I think a couple of links might not work, but you can see what it will become.

Oh, and I didn't sign a morality clause before I wrote these "articles"

I'm with you, Dick. One of Billy Joel's songs says he'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. I think, for myself, that says it all.

I'm going over to check the site now, Don.