My children had a multitude of reptiles (including corn snakes) in their room when they were growing up and we never had a single issue (though we always practiced good hygiene as hypnoctopus suggested). I believe it really depends on the child (Are they responsible? Can they leave the reptile alone when it needs private time? and so on...) and on the personality of the individual reptile (ie., is it grumpy by nature, mellow, etc?)
Keeping reptiles can be a great way for a child to learn responsibility as well as respect for other living creatures though I believe it’s ultimately the parents’ responsibility to actively supervise the situation and to ensure the reptile is getting proper care. It can also (as is the case for one of my kids) foster a lifelong passion for reptiles (it is also a major factor in her deciding to pursue bio-tech during her time at university).
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