Showing 18 films to underage children at school

Takoda

It surprises me if secondary schools can get away with showing clips of 18 films in class.

We have to seek parental permission if we want to show a PG to Junior age kids. Usually we play safe and use a U.

He may have had a good educational reason for showing them the clip but he should've asked parents permission first.

Complaining about other kids parents to his other classes is highly unprofessional in my view. He was probably hacked off and just sounding off but he should save that for the staffroom! He probably said something like "I wanted to show you a clip but some has complained and so we can't watch it now!"

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hbloomers

If it is that certain Mel Gibson film set around 2000 years ago...

I was shown that when I was 14 in a RE assembly, and it bothered me then. I was a mature 14 as well, and most 18 films I'd watched didn't bother me... but that one did.

We weren't even told it was about to be shown, it was part of an Easter powerpoint presentation thing, and a clip was part of it. I think I watched about 3 seconds of it, and then closed my eyes and covered my ears, like the OP's child did. I remember seeing a few of the 18 year olds doing the same, and more than one was crying. Its not a nice film.

mumslave

good god, they showed that film to kids under 18? Even I struggled to watch that film and I watch plenty of other gory ones. I would be blooming horrified if i found my child had had to watch that. My kids arent school age yet (preschoolers) but i agree, go back to the person whom helped you so well last time. I knew what film it was before mel gibson was mentioned, RE was enough.

nixinixi

Personally I would also take it farther and inform the LEA......I am horrified that we send our children to school believing it to be a safe environment and they could be shown such a film. I understand why you took the soft approach but this teacher obviously believs he knows best, and I believe, like you, that hew doesn't.

I would write a follow up to the headteacher and copy to your LEA, or even MP, or if you really want to muddy the water I am pretty sure your local press would be behind you!

poet123

I too think that you need to take this further. The Teacher had obviously not learned anything from the complaint, nor thought any more about their actions. To mention the complaint when the child could be identified, and possibly derided by others for that, is totally unprofessional and needs addressing.

We send our kids to school to learn, not to be frightened or disgusted by material which is clearly unsuitable. The school is in "Loco Parentis" and needs to take those duties more seriously imo.

rev_henry

A couple of years ago we were shown Mississipi Burning (rated 18) in our GCSE english class (so would've been 15/16, possibly 14 at the time). I personally thought the film was fine content wise tbh, can't really remember that much of it now, but another English teacher I know quite well was very shocked when I told him. He commented that he would have second thoughts about showing an 18 film to a Lower 6th group, so it was totally irresponsible to show it to us at the time.
On another note a few teachers at our school do have a moan with us (I'm now in Upper 6th) about various things in the school, but its almost always about things that are genuinely trivial and silly; nothing like what the OP described.
I can understand how the teacher in question felt, but I think he can only really begin to take that attitude in 6th form lessons if at all, before then he has much more of a duty of care towards his pupils (not that he wouldn't towards 6th formers, but you know what I mean!)
You seem to have a sensible senior management team at the school OP, I'd just go back to them.

RoxieW

The teacher who showed this film to a class of 12 yrs olds is at best negligent and irresponsible and at worst sick in the head and getting some kind of kick from horrifying them!
I would be absolutely furious had a twelve yr old of mine been subjected to such material -I, as an adult, found it disturbing! I would be complaining to anyone who would listen - I imagine the national press would have a field day! Schools are trusted with the care of young minds and need to be held accountable. Disgusting.

dotstar24

If I remember rightly we had to get parents permission if the school wanted to show an 18 rated film

pipkin71

silvercar wrote: »

It doesn't matter what the film was; the film classification board have judged it to be only suitable for those over 18, the school needs to abide by that decision.

This is what the BFI say on the subject:

Am I allowed to show Certificate 18/15/12 material to underage pupils/students?

The certification of videos by the British Board of Film Classification does have legal force but applies only to video stores selling or renting videos to under-age kids. The cinema certification has an advisory function only, which simply allows local authorities to refuse to licence cinemas in breach of the certification guidance, should they wish to do so.
Thus, neither form of BBFC certification applies to school usage. Given that you are in loco parentis you would be within your rights to choose whatever you want to show to your pupils. If 16 or 17 year old pupils needs to see an '18' rated film, for example, for educational purposes, it would be sensible to make arrangements for them to be shown the film in a classroom setting (ie. as opposed to supplying them with a tape or disc to take home), and to obtain parental consent. You should explain clearly what you are showing and why, and make clear the terms of the BBFC certification.


http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/about/faqs.html#ans002

SUESMITH_2

just because the teacher may be "popular" with students does not give them the right to show that film, certainly not allowed where i work - i can understand schindlers list but not that film!!