To have complained to school for showing Schindler's List to yr 9's

[jjazz]

Just that really. Dont know which parts they showed but DD was awake at 11.15 last night -upset as the scenes were still in her head. She is sensitive but not over emotional imo. she was 13 at end of August so is a 'young' year nine although the film is a 15 so none of the group would have been that age.

They are not forced to sit through the film which is indeed harrowing and graphic. They are shown extracts which are deemed to be appropriate within the context of a lesson which is supervised by a member of staff with experience in the subject.

How about discussing the issues with your children beforehand so it doesn't come as such a massive shock? They address the subject in Year 6 as part of the curriculum and most children have heard of Anne Frank by the time they get to High School. It is our responsibility to prepare our children for these things, if you have concerns about how your child will respond to the subject then you should maybe discuss it at home first.

It's surely no secret that they deal with the Holocaust in year 9 and that they show either Schindlers List or The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

It seems entirely appropriate to me to watch excerpts from SL within the context of a history lesson. Certainly the history teachers at dd's school are brilliant at handling these very difficult issues.

No one is ever forced to watch it. They show small extracts (which are the least graphic) which lead on to class discussions, projects, etc

No one is forced to sit through it, anyone who finds it too distressing can (and do) leave the room

How many of the posters saying 'It's 15 for a reason' have 15 year olds out of interest?

Me!
I have a 15 year old DD and two older DC's. As I mentioned earlier my DD read the book on her own accord (after I recommended it) when she was 14. She thought it was an incredible book and she couldn't stop talking about it. She saw the complete film at school aged 15. I think it would have been a bad idea for her to see the complete film at 13. However, It would have been ok for my older DC's to watch the complete film at 13 but NOT for my DD. They have different personalities.

I think an edited version of the movie sounds OK.

I can't watch the Boy in Striped Pyjamas. I don't want to as it would upset me to much.

No one is ever forced to watch it. They show small extracts (which are the least graphic) which lead on to class discussions, projects, etc

No one is forced to sit through it, anyone who finds it too distressing can (and do) leave the room

Sounds like the right and sensible approach.

I have only seen the Japanese version of The Ring. The Japanese version of Dark Water was worse. There are probably lots of scary films that have been out since then but I haven't seen any of them, er, I just haven't got round to it, OK?
shudder
(Sorry for the off topic-ness!)

The OP's child is 13. I went to the Holocaust exhibition at the IWM when I was 18 as part of my A-Level history studies. I sobbed my way around most of that as did most of my class. It was truly harrowing.

Youngest DD was yr9 last year and saw and read Boy in the Striped Pajamas (about 4 times) and were shown most of S's List.

They were allowed to walk out if they needed to. Many did, according to DD.

My DD wanted to talk about the holocaust every evening (during dinner usually as we're all together then) for about 2 months - while they were studying it at school.

It was a valve for her, she was being shocked and upset by what she was being shown at school and wanted to talk about it with her parents and sisters to get 'grounded' somehow again, i think.

I hated seeing her upset, and getting her head round these horrors, and frankly i hated talking about it all every evening - but we did. It was important that we did. A little piece of me was cross with the school, because they were upsetting my child. But the sensible part of me knew that children need to know. And we as adults need to face the sheer horror of it again sometimes as well, by facing it again along with your child, so that it never gets forgotten or 'sanitised'.

So what's the opinion of TBITSP for y6 - suitable or not?

I think you're being precious. Clips from a film rated 15 in year 9 about a serious issue in the context of a lesson shouldn't be a problem.

The holocaust is meant to be upsetting, and protecting teenagers this age from anything upsetting is wrapping them in cotton wool too far.

I think YANBU purely as this film is a 15. However they would have been showing a very heavily edited version to make it suitable (I remember when I watched it in school, this and Mississippi Burning). There are few things as powerful as a visual medium for demonstrating the atrocities committed.

She may have been disturbed, at 30, I am still disturbed when I watch it. It is disturbing. So, after all that waffle, YABU.

I am sad though that at my school we studied the industrial revolution umpteen times but never did WW1 or WW2. I think we watched it as part of our PSE lessons.

TBITSP for year 6?

Personally i think not.

I think it should be shown to all. I think thirteen upwards is fine. The children to whom it was happening were a hell of a lot younger.

It would benfar, far worse if your dd had not been upset by it, op.

I've not seen tbitsp, so not sure.

We studied the industrial revaluation and medicine through time for gcse

There's more than a subtle difference between choosing not to lie to small children about the existence of a completely mythical entity (Santa Claus), and telling them about a very real and very horrible episode of history in graphic detail

I think they ought to check with parents before showing children films above the certificate. I'd probably agree to it anyway, but it is at least courteous. Not all parents are unreasonably precious; most of us would just like a chance to get the DCs used to the idea first. Totally agree children need to know horrible things happen, but lead into it gently. As an adult I found Schindler's List pretty harrowing even though obviously I knew the history.

Ds2 is learning about ww2 this year (year 5) he already has a good understanding as it's something weve spoken about as a family and he's seen my great grandads war medals, which he wants to take into school.

YANBU

I think that the school should have notified you. I think a bit of forewarning though, might have given you the chance to prepare her a bit better.

I do think by year 9 a child really should have a bit of background knowledge already about WWII and the holocaust, and it wouldn't really be appropriate to stil shield them from that. It is a moving film, I'd help her focus on the positives that came out of Schindler's actions. I wonder if she actually saw the end sequence, if they only showed snippets?

it might be worth getting the whole film and watching it with her so she can discuss it without you. It is a big thing to deal with.

ds1 is going to be watching the diary of Anne Frank soon, he is year 6, so 11 but also asd and so socially immature. He is prepared for it though, having visited her house, concentration camps, and the holocaust exhibition in the Imperial War museum. I don't think anything can be as hard hitting as seeing the size of those dormitories in Neuengamme. However, the school did let us know, and give us the option to opt out, and it is only a PG!

dd is 12 and watched Sarah's key with us a couple of weeks ago. It's a 12, and I would really recommend it for older children. Not so violent as schindler's List, but a very moving film.

It is our responsibility to prepare our children for these things, if you have concerns about how your child will respond to the subject then you should maybe discuss it at home first.

this , My dds history teacher did say they could leave if they found any scenes upsetting my dd and her friend left they are soft hearted bless them but it is ok imo for them to have been sad at a scene especially at 13 you can't protect them from everything you just prepare them , I havn't see BITSP so i dont know why she was upset , she did the same at warhorse but they were all sobbing even the teacher,

oh and Fwiw SCHINDLERS LIST IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARROWING AND UPSETTING.

oops sorry caps locked

Oops, replied to a post on the first page nearly a day late. How did I miss the next 7 pages of this thread? (And I do so despise people doing that.)

Ds is year 7 - I have just been into town and picked up TBITSP in a charity shop, I thought of this thread! He asked to read it and I said I'd read the book first and we'd talk about it together. I've seen the film but iirc the book is different.