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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed that school thought it was a good idea to show year 6 the hunger games?

109 replies

whojamaflip · 20/12/2013 17:20

Ds has come home today and told me that they have watched The Hunger Games in class after a class vote. the students were invited to bring in films and they could choose what to watch.

I'm pretty pissed off tbh, never mind they are year 6 so not old enough to watch a 12a without parents, but the subject matter is something I don't think is suitable for year 6.

if school had asked permission - which I think they should have done - I wouldn't have given it.

aibu? should I write to school and complain or am I being pfb?

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 20/12/2013 21:22

No one Errol with their pitchforks?

Not that I noticed - 'pitchforks' sounds like demanding the teacher be severely disciplined. A couple of posters mistakenly thinking it was illegal rather than merely against guidelines.

The post below yours was unfortunate timing.
don't see why. The poster expressed her opinion (it can upset even an adult) and made the perfectly reasonable point about whether the teacher had watched it themselves.

LadyBeagleEyes · 20/12/2013 21:25

You wouldn't let a 13 year old watch it?
Has he been allowed to watch Harry Potter yet or Bambi?

NewtRipley · 20/12/2013 21:25

Errol

Inspired by this and other threads, I'm thinking of developing a sliding scale of Giving A Shit, ranging from

meh - judgypants - pearl-clutching - knickers in a twist - pitchforks

What do you think?

ErrolTheDragon · 20/12/2013 21:26

It's a 12. Ok...some of the yr 6s might still be 11...
I think that's been clarified - south of the border they're mostly 10, some will be 11 at this stage.

DD's secondary school wouldn't (without permission slip) show 12s when they were in yr7 because some would still be 11.

willyoulistentome · 20/12/2013 21:26

My y6 son is only 10. I would not have given permission for him to watch this if our school had asked.

NewtRipley · 20/12/2013 21:26

Lady

I was referring to Aliens - where my name comes from, in response to MrsVaughnRices's compliment on my name.

NewtRipley · 20/12/2013 21:34

.. but feel free to take the piss

pictish · 20/12/2013 21:37

"I think that's been clarified - south of the border they're mostly 10, some will be 11 at this stage."
I'm sorry...I did not realise! That changes everything!

Not really. Bet they all loved it. Grin

ErrolTheDragon · 20/12/2013 21:40

Bet they didn't - my DD loved it at 13 but I'm pretty sure it would have disturbed her when she was 10.

pictish · 20/12/2013 21:43

Sorry - can't get a steam up over this at all.
Different strokes for different folks. I wouldn't have complained.

MoreThanChristmasCrackers · 20/12/2013 21:47

OP, I too would make the school aware of their position in showing 12a films.
I agree, some dc would be fine with it at this age but others wouldn't. My dd is nearly 10 would be y5 and I know she won't be ready for this next year. She starts freaking out at no4/5 Harry Potter.
Some of her friends have seen them all, but she won't see them till she is older. They are all different and this is why it isn't the schools job to decide.

teenagetantrums · 20/12/2013 21:48

i wouldn't have cared, but i took my 9 year old to watch the lord of the rings film and he loved it, different kids can cope with different things. However they will be watching much worse next year in year 7 on their friends phones. Its not really worth getting stressed about.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/12/2013 21:49

Obviously if your DC would have liked it then you wouldn't complain. But some really do get more upset than others at the various ages. Water off a ducks back to one, nightmares for another. No-brainer that a film they'll all enjoy should be chosen.

When DD was in reception, one of the other mothers told me she was surprised the teacher hadn't wanted to use the Harry Potter DVD that her DS had brought in. I told her that my DD would have been terrified.... at that stage she could only just cope with the 'scary dog' in Lady and the Tramp II! Grin

Original poster
whojamaflip · 20/12/2013 23:40

Sorry only getting back now - dh brought a load of friends back a whole other thread

I was only ever intending to email the school as we are now shut for the hols and much as I would like to speak face to face it wont happen until the new term.

I'm mainly annoyed that it was used as a filler for the last day of term - if it had been a stepping off point for discussion then that would have been better and I could understand their reasoning. Even another 12 film eg HP would have been preferable. Its the subject matter which is getting to me most tbh. Not something they should be casually watching at this age imo.

Nor should the school be deciding that it is suitable viewing based on a class vote.

I am going to email the school and ask to see the class teacher after the holidays and have a chat. Depending on the reaction will decide where I take it from there.

Thanks for the replies

OP posts:
Dwerf · 20/12/2013 23:53

I didn't realise there were two versions. I was sure the cinema one was a 12a. I've just rewatched it with my girls. 10 (year 6) and 12. I've just realised the netflix one is actually a 15. Bugger. Still, neither seems tramuatised.

Mind you, neither were tramatised by the skewering of a guy on the spike island advert that was accidentally shown at the cinema either (we'd gone to see Despicable me 2)

ladydepp · 20/12/2013 23:53

YANBU

I would be extremely angry about this if it was our school. If parents choose to show their children this film then fine but my 11 year old is not allowed to watch 12 rated films unless I have seen it first and think he can cope I have seen the Hunger Games and would not want him watching it yet.

ravenAK · 20/12/2013 23:54

'There are rules about what you can watch in schools. I'm in secondary and it doesn't matter if kids are old enough to watch - we aren't allowed to watch anything higher then a 12 and that is with year 11. Everyone else it's PGs - and if I recall correctly year 7 and 8 we have to keep it to Us. Can't remember off the top of my head but primary shouldn't be watching 12a rated films.'

Nope - that's a highly unusual secondary school policy.

We do sometimes show films rated above students' ages (eg. Polanski's Macbeth (15) to year 8; extracts from The Shining (18) to year 10); in these instances we get parental permission.

If you're showing a film just as an end of term jolly, you'd be silly to pick one rated above the age of the kids - not worth the aggro, why would you? - but if it's appropriate to the work they're covering, it's all about professional judgment - & avoiding upsetting students/covering your arse by ensuring parents are informed in advance & have the option to withdraw.

If the kids are old enough, job's a good 'un. You really wouldn't go out of your way to avoid a 15 for year 11, or a 12 with year 8!

Anyway, The Hunger Games is a tad graphic for a full class of year 6s IMO. My 9yo ds loves it - big fan of the books - but allowing him to watch it is a decision I've taken as a parent. I'd be mildly Hmm if he watched it at school...

neolara · 20/12/2013 23:57

My dd is going to be only just 10 in year 6. I would be very, very unhappy about this.

goingmadinthecountry · 21/12/2013 00:04

As a parent wouldn't bother me as I'd allow dd3 to watch it at home. Doubt her school would be so daft though.

As a teacher I only show U rated films to Year 6 at the end of term - slipping on to very dodgy ground otherwise.

sashh · 21/12/2013 06:04

If the kids brought DVDs in from home then isn't the school breaking the law?

stubbs0412 · 21/12/2013 06:29

It's interesting to learn there are two versions and I will be checking this as my children are talking about watching this in school (year 8 &9). They should definitely get permission first. This kind of thing annoys me as it takes away parents rights to decide what is appropriate for their child. If my child watches it and is upset or confused the teachers are not going to be on hand night and day, it's at night when the lights are out they remember these things. I did some research when my oldest two wanted to watch it a while ago and decided it was inappropriate. I think it was the director who commented he wouldn't let his 13 year old watch it, assume he meant 15 version but it didn't say. I would speak to the head.

NonnoMum · 21/12/2013 07:22

I WOULD contact the school about this (via email?) sooner rather than later.
I made the mistake of saying it was illegal when I should have said it was most definitely against guidelines.
Also, I wouldn't go to the (new and naive?) classteacher but take it higher up the feeding chain to a deputy or Head of Head or Head of Key State 2. This is because there SHOULD be clear guidelines in place and they obviously have not filtered through to the classteacher.
You could say something along the lines of whilst you appreciate the teacher was well intentioned in giving the students a treat, the very clear guidelines of what is appropriate to show due to film age classifications were not adhered to this time and whilst individual families might think the film is appropriate, this was an error of professional judgement in a school setting.

steppemum · 21/12/2013 08:15

nice wording nanno

BlingBang · 21/12/2013 08:36

They should have asked permission. My son saw it when he was 10 as he had read the books but that was our choice.

KingscoteStaff · 21/12/2013 09:17

We showed Percy Jackson (PG) to Yrs 4-6 last year and had massive complaints.

From now on we are only allowed to show Us.

We want to show Goodnight Mr Tom (PG) next term to link in with our Yr 6 WW2 work, but HT says we must have written permission from every parent before doing so.