Would it bother you if school showed a movie with a rating above your child's age?

[Keremy]

DC1 ended up in school in a mixed year group due to an event just before Christmas.

The children involved were year 8 to 10 so 12 to 15. The teacher was aware of the kids ages.

Dc1 had been asking to watch a film and as it was three years above their age range I refused. They have seen 12s at 11 and stuff so I'm not a total fuddy duddy but I think it is entirely dependent on the film.

Anyway dc came home saying they had watched this film and I have just checked with another parent and it is true.

If it was a film of educational value I'd be OK with it, but I do think there's too much emphasis on harrowing scenes in literature in schools already and adding the film version makes it worce.

If it was just putting a video on to pass the time, eg before the school disco or something, then there's just no reason to, even if I might be content for my kids to see the film in question.

ailPartout - covered as in it has consulted parents and if any object they can object.

parental roles - it is my parental role to judge if I want my child to watch a film of the wrong category. I am a teacher myself, and while I have a great deal of respect for my profession, no, they don't have the right to take that role away from me.
If they think there is an educational benefit to showing the film (eg, as suggested upthread, Schindlers list to GCSE group) then say that in the letter, so I can chose.

Years ago I showed Austin Powers (15) to a class of y10 at the end of the summer term. Most will have had their 15th birthday by that point in the year, but there was potential for members of the class to be up to 7 weeks off from their 15th birthday.

TBH the levels of innuendo and swearing were less than the class' normal behaviour anyway. The class would have dismissed most PGs and 12s as babyish. I felt that that particular film wasn't going to be distressing or corrupting to that particular audience and at that point in the school year, a few weeks wouldn't make any difference to maturity level. I wouldn't have shown it at Christmas when most were yet to have their birthday and up to 8 months to go.

A couple of years later, I was doing a day of casual supply on the last of the autumn term. The class I was covering was pooled with another and the other teacher put Little Britain on. That wouldn't have been my choice for y8 (I think they were). Many of that age group were watching it on TV at the time, but it was quite riské for that age group. The "there's a lovely cottage" line in the only gay in the village sketch passed them by completely, and they all turned and stared when I laughed heartily

I thought that you were going to say something more educational like Saving Private Ryan!!

Bad Santa is a shit choice for school to show. If this was supposed to be filler before the holidays, then I wouldn't be impressed at all.

"bad santa-no. I haven't let my children watch that and they're 16 and 17."

Surely fighting a losing battle to be censoring what mainstream films they watch by that age.

Bad Santa has a lot of swearing and quite a lot of sex bits (not full nudity but quite obvious - trousers at ankles and shagging in a changing room type of obvious). I actually thought it was an 18. Really, really surprised it's only a 15.

I would be very annoyed if the school let 12 year olds watch that to be honest. 15 year olds perhaps (because it's a 15 rating) but I would definitely be complaining if it was my 12 year old watching bad santa in school.

I have 16 and 15 year olds. We've watched reservoir dogs and some other 18s. I don't think bad santander is appropriate and we've not watched it.

I watched my first 15 in school aged 12yo and the first 18 in school aged 18yo.

The 18 cert was very relevant to the topic (Mississippi Burning) the 15 was end of term fun (Top Gun).

I had no problems with the 15 cert. However the 18 I found really difficult, and certain scenes I can still recall in vivid horror. That's 20+ years later.
But I know I am stupidly sensitive to films and rarely choose to watch above a PG.
So it does depend on the child and the film, so I don't think the school should without permission, which I thought was standard guidelines. I know dd1 brought something home to sign for me in that situation, which I signed knowing dd1 would be fine. I wouldn't have signed it for dd2 who takes after me.

Depends on the film. Would trust the school had an educational reason to show it.

End of term. Mixed classes at the last minute because of lack of staff. Just two of the reasons why films get shown in school without any educational reasons.
And of course lunch clubs. Nothing educational about that.

I love Bad Santa but it's wildly inappropriate with its explicit references to Anal Sex and her shouting 'fuck me Santa' over and over.

The idea they'd show it to 12 yr olds is abhorrent

Yes, yes, yes. It is totally wrong.

A school did this to one of my DGSs and he was deeply deeply disturbed by it - War Horse.

It is entirely wrong in principle.

steppemum

Are you primary or secondary?

Ignoring the fact that this film sounds like a waste of time, do you expect to be consulted on every potentially offensive aspect of education? Books with the 'n' word? Does it depend on when it was written? A few 'fucks' or 'cunts' in a novel?

So, what would happen (taking your Schindler's List example) if you were one of those parents who declined allowing your child the opportunity to watch this? I assume you wouldn't want your child's education effected by your refusal but at the same time, want to make the most of your parental rights and have your child excluded from this aspect.

Again, my points refer to a video which does have an educational benefit.

Your notion of 'covering' is nonsense. I frequently have to deal with parents 'objecting'. It's usually complete crap. Covering suggests protection whereas they normally require nothing more than placating.

steppemum: But they do have that right. You don't get to opt in and out of school-based activities by right. The school may choose to consult you but they don't have to.

Somerville

There's a new version of Macbeth : uber violent. We would most likely do a letter but the book of The Curious Incident ahs the C word and is done in year 8! I teach A level Film. We leave 18s until year 13 but we don't need to do letters as our handbook says we might do 18s. At that stage they could choose not to do the subject! Most sensible schools would warn up to about year 10, I believe of 15 content, possibly even year 11, or put something on the website/ in a parents' handbook to cover themselves. But no one should be showing Bad Santa. it's not educational. On another note the film that scares lots of year 8s and 9s shitless is The Woman In Black which is a totally allowed 12A!

^^^

This with nobs on.

That was for ailPartout but I (English teacher) do not write letters about content - they don't get to opt out of volcanoes in geography or bad smells in chemistry.

Never seen it but I would not be happy at all and would have a word in school about it.

It would depend on the film but generally speaking, not a problem. I was allowed to watch plenty of movies above my age as a child but nothing inappropriate. Guess the school should probably seek permission in this day and age to cover their back

""Depends on the film. Would trust the school had an educational reason to show it.""

If they want to show that you can have anal sex (or butt fuck) "with heavy set" women in changing rooms, then that's your film.

I love Bad Santa and my youngest has always been into Horror etc, but I'd say that it isn't appropriate under 14, or rather, necessary. I think we watched it from 14/15.

There far better films that could have been picked. I say that as a big Billy Bob Thornton fan.

Normally I'm against the OPs opinion on these types of threads, but not in this case, because there was just no need/reason to pick this.

Bad Santa for a 12 year old!

I'd be pretty cross with the school for that. I wonder if any of the teachers had seen it in advance? It's got some pretty graphic discussions of sex in a department store changing room.

ptangyang - Woman in Black is the only time I have seen my DH jumpy due to a scary film (he wouldn't admit it though)

The school should have sent out a text or email saying "We are planning to show film X which is a certificate 15, please contact us if you do not want your child to watch this film".

But Bad Santa? It's a fantastic film but not one I'd want to be showing to that age group. The language is foul and the sex is quite explicit.

I don't know if I'd want my 12 year old DS watching Bad Santa, although DD 16 always says in her opinion secondary school should be rated 15.

aliPartout You didnt address me but I'm going to stick my ten penneth in!The child in the op is 12. Tbh I would absolutely expect to be informed if they were gong to read books with the n word or a few 'fucks' or 'cunts' in, irrespective of when they were written.

I've seen Bad Santa and I'm amazed it's only a 15 considering the language and sex in it. I'm shocked a teacher would think it appropriate for 12 year olds .

The school I work at (primary) on the RARE occasion we are allowed to watch a film it must be a U and NEVER a PG.
I wouldn't be happy either but it wouldn't kill me.