AIBU about school showing this movie

[TGISummer]

DD is in Y8. Yesterday she came home upset saying that her class had watched a horror movie...she can be a bit of a drama llama so asked her what the film was:

The Purge.

BBFC/UK - Rated 15 (strong language, bloody violence).

She's just turned 13. Came home and told my younger DD and DS various graphic details. I asked her why she didn't say anything...she did, the rest of the class said it was fine and she should shut up.

I phoned head of year and (politely) asked why would you do that??!! She seemed surprised and said will get Teacher to call and explain. Felt a bit fobbed off but thought ok, will see what he says. No phone call from Teacher.

DD came home today, they watched another film:

Paranormal activity. Another rating of 15.

Seriously??!!!

I know it's just end of term movie watching but what would you do?

My 13 year old dd is definitely emotionally immature, she’s currently searching for snails and caterpillars in the garden, she is also educationally advanced and works in some subjects 2 years ahead. Every child is an individual and have different areas of strength. The people who give the films age ratings are working to a strict guideline about what is appropriate for a child or young persons age. This said, at home my child have watched or been given the option to watch movies of a higher age category because there they have the ability to voice fears or choose to do something else, that is not the case in a classroom setting. The teacher needs to take responsibility for every pupil in their class and follow guidelines and use age appropriate material not just follow the vocal ‘in’ crowd for the easy option.

I'm amazed they could log in to Netflix - I can't do that it's blocked at school (there are some programmes that would be good to use hence why I've tried)

I wouldn't be very happy. DDs primary sent a letter asking our permission to watch the greatest showman because it's a PG.

We only show films on the last lesson of the last day of term. I always err on the side of caution, so I watched 'Despicable Me' with my Yr 7s.
I would email and complain to the school about both movies - horribly inappropriate.

Obvious troll 👍

Are you in the south east as my 14 year old watched this in class last week too and we were really angry as he's just turned 14

😲😲😲 totally unacceptable

Just read u are in London so this is even more alarming due to the crimes there

I’m a teacher and I totally agree it is not ok to watch films that are rated older than the children watching it st school. Complain.

My DH would reply with transfer papers to another school if he was the head you wrote to @RuthW* *

I thought your DH is worried about taking time away from dealing with child abuse and safeguarding issues, SunShades? So why would he take such an utterly pointless action as this? He must be perfectly well aware that he can't exclude children for this, nor can he arrange managed moves without parental consent. All he'd get for his trouble would be a formal complaint to the governors, which would take up yet more time.

My DH would reply with transfer papers to another school if he was the head you wrote to @RuthW*
I hope he isn't that ridiculously unprofessional, and wonder how he'd feel about your pronouncements on here about how he would react to a parental concern

The Purge? Seriously! That's a really disturbing film. I know these things are subjective, but a film with a premise like that is pretty adult. I'd be fuming.

SunShades works for an employer with an incredibly strict social media policy which nevertheless allows her to post prolifically on here about all their unlawful practices and policies. No doubt her DH's employers give him a similar exemption.

My DH would reply with transfer papers to another school if he was the head you wrote to

No he wouldn't. What a ridiculous thing to write. No headteacher would do that.

might have missed a post but surely its against the law to do that at school without parental permission?

otherwise why not go the whole hog and show saw and nightmare on elm st

Oh, god, is someone on here trying to pull the whole 'snowflake teenagers' routine :-/ Stupid teenagers, eh? Fancy expecting a moderate degree of protection at school. Perhaps we should make playground bullying compulsory too, to toughen them up and then feed them gruel at lunchtime. That'll teach them!

I'm a grown adult and paranormal activity scared me for a good wee while. Why would they show these films? I would honestlytell your daughter they do this again then she had permission from you to walk out the classroom.

Gabs it's not against the law - schools don't necessarily have to abide by the rules, but you'd expect a level of common sense. This does not constitute common sense!

For example, the version of Romeo & Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio is a 12, but I've shown excerpts of it to Year 7 before now because it's a pretty good version to show kids of that age if they're convinced that Shakespeare is utterly unrelatable.

I think it's bloody lazy to show films in the last week of term anyway, but then, I teach drama so every lesson is a fun lesson

I’d be furious if school has shown my child such age inappropriate films.
You know you can also provide feedback via the Ofsted site.
Given that the second film was shown after you queried the first one, I’d be feeding back there too

SunShades
Hopefully your dh won't be in that position for much longer with an attitude like that.

The Modern School I attended for 1 year put films on in the first week of term !….

In your circumstances OP YADNBU
Both are quite intense films and vey thought provoking- scary for the young mind !

That said, I feel the original purge would be an interesting debate for a sixth form English or drama class for example. So I think under secured conditions And preferably with the added lesson of how it's NOT a good idea it's ok

But in this instance, for 13 year olds ?? NO NO NO

I have a dd who is in y10 and loves horror films but was gobsmacked at 15 was shown. She thinks y8 should watch 12A tops but that scary movies with that certificate are fair game eg Woman in Black

YANBU! I would be gobsmacked if my dc were allowed to watch (never mind made to watch!) either of those movies at school. And I would complain.

I am not a snowflake. My dd (13) has actually watched The Purge at home ,despite my reservations. We have watched other horror movies together, as she loves them, and would find a way to watch them behind my back. She doesn't seem to get upset by them. My older dd (14) would be distraught if she had to watch a horror, and I would be raging if she was subjected to that at school.

I'm sure sunshades is just stirring up trouble. But don't underestimate the effect a horror movie can have on a child that can't deal with it. My friends little brother snuck into the room and watched Nightmare on Elm Street when we watched it. He was 10, and spent the next two years sleeping on the floor of his parents room and seeing a psychologist.

And there really is no need for it! The teachers obviously realised that the parents wouldn't be happy from that comment, so why the hell did they allow it?? Loads of movies to choose from, that is crazy.

@Strongmummy ohhh, I didn’t realise @sunshades was the office patroller lady! I really ought to pay more attention to user names!

Yea, I’m glad you said what you did xx