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?

YANBU, 12 and 13 year olds should not be watching horror movies of this type, and if the teachers deem such films acceptable, and in your position I'd definitely be raising the issue with the headteacher and the governors. You put your children first, as should the school.

With regards to SunShades, I've never seen such an abundance of utter claptrap before, and I hope never to have to again. Your comment about There are literally hundreds of more important issues that the school could be spending time on (like actually teaching the children) is half right - the school could be spending time on actually teaching the children instead of letting them watch horror movies.

As for This can result in a managed transfer for the DC if he feels their parents are being uncooperative or refusing to support the school well, that is basically saying that if a parent says something that goes again your DH's way of thinking, he pushes their child out of the school - which, incidentally, isn't actually as easy as you make out. If you actually believe that a pupil at a school can be transferred away on the whim of a headteacher, and without actual just cause, then you're a fool, as is your husband.

DH's school has one of the highest staff retention rates in the country, largely because he'll always back up staff members against complaints from parents hahahahahahahahaha. I literally laughed out loud at that - if that is true, then your husband is a gigantic ball of candyfloss with absolutely no testicles in sight. A decent headteacher will always listen to the concerns of parents, and will always listen to the concerns of his staff, and will take both sides into account. If the staff are shielded from any and all complaints and concerns that parents raise, then they are the snowflakes, not the parents who speak up for what they believe to be right for their children. I would continue, but I think pretty much everyone who has read your comments on this thread can see how utterly ridiculous you are being.

Sunshades is constantly trolling. Everyone should stop feeding it.

I can assure you I'm certainly not 'trolling'(whatever you're trying to imply by that) @MadMags

I'm not implying anything. I'm saying, quite clearly, that you're trolling.

How did the whole class watch the movie though, gathered around one pupil's phone?

It is unacceptable that they were allowed to do it but if OP's dd was upset by it I don't know why she took part.

Because you can only register six devices to a Netflix account, and I doubt the pupil's parents registered a school computer as one of their six.

Completely inappropriate and OFSTED would take a very dim view of this. I would ask head for an apology to you and your child from the teacher in question, and reassurances this won’t happen again. I would be suggesting no apology = OFTSED complaint.

Surely you play it through the phone but cast it to the TV.

@RainySeptember

Not true... you can only watch a limited amount at the same time but (and the next paragraph is copy pasted from Netflix FAQ:

No matter which plan you choose, you can install the Netflix app on as many devices as you want, and enjoy as many TV shows and movies as you want, anytime, anywhere.

I have no idea how many places I’m signed in to my Netflix tbh! More than 6! It’s how many can watch simultaneously that they limit. They biggest plan let’s 4 ppl all watch in different rooms/places at once. No clue where you got 6 for anything from! HTH! :)

So nothing stopping it from being signed into from a smart TV or smart board at school...

I would report this to Ofsted. This is very serious IMO.

It's actually illegal for schools to show film which is not age approiate without parental permission. Teacher should know better

parentin - it's not. Lots of people have made the same comment and have been told it's not illegal.

From the BBFC website:
*What is the legal position of a teacher who wants to show pupils a film or video at a higher category than their age?

The BBFC's cinema age ratings only apply to films shown in licensed cinemas. If you are taking a school group to the cinema for a standard screening where you are paying to view the film, the normal rules and laws apply. You may not take a 14-year-old to see a 15-rated film or a 16-year-old to see an 18-rated film.

The age rating for a DVD, video or Blu-ray explains which audience we believe the film is suitable for, and applies to point of sale or rental rather than to where the material is viewed. It is not actually illegal for schools to show BBFC-rated videos, DVDs or Blu-rays to its pupils of any age, just as parents may also choose to show any material to children in the home. Merely showing an age-restricted film to underaged persons - or allowing them to see one outside a licensed cinema - is not in itself an offence.

We would, however, strongly discourage such a practice unless (a) the children in question are only a year or so below the age stated on the certificate, and (b) there is a serious educational purpose to showing the recording (eg showing well-known works or educational films such as 15-rated Schindler's List to 14-year-old GCSE students). Even in such cases, schools should seek parental consent prior to showing the film. We would also recommend obtaining the approval of the Head Teacher and Governors. It is vital to make sure that any children watching are not likely to suffer any ill effects as a result of seeing the film.*

Oh Swizzel, "a gigantic ball of candy floss with absolutely no testicles in sight", I must remember that one! For what it's worth I was pretty traumatised by Tales of Mystery and Imagination (on TV) when I was about that age.

@SunShades, is there any chance of you clarifying whether your DH's school is in the UK? It's quite material to what you say about how he would respond to this.

I can clearly remember the last day of school, before breaking up for the Christmas holidays. I was ten years old and the teacher wheeled in a TV and video player and we watched Conan the Barbarian It's really not suitable for primary kids. I think I was traumatized by it for most of the Christmas holidays!

This would have been Dec 1982; it was only released in Oct '82, so was possibly a pirate video. No idea what the hell our teacher was thinking ... he just put it on and disappeared off to the staff room. There was a lot 'Ooooo, that's disgusting' during the sex scenes.
I assume he'd be in trouble if that happened today.

Why would a teacher watch the purge with children? I haven't watched it because a friend of mine who loves horrors said it was disturbing and rather gratuitous

I’m a Headteacher and a parent of a DD a year younger than yours. I would be furious if this happened to my DD. What an inappropriate film to be showing to children. I would definitely be raising it with the School and if it happened in my school the staff concerned would have serious questions to answer. What poor judgement they have shown.

I think this is bang out of order. I would be marching straight down the school. If the teachers want to chill and show films at least make them good films not these hack movies. Don’t get me wrong I let my 14 yo watch kill bill but more because she’s interested in Japanese culture. I myself enjoy a good horror but these aren’t even clever just dumb with graphic violence. The teacher shouldn’t give in to peer pressure

Kill bill now that’s an 18. But actually I think it’s far less dark and scary than the purge. Obviously I wouldn’t have wanted the school to show either but I don’t understand how the purge is only a 15.

You are definitely not being unreasonable. Teachers are not allowed to show films to children under age. It was totally irresponsible of the teacher to show this kind of film to your child. I would have be writing to the governors and the local education department to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I get fed up with people making the assumption that everyone lets their kids watch films with above age classifications. I was very careful what my children watched. Once they have seen something they can’t unsee it. I think kids spend too much time at the end of term seeing / doing rubbish anyway. Why can’t they save the treats till the last day of term? Teachers are there to teach, not to babysit them while they watch inappropriate films. They will have six weeks to hang out with their friends and watch movies and play games.

Wow - The Purge is all about killing anyone you want anyway you want to during a 24 hour 'purge' period --- seriously who thought that was suitable for school time viewing!

I lived in the States for a few years in my early teens. In the last week of school, aged 13, I watched Terminator 2, Boyz N The Hood, and Ghost.

I was not irrevocably damaged.

...and yes, they were in class.

I still remember the entire school watching Watership Down when I was 10 (tiny school). Still remember it as traumatic, so god knows how the 4-7 year olds felt.

We also watched something I think as supposed to be a classic eg Shakespeare, which was also a very bad move as there were alot of heaving bosoms etc which had the teachers a bit sheepish...

I don't remember even mentioning it to my parents but I still remember both 35years later!!

Completely agree with pp that it is not up to the child to be strong enough to veto, I don't think any of us would've...