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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU about school showing this movie

303 replies

TGISummer · 20/07/2018 22:20

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?

OP posts:

DrDougieHowserMD · 21/07/2018 11:05

I'm really relaxed on movie ratings for my kids. I adored horrors as a child and mine love a whole range of movies but I actually drew the line at Paranormal activity because it's almost realistic in its plot and is terrifying (I love it!)

I would be making a complaint to the school asking not that the teacher gets disciplined (I'm guessing they caved to pupil's wishes) but just that it never happens again. I don't think a 15 is that bad but not a 15 horror!

BlueJava · 21/07/2018 11:10

My sons did their GCSEs this year so they didn't have this, but last year they did. They watched half of Mississippi Burning and then were due to watch the 2nd half of it the next day. It's an 18 and they were 15, they really felt quite traumatised by it and I could see why. The next day when the second half was to be watched we went on a trip of their choice and I phoned them in sick "Sorry must have eaten something a bit off".

Undercoverbanana · 21/07/2018 11:21

Not RTFT but why the hell are they watching films at school?

Are they not at school, to, you know, learn and do stuff?

I can understand watching Shakespeare plays and stuff from the curriculum like To Kill a Mockingbird, but what do horror films have to do with school?

Sorry I have adult DCs so a bit surprised by this.

Etymology23 · 21/07/2018 11:25

Gosh, I have never seen either of those films and have no desire to, and I am well past the age rating for both.

To the PP who mentioned Top Gun - isn’t that a 12A? I don’t remember anything vastly inappropriate?

colditz · 21/07/2018 11:26

I would be very, very angry.

I screen my kids' viewing quite carefully and I don't want my teenagers being gaily desensitised to violence and horror. I'd rather they were just sent home for the day, The Ultimate School Crime, if the teacher is so lacking in both judgement and motivation that they were shown a series of shitty horror films instead of being actively engaged.

amusedbush · 21/07/2018 11:28

I'm an adult and I wouldn't watch either of those films. Any kind of horror massively disturbed me as a teen and I would have nightmares for weeks. I'm also very squeamish when it comes to horror gore (but can watch surgery no bother - go figure!) and feel physically sick seeing things like that on screen.

At 13 there's no way I would have been confident enough to speak up and say I didn't want to watch it if my whole class did. The teacher is hugely irresponsible.

UndertheCedartree · 21/07/2018 11:41

Definitely unacceptable to be showing a 15 rated film to 12-13 year olds! Why do they think there is a rating.

At my daughter's infant school the school sent a message saying they may watch a PG film and to speak to the teacher if parents felt it was unsuitable for their child. Surely the school should have at least done that?

ToeToToe · 21/07/2018 12:00

I can't believe a school would show The Purge to Yr8s - it's disturbing, gory and upsetting IMO.

PinkBuffalo · 21/07/2018 12:08

I can't believe they showed the purge to a group of year 8s! What on earth were they thinking!
I'm not even a mum, but I wouldn't let my niece or nephew watch it when they were younger.
It's a crap film, but it is disturbing.

Clairetree1 · 21/07/2018 12:45

Interestingly the teachers aren't breaking any laws here:

that is irrelevant, a lot of things would be classed as professional misconduct, or even gross misconduct, which are not actually illegal

Stickystickystick · 21/07/2018 12:49

Big fan of horror movies but The Purge is totally unsuitable for a school environment and especially not suitable for a 13 year old

DrMadelineMaxwell · 21/07/2018 13:43

Schools could be liable to fines if they are allowing the showing of any films that are copyrighted if they haven't paid for a non cinematic license. It's about £110 a year. I've worked in several primaries and have never known any of the schools I work in to have had the licence (funds are too tight for lots of things, as we know).

OliviaStabler · 21/07/2018 13:46

Paranormal Activity is a scary film. I was frightened and I'm in my 40's!

ForalltheSaints · 21/07/2018 13:53

What would the educational value of the film be? I am struggling to think why.

echt · 21/07/2018 14:00

Interestingly the teachers aren't breaking any laws here

that is irrelevant, a lot of things would be classed as professional misconduct, or even gross misconduct, which are not actually illegal

Clairetree1 No it's not irrelevant. It's a fact.

If you read anything I've posted on this thread you'd know I have a lively interest in professional conduct in this matter. All of this is from the perspective of Australia where there there are national laws about it. I've gone to the trouble of searching for UK government rulings on this but found nothing.

So before you get so dismissive about my contributions, why don't you get up off your arse and find out what constitutes unprofessional conduct in this area?

Acopyofacopy · 21/07/2018 14:08

Another teacher here saying that showing 15 rated horror films to Y8s is wildly inappropriate!

I also watched a film on the last day, but it related to the subject I teach and was well within the age limit.

Please complain to the head, behaviour like this is irresponsible and not a credit to the profession.

Rainfallrainbow · 21/07/2018 14:19

I’m a teacher and I think this is completely inappropriate. Both the constant watching of films and the choice of film. We work up until the bell on the last day. However, I might occasionally show a film/documentary in the last week, if it is connected to a topic we have covered and I feel it would be beneficial for them to see it but we haven’t had time earlier in the year.

qumquat · 21/07/2018 14:28

A secondary teacher and completely horrified by this. Definitely make an official complaint to the school. Those films are not appropriate and should not have been shown. (We're not allowed to show non-curriculum related films at all at the end of the year which I actually agree with - games and fun activities fine, but what's the point in being in school just to watch films).

SneakyGremlins · 21/07/2018 14:31

We got shown Sinister in Y8.

SunShades · 21/07/2018 14:41

Goodness me, some people on here are so precious.

99.9% of 13 year olds watch '15' rated films. If your DD lacks the emotional maturity to do so, she could have asked to go to another room.

You really need to lighten up and help your DD overcome her fears.

Clairetree1 · 21/07/2018 14:48

99.9% of 13 year olds watch '15' rated films. If your DD lacks the emotional maturity to do so, she could have asked to go to another room

99.9% of 13year olds most certainly do NOT watch 15 rated films,

and it is not the ones with "emotional maturity" that do so, it is the ones who's emotional maturity is everely stunted, and gets stunted further by exposure to inappropriate material, and who lack the self awareness to realise that, 9 and more seriously, their parents lack the insight and awareness to see what it does to their children, and are quite commonly lacking in emotional maturity themselves

MulberryPeony · 21/07/2018 14:48

I honestly thought it was the norm to watch grossly unsuitable films at the end of term in secondary. Vivid memories or Nightmare on Elm Street, Grease, and Howard the Duck come flooding back lol.

Metoodear · 21/07/2018 14:49

She shouldn’t be excused
they should not have showed it their not 15

If some children are 14 and some 16 you have to show a 12 I would ring ofsted over this

It over steps the mark

Metoodear · 21/07/2018 14:50

SunShades

Goodness me, some people on here are so precious.

99.9% of 13 year olds watch '15' rated films. If your DD lacks the emotional maturity to do so, she could have asked to go to another room.

You really need to lighten up and help your DD overcome her fears.

i wonder if this is the poster that had a party and wanted to provide vodka for the kids

Metoodear · 21/07/2018 14:54

ScienceIsTruth

I've had this previously, and complained, but got nowhere as actually the school is within their rights to show whatever classification of film they like, even if it's age inappropriate. Theyre not breaking the law, and don't need consent from parents iirc, which is ridiculous; not least because many teens wouldn't want to watch a horror movie, but would be too embarrassed to say so in front of their peers.
i can assure you this is not true they couldn’t show eyes wide shut to year 7s for example they are not within their rights to show any film take this up with ofsted

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