That my dd’s school show them cert 15 films at 13/14?

[Geraniumpink]

As the title says. Is this usual at other schools? She’s about to watch ‘Dead Man Walking’ as part of her English class. They’ve already seen ‘The Pianist’ last term in History.

Do they watch the whole thing or part or an edited version?

They saw all the Pianist. I think the teacher will be fast forwarding through one bit of dead man Walking. I haven’t watched the films myself, so I have no idea how graphic they are.

In all honesty kids can find more graphic and scary things on YouTube these days.

Although it’s against the law to show them to people below the age on the certificate.

In whole or part.

Those are probably films they should be watching at this age. Rating systems need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Also it’s not illegal as they are watching it with a supervising adult.

iirc there’s a graphic rape flashback in dead man walking so not ok for 13yos imo

It isn't illegal for educational purposes @Littlegoth. The school can show anything they want.

In all honesty, I think you need to unclench and stop sheltering your DC, OP. 99 % of 14 year olds will have watched 15 rated films without the world ending, and you're doing your DC no favours socially or intellectually by sheltering them.

It's not even like they're showing random comedies. The films being shown are educational and relevant to the courses being studies. Let it go.

It sounds like the teacher is fast forwarding past the scene that means it is a 15. So I don't see the issue.

The age restrictions don’t apply for educational purposes. When I was a media teacher, as a courtesy, I’d do a letter home to parents of new Year 10s to explain what they’d be watching on the course, but if I couldn’t show them the footage, they’d miss half the stuff they’d need for their exams!

As an English teacher now, my school is very pro the students watching play/film versions of the texts they study in class to support their learning. So they watch Of Mice and Men, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, etc etc. I’ve never checked the age rating on any of them, because they just absolutely need to see them in their entirety.

I really wouldn’t worry about it at secondary school. It’s such a small difference in age to the BBFC age rating, and with teenagers, it’s highly likely they’ll have seen worse stuff at home/on theirs or their mates phones anyway.

It doesn’t matter that they are watching it with a supervising adult - the supervising adult is breaking the law.

I don’t always agree with film certifications and I’m definitely no Mary Whitehouse. You can be a supervising adult in the USA, but UK law doesn’t allow this.

bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/legislation/criminal-law

Whoops! Sorry for double post.

@Littlegoth

bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/teacher-guide/teacher-faqs

As I said, used to be a media teacher. Age ratings from the BBFC are not applicable in educational settings. We had the same discussion with parents every year, as we have to inform them that they must watch the content proscribed by the exam board, whatever the age restrictions.

Get with the program! You know they’ve already watched porn right?

YANBU, I would not be ok with that.

Personally, I wouldn't have an issue with it.

It doesn’t matter that they are watching it with a supervising adult - the supervising adult is breaking the law.

Not true.

Even in a cinema a local authority can overrule the certificate.

I would not like that either. I think ratings have changed since I was a teenager too, so things that would have been 18 are now 15. I have been shocked by some of the stuff that is a 12, never mind a 15.
Suffragette, for instance, is a 12.
I am really strict on what my dds watch, my eldest is 14, and she has seen some 15 rated things, but only where the rating is for things like swearing, not violence . Kind, gently Detectorists, for example, is a 15, simply because of the occasional swear word.
Dd was shown a CSE film at school depicting rape when she was 11 and was really upset and shocked.

The pianist is a fantastic film and is great for education.
It wouldn't bother me as they probably watch 10 times worse on their phones with their mates. And it is supervised by an adult too.

Was normal in my secondary school years ago. We watched parts of Schindlers List and all of The Pianist.

We also visited Auschwitz in year 10 so at 14/15.

I used to work in a secondary school and I agree with the above poster that is it common for students to watch these films as part of media studies. The school used to send a letter home to inform the parents about it.

Another precious parent freaking about a cert 15 film when their little darling is probably accessing far worse elsewhere 🙄

It wouldn't bother me to be honest. I think in both English and History, a good film can be a great way of bringing a book or an event to life.