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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not let DD watch these programmes for school work.

165 replies

Whatswiththesmalltalk · 04/01/2023 16:04

Dd is 13 and is studying dystopian literature in English so I understand the connection but her teacher has asked the class to watch the handmaids tale, children of men and V for vendetta. I have only watched the handmaids tale myself but having looked online I really don't think they're all that appropriate for a 13 year old at all. AIBU would you let your 13 year old watch these?

OP posts:
Eeve · 04/01/2023 17:03

Eeve · 04/01/2023 16:56

www.commonsensemedia.org/ says, 16+ for Handmaid's Tale, 17+ for Children of Men and 18+ for V for Vendetta.

Obviously, all kids are different, but I have a super-sensitive kid (she does have ASD) and I've found this site helpful

Apologies! I was quoting the wrong numbers. HMT parents' think 18 and kids 15; CoM and V both say 16+; VfV both say 14+

Favouritefruits · 04/01/2023 17:03

Are you sure her teacher has said this? This is the kind of tripe I would of made up to be able to watch stuff my friends had been going on about. My Mum would have fallen for it because it was ‘for school’

zurala · 04/01/2023 17:07

No I wouldn't. I don't think any 13 year old needs to see rape. My 13 yo DD doesn't even know what rape is.

BarbaraVineFan · 04/01/2023 17:08

I've been an English teacher for nearly 20 years and taught dystopian literature to year 9 many times. There is no way I would include The Handmaid's Tale in any unit for that age. There are plenty of dystopian texts that can be used without going into what is without doubt an A level text. I would be questioning the teacher's judgement and professionalism, to be honest.

MrsCarson · 04/01/2023 17:08

I'd let a 13 year old watch Children of men and V for vendetta. Not Handmaids tale just yet.

SirenSays · 04/01/2023 17:10

Very strange. For handmaids tale I'd expect the teacher to show clips in school, not tell the children to go away and watch it.

EpicChaos · 04/01/2023 17:10

@Piggywaspushed " Piggywaspushed · Today 16:31
And, if it's English, why are they watching films?? "

Sometimes a film is watched alongside reading the book/s. Had it not been for that, many of us would never have been treat to the pleasure of watching Cheggers play Fleance, lol :D ( Just a shame that it was a Polanski film! )

Anyhoo, V for Vendetta, i'd probably allow a 13 year old to watch. There is some violence but compared to other films, I don't think it's too bad.
The other 2 I have no idea about.

CakeCrumbs44 · 04/01/2023 17:10

I agree with those who say The Handmaid's Tale is an important piece of literature but I think it would be more appropriate, and better understood by year 11-13 rather than year 9 students.

There are a lot of young adult dystopian films and books which would be more accessible and appropriate for that age. Hunger Games as other have mentioned, The Maze Runner, Divergent, The 100. Or go for a classic like 1984 which at least doesn't have forced rape in it.

MarvelMrs · 04/01/2023 17:12

V for Vendetta - yes.
Handmaid’s Tale - hmmmm, no. The ritual rape would be a no.

darjeelingrose · 04/01/2023 17:12

Absolutely not The Handmaid's Tale. No 13 year old needs to see graphic violent rape scenes. But I would let my 13 year old read the book. V for Vendetta probably I would, and I haven't seen the other one.

HungryandIknowit · 04/01/2023 17:13

The only one I've watched and read is the Handmaid's tale. Imo it's too adult for a 13 year old, even the book. I think something like Animal Farm would be more appropriate. It also seems strange that they've been asked to watch them, rather than just read the books. Perhaps speak to the teacher.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 04/01/2023 17:14

The Handmaid's Tale FILM, yes. The series? No, because it has become so far removed from the canonical text that for educational purposes it is irrelevant.

darjeelingrose · 04/01/2023 17:16

The film is also an 18, I googled.

mast0650 · 04/01/2023 17:20

From memory, I don't think The Handsmaid's Tale is suitable for most 13 year olds. My husband and I gave up watching it during the second series as we found it too unpleasant to watch.
According to this it has a 15 rating.
www.ageratingjuju.com/the-handmaids-tale-age-rating-2021/
I don't know the others.
Just because it is "for education" doesn't mean it's appropriate!

NotAnotherCrisis · 04/01/2023 17:22

YADDDDDDNBU - I can't watch The Handmaid's Tale, it's too violent.

I would say she could read it (I've always found reading less traumatic) but not watch it.

Sherbetdib · 04/01/2023 17:23

What if the child doesn't have access to watch any of these because they cannot afford to do so ? How awful.
Quite apart from being inappropriate. The Handmaid's Tale was given a rating of 15.
The teacher should be following a syllabus. There may not be exams but they should be following a series of study elements. If they are too vague I imagine the teacher begins to add in their own versions of what they consider appropriate. This is not it.
Literature is fine. We went to watch Macbeth at the cinema years ago aged about 13. I loved it. But it was a performance especially for children of that age. Novels, books, film of such themes have to be age appropriate. They are large themes to take on. A fifteen year old might be better equipped to do so than a 13 year old.
I would not accommodate the syllabus without question.

PeekAtYou · 04/01/2023 17:23

I have a 19 year old and when they covered that topic, they discussed Hunger Games, Maze Runner and other dystopian films aimed at a teen audience. (12A movies) They also discussed The Walking Dead but I'm assuming that it wasn't the gory bits that will be 15 or 18.
I suspect that the school isn't expecting kids to watch the tv series of Handsmaid Tale.

Summerfun54321 · 04/01/2023 17:23

I would assume film versions that she may be able to get hold of in her local library. I wouldn't assume the teacher means she watches 5 series of a single TV programme adaptation for homework- it would way too time consuming even if it was appropriate for a 13 year old.

Setyoufree · 04/01/2023 17:23

Why isn't the homework to read dystopian fiction rather than watch it?? Handmaids Tale TV isn't the same as the book.

Sherbetdib · 04/01/2023 17:24

Quite.

SchnauzerEyebrows · 04/01/2023 17:24

Aquamarine1029 · 04/01/2023 16:09

I would absolutely allow a 13 year old to watch those. She's not a baby.

Are you joking? You'd be happy for a 13 year old to watch rape scenes!?

OooScotland · 04/01/2023 17:24

I’ve seen them all and I would. I imagine she’ll be bored stiff rather than frightened by them though. I certainly was.

When I was 13 it was the height of the cold war and the school wanted to show us ‘Threads’ ‘The Day After’ and ‘Z for Zachariah’ for English. About half the parents including mine refused consent and I just read the book of ‘’Z for Zachariah’ - remembering the story still makes my blood run cold at 52 years of age!

Which is to say (in a round about way) if you think what the school wants to show your dd is inappropriate at this time, trust your instinct and refuse consent.

Letthekidsplay · 04/01/2023 17:25

Trust your gut it’s up to you what your child sees not a teacher who barely knows her. My daughter couldn’t cope with harry potter till she was 12, so she definitely wouldn’t be watching these.

Meggie2008 · 04/01/2023 17:27

V for Vendetta is one of the best films ever, nothing outrageous for a 13 year old in it.

Greenfairydust · 04/01/2023 17:27

Could she read the book instead (The Handmaid's Tale)?

If some of these series/films are rated as only suitable for 15 or 18 year olds though the teachers should not be suggesting them. A bit careless of them not to check that first.