to be disturbed that my DD was shown this anti-abortion video

[Tanga]

DD (15) came home saying that she'd been shown a video of 'the baby's view of abortion' in her RE class today. She was pretty horrified (both for herself and on behalf of one of her friends who has had an abortion)which I'd guess would be a fairly typical response, but she went on to make some wildly innacurate comments about the proceedure (some very graphic so I'll spare you) so I asked her what it was she'd actually been shown.

It's called 'The Silent Scream' (written in Hammer horror style lettering) and I've googled it and am fairly appalled. It's (IMO) an anti-abortion piece of propaganda made in the '80's and is riddled with innaccuracies.

Is this a normal video to show a class of teenagers? It was presented as fact, BTW, and as 'the most humane method of abortion' by the RE teacher.

Id be bloody fuming tbh, straight to the head to complain and and nothing done, take up with governers/LEA

yanbu I wouldn't want my teen shown and anti or pro abortion video

What Glastonbury said.

outrageous. I'd be complaining strongly too. It's no more than propaganda. Is it a religious school?

I would contact the school and then get them to offer the oposing view so to speak and have Marie Stopes or some organisation like to come in to talk to them.

I'd be appalled and doing what Glasonbury said as well.

YANBU, i would be pretty annoyed!

Was the teacher illustrating the view of some religions? If so, it's a rather extreme way of doing it. Would be interested to know the views of the teacher as I suspect this is what would lie behind showing this.

I'd be LIVID!!!!

Is your DD at a faith-type school? They might feel it was in line with their beliefs, but even then it is sensationalist.
If not a Catholic school, then it sounds like very shoddy RE. I get sent stuff like this regularly, it goes in the bin. There are plenty of documentaries they could use instead that address the issues.

God I'm sure we saw this in RE donkey's years ago- or something v similar- at the same age too

-it was v counterproductive as a lot of the gobbier kids were much more clued up than me and ripped it to shreds

can't believe they're still showing stuff like this

Appalled, this RE teacher should be brought in and questioned by the head over this.

Oh god, that was shown when I was that age in the mid 90's.

I went to a catholic convent school. We were given badges the size and shape of a 12 week old foetus' feet as well, with the message that abortion is always wrong and some pro life leaflets for goos measure.

Like your dd, one of my friends had had an abortion at 14, the nuns sat her right at the front, poor girl. I always remember her sobbing

As a believer in a woman's right to choose and having a vague memory of how crappy this video is in particular, I'd be bloody furious.

I would be inclined to ask the Head when the RE mistress/master is going to show a pro right to choose video to balance today's one.

have not seen the video in Question but am aware that abortion is a subject covered by RE at GCSE and which they will be expected to write debates on - a 15 yr old is not an 11 yo,I bet they all watch graffic horror and violence all the time.

use it as a chance to reinforce contraception!

I'd be livid. Whatever your vies on abortion that is not the way to go about discussing it.
Is the school particularly religious? I think I'd be making a complaint to the head and copying in the LEA. Sounds like that RE teacher has personal issues she can't keep out of the classroom, and if that's the case, she needs a serious talking

Did the friend who had an abortion see it too? If so, I'd suggest that you arm your DD with the correct facts so that she can comfort her friend with the truth.

My younger sister watched this video about 5 years ago and my mum made a complaint as well. I'm all for debate but I don't think this was appropriate for teenage girls who may face having to make a decision to have a termination in the future, with such an inaccurate video

I'm very surprised you weren't warned about this and asked to sign a consent form. I've been asked to consent to my son watching 'Dad's Army' FGS!

Is this a Catholic school?

Perhaps the RE teacher is going to show a video with the opposite pov next week?

By all means complain, but I would try and find out about the full curriculum and the teaching that is to follow before making a fool of myself.

This is shocking - if it was my kids school I'd remove them & only put them back when this teacher had been sacked or had apologised to the class.

There's far too big a chance that someone in a class has had an abortion (or knows someone who has, or a miscarriage or stillbirth) to make this acceptable as a "debate" type video.
You should complain, no-one in school management will know what kind of thing is being shown in the RE class unless you do, it might get it off the agenda for next year at least.

ds goes to a catholic high school and they are VERY careful about gaining parental permission for things and show a very liberal and balanced attitude (eg. pupils can use their 'c card' to get condoms from school nurse)

Just checked out the website of the film and there's a warning about kids seeing the film & about the film in general.

A catholic school would not be showing this