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.

OK, so abortion is in the RE Syllabus, but still absolutely no need to show this.

I would want heads to roll.

My mistake - just saw your DD does not attend a faith school - in that case i am even more shocked it came up in a lesson plan!!

I hope your DD is okay, i remember how that video made me feel.

Julybutterfly do people really say that? How very narrow minded and stupid of them. I had an abortion many years ago for my own reasons. What on earth is it to do with anyone else?

Jesus, I'm upset now just reading the responses on this thread describing the video How disgusting that the teacher thought it appropriate to show.

I think I watched it in RE when I was in school (also went to Catholic school).

Me and some of the girls in the class(who had been totally grossed out by this video) came out and start singing that "I hope it's chips, it's chips" song - except we were singing "I hope it's foetus" as a way of rebelling about the anti-abortion propaganda being shoved down our throats - they also played some crappy straight to video vomfest where a mum and daughter both discover they are pregnant - mum is worried she is too old and daughter is in college. Naturally they both decided to keep the babies.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the whole idea of abortion - but I am firmly pro-choice. I just personally could not have one myself.

But even as 13yos myself and my classmates recognised how hideously unbalanced the views on abortion that we were being given.

Definitely complain - can't believe they are still showing that shite

YANBU. that is absolutely disgraceful and completely inappropriate, and if it happened at dd's school i would be straight in to complain. how dare the school take these kind of choices away from parents

I feel so sorry for the girl in the class how had had an abortion. how horrible

WHO had had

Appalling.

At aged 15 (and I am only just 30, so this was 1995-96) I had never in my life seen anything so graphic.

I haven't watched that video, as even now I know it would give me nightmares.

It is child abuse to force a minor to sit through something so psychologically and emotionally disturbing.

Och, the Silent Scream is such a piece of bullshit catholic propaganda.

My RE teacher was incapable of delivering information about these things without adding her own opinion. I think life and death is very important to discuss but could they not use euthanasia instead? Not much chance of a 13-18 year old having to make a huge decision like that at such a young and impressionable age is there? But highly likely that one of them in the class has already had one or will choose to have one in the future.

Ah yes, the Silent Scream.

Very many years ago, I had a job which involved me doing lots of public speaking about abortion (from a pro-choice perspective). I ended up doing lots of debates in schools, up against SPUC or LIFE. I felt uncomfortable with that approach then, and I still do; I wish now I'd refused to do it.

Given how badly teenagers need calm, accurate and sensitive information about how to handle an unplanned pregnancy, it doesn't seem to me helpful to present that information as a politicised debate.

I would definitely be complaining.

They discuss euthanasia as well, CKN. And suicide, murder, sex before marriage, life after death...

The module itself is about the sanctity of life, IIRC. I wasn't at a faith school, but we were studying from a Christian point of view (all variations thereof!) so had to learn it from that.

As much as it was / is a horrible video - I watched some of it, and caught some of it through the window - I think more important is the pupils and parents being made aware of what it contains before its shown, and they should be given the choice whether to watch it or not, because, tbh, if its been shown for as long as it has, they're not going to stop showing it.

Do hope your DDs friend is okay, though. Poor girl.

completely agree Hester.

Saw something similar in catholic school. Yes, it was v disturbing and overly graphic but tbh I do think that if they are covering the abortion topic then it is relevant to know what is involved. (although I'm sure there are less extremist films available now). Some people treat abortion like a contraceptive and i think it is important that they know the reality of what they are doing. The baby is not just a 'cluster of cells'. Abortion is horrific. That is the reality. How can you make that reality any prettier?

people can understand the reality of what they are doing quite well enough without watching this video. Why make the reality any worse by making someone watch it?

I'm a Religious Studies teacher, and I have seen the video you mention. One of the schools I worked in owned a copy, and in my opinion it is a completely inappropriate video to show to teenagers.

The video is openly biased, but there are lots of subtle things going on too - like it always refers to the baby, and I seem to remember it saying something like at one point that the baby is trying to get away from the vacuum aspirator. (I am remembering a video from quite a few years back, so don't take this as an accurate account). But the constant references to 'baby' and giving the baby conscious qualities is imo, wrong.

There are much better, more balanced videos for students to watch. I think too many students are too impressionable, especially on such an emotive topic that it is irresponsible to show such a biased video, even in the name of debate. I would not find that an acceptable excuse for showing that video.

If my daughter had been shown the video, I would be complaining loudly - from a professional, as well as a parental position.

I honestly fail to understand the mindset of all the people on this thread who say YANBU.

How can it be OK to have an abortion but not OK to explain to people how an abortion is carried out? How? It's hypocracy of the highest order.

Anyway, I think the pupils and parents should have been warned and should have been given the choice of whether or not they wanted to view it.

I saw that video at my Catholic School. Was horrified then (felt we should not have been shown it) and I would be livid if the dc were shown it.

I have no problem with explaining to students the actuality of an abortion, or even them seeing a balanced, accurate portrayal of an abortion (thinking here, older 'A' level students) BAFE, if they ask I am open and honest about it. However, I object to biased videos, that are inaccurate and makes claims that cannot be known or supported.

BAFE - have you watched the video in question ?

watching it right now

Abortion shouldn't be covered in religious lessons IMO.

Don't school have sex education classes? Wouldn't that be a better place to discuss it?

What has religon got to do with choice?

Can they really understand it? I can certainly say that I could not have pictured or understood the reality of it before that video. It is truly horrific but I'm not really sure how you can sugarcoat it without downplaying the truth of what is actually happening and I do think it's important that people know the truth of what abortion involves. It's very difficult.

People are objecting to the video, BAFE, because it's bullshit. Factually inaccurate and biased.