Return of the Jedi for 5-7 year olds!!

[Appleforme]

Am being unreasonable or is this good pastoral welfare and necessary for quality teaching?

Just before 1/2 term my kids' school starting doing Stars Wars as a theme. The years 3 & 4's watched about 30 min of it ... I wasn't thrilled with it when I heard especially since my 9 yr old girl was a bit freaked out by it. I told the teacher that I thought it was best she not watch it. Although I wasn't thrilled my 8 yr old son was watching it ... I knew he could "handle it".

Today, my 7 year old girl tells me that her class (yrs 1 & 2) watched it with the yr 3 & 4's ... my son says it was for 30 min including Yoda's death and a bit where Princess Leia (barely dressed) has a chain around her neck imprisoned by scarey looking Jabba the Hutt ... interestingly though they sent my 9 year old girl out of the movie beforehand to hang out with the Reception class.

I am LIVID!!! And can't believe they would show Return of the Jedi to 5- 7 yr olds!! without asking their parents. I was upset about it for my yrs 3 &4, but now they are taking the mickey by the showing the 5-7 yr olds!!

What do you think?!? What should I do?!? Any advice??

am trying to remember it. Thinking of all the six films, Return of the Jedi is the one I would least want to show to young dc. Isn't it rated 12 anyway?

I don't think small dc would get the bit about Jabba the Hut rubbing his tail along the scantily dressed Leia and threatening that she will very soon come to appreciate him better.

Still there is that monster underground, the man eating plant thing and so on. Odd choice IMO.

The film has a U rating but not everyone's taste

yes, just checked that.

It's rated U.

It's also very popular amongst boys and some girls from those ages upwards IME.

Unusual choice for a theme though
I suppose if you think about it there are many moral and philosophical themes to be extracted from it.

They probably watched the bit with the ewoks. Kids love the ewoks.

It's a U, 'suitable for all'.

DS's favourite film, he's 7.

He won't watch things like Toy Story because he finds them a bit scarey, but not Return of the Jedi. Go figure!

My advice would be to watch it yourself to get know / refresh what you know of the storyline and the themes in it. I think it is a clever way of getting kids' attention in order to cover aspects of the curriculum. They think they are having a treat but the teachers can weave all sorts in to the learning with it.

I have just let my star wars mad DSs watch it (6 and 4). Closely supervised by DH and deliberately distracted during some of the scary bits. However I would not be happy if school had let them watch it. We thought carefully about it. We decided 4 5 and 6 were ok with parental supervision (and cuddles for DS2) but not 1 or 2 and definitely not 3. I wouldn't want school taking that decision out of my hands.

Appleforme

Seriously? I think you should get a grip. It's a 'U' certificate for heaven's sake.

Five is totally about the right age to be getting into Star Wars.

Oops. Sorry. That was probably a little harsh, I spend too much of my time on here reading the AIBU section. But seriously, most kids are totally okay with Star Wars, after all, all of the original trilogy are 'U' certificate and they really are children's films. I'm guessing your 9 year old must be one of the sensitive souls who isn't okay with this sort of thing, so I understand you being concerned, but being livid about the other children being shown it is totally OTT and unreasonable.

It's very much a good vs evil tale, with redemption and the hero's journey. What's not to like?

ZZZenAgain

You're getting them mixed up. 'Return of the Jedi' is third in the original trilogy, so episode VI; it's 'Revenge of the Sith, Episode III and third in the prequel trilogy, which is a '12'.

The Clone Wars series is very popular on the Cartoon Network atm, and the graphic novels are flying out of our school library.