Iceland Advert

[itsabit]

So my 7 year old has come home from school upset that she has seen the Iceland advert as they're learning about the rainforest. Whilst I appreciate that the advert was banned for its political background as opposed to its content, should they have not asked before showing them it? They wouldn't have shown a banned film just because it's content is relevant to current learning surely?

I think with their current topic being rainforests anyway it fits perfectly!

The ban is madness anyway and certainly not a reason for it not to be used as a learning tool

It was banned for broadcast as a TV advert for a retailer because it was too closely linked to a political organisation. It wasn’t banned for being upsetting, inappropriate or unsuitable for viewing - it’s not the same as a film banned for being too violent/pornographic or similar.

Exactly what previous posters have said. It's not banned for any reason other than being political. It should absolutely be shown.

Actually, I don’t think banned is even the right word. As you can tell, it can still be shown, just Clearcast won’t approve it for TV.

I just think we should have been asked first, as my son wouldn't have seen it otherwise as I found it upsetting when I watched it - which is exactly the emotive point it was trying to achieve. No other types of advertising are allowed in schools, so I just wondered why this was an exception.

It wasn’t banned due to being upsetting, as PP have said, it was deemed to be too closely linked to a political organisation. Nothing to do with the content at all.

Yes and I understand all that, but it was banned nevertheless. I don't see how the school can just over ride something just as they choose? I would have liked a choice on what they do/don't see. Guess I'm an exception 🤷‍♀️

But really it isn’t advertising anyway, it’s making an important and valid point and actually one children knowing about matters because it is their future!

It was actually a Greenpeace film that Iceland just whacked their logo on.

Adverts may be shown for all sorts of reasons, particularly in English/arts subjects to discuss their impact, look at the style etc. Writing an advert (and therefore looking at them) is a pretty standard part of persuasive writing etc.

It is an upsetting topic, and I don’t think your DS is ‘wrong’ for being upset by it, but I think getting cross about it being an advert is a bit of a red herring.

Yes I'm an avid news reader so heard all about its content, background etc a while ago. And made a decision not to show my son it. But that choice was taken away from me by school. I've already said I appreciate it was banned for its political connections, I'm not stupid to think it isn't connected to their current learning, but I don't think it should have been shown to 6/7 year olds without a choice been given to the parents first.

In that case you better ask to see every lesson plan incase there is anything you disagree with

Video clips are almost certainly used very regularly in different lessons, do you expect them to clear every one with parents?

Do you expect the school to check all books, work, videos etc with you first?

Are children also not to be read upsetting stories or hear about things from history that might be upsetting? The film isn't x rated. It's suitable for all ages. YABU and a bit weird.

So if they’d shown the original exactly the same but not banned video without the Iceland bit at the end... that would be ok?

We do get to see lesson plans for all upcoming terms. A banned tv advert which would lead on to my son now saying he doesn't want to eat meat was not on the agenda. Weird for wanting to know that banned content shouldn't be shown in schools without prior consent? I think not. My question was should it have been shown without consent. I don't disagree with its content at all, and that it's their future etc. But they're 6 and 7. And it's generated many many questions. I just felt it lacked prior thought on the schools side.

It would be a pretty poor teacher who taught about rainforests without touching on the damage that humans are doing to them so surely you could foresee from the long term plan that it may come up?

Seems to be your just looking for reason to be angry!

You said you understand why it was banned but you have just shown you don't at all. It wasn't banned when Greenpeace were using it you know.

I think it is ok for him to be upset by it then you can talk about it show him orangutang diaries on more4 you can get it on catch up it shows a rescue centre helping them,

The green peace advert wouldn't have been allowed to be shown as anything politically motivated cannot be shown in schools - or they couldn't when I last heard about it during the last campaign. So I don't see how it's any different just because it has the Iceland wrapper.

It is called orangutang jungle school* The rainfirests are being desimated (sp) the children will be learning this you can help him to chose some palm oil freor sustainable palm oil products to show how even a little bit of effort make q difference, the advert could have been a lot harsher

Oh I'm sure it could. I remember seeing The Earth Song video as a child and being rather upset by that. I didn't want an ear bashing, just rather views on whether schools are able to show something which has been banned. They're not allowed to show anything political like campaign videos, and this was banned for its political links. I just wanted to know for the future if they were allowed to do this without asking first. First time parent here 👌

When it was announced that the terms topic was the rain forest what sort of things did you think they would be learning? My daughter's class did about the rain forest as a topic a couple of years ago. She, plus a few others in the class, got upset watching a film about the destruction and environmental issues of the rain forest. They decided to do a little assembly for the whole school to tell everyone about it. They researched on the internet etc all by themselves. This was when they were a little bit older than your child is - but only by a couple of years. They were 8 years old.

Seems a perfect interactive part of the lesson to provoke the thought process.

Political materials used in schools need to balanced but they aren’t banned!

To use “political” material to encourage debate and raise awareness of an issue is very much allowed.