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Secondary education

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Original poster

Paranormal 1 dvd shown in school

23 replies

cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:12

By my DDs english teacher yesterday. They are 3rd year m, so 14 and 15 year olds. The film is a 15 if irc.

But my DD suffers from anxiety and OCD, her ICD manifests in the form of instrusive, disturbing thoughts, mainly cutting her wrists or throat. The ending of the film has the woman comibg up to tge camera and slitting her throat.

DD says she was drawing because she didn't want to watch it and it never got to the ending. I was goibg to email the school to register my concerns but it was the teacher last day yesterday, he has been subbing since september.

What should I do? I'm still thinking if getting in touch with the school to find out what the policy is on what type of dvds the watch. Or am I aline in being pissed iff because of DDs ptroubles?

She has been great recently but had a wobbly last week, due toexam stress and ut's this time

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Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:13

Arrggh hit send!
Due to exam stress and it being the same time of year when she was taken into hospital after having a breakdown (first year).

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Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:14

Sorry about typos!

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WofflingOn · 27/10/2012 10:20

It is a 15, so he should have asked for parental permission for the under 15s.
Is the school and the teacher aware of your daughter's needs and anxieties?
Did she ask not to watch it?
I'd email, explaining my concerns and asking to be notified in advance about any possible topics and materials that might impact negatively on her, so that you can all make an informed decision and think of alternatives if necessary.

Passmethecrisps · 27/10/2012 10:24

Not on really. Any film should be he appropriate according to the certificate unless part if the syllabus and parental permission sought. Did he stick this on because he was leaving?

Contact the school. The chnces are they will know nothing about it and will be keen to help. Are you in Scotland? Contact her Guidance teacher - sounds like she needs the support anyway

WofflingOn · 27/10/2012 10:26

My DD did a gothic literature unit at school in English, they used a number of different resources and analysed them. I wondered if that was the reason behind it.

Devora · 27/10/2012 10:27

Regardless of the classification, it seems to me a really bad idea to show scary movies at school. There will always be children who find them upsetting (hell, I find them upsetting) but feel unable to say so or seek comfort in the way they could at home. Everyone will be pretending to be able to handle it, even if they can't.

Can't quite see the educational value, either.

I would definitely talk to the school

HeinousHecate · 27/10/2012 10:28

bloody hell.

showing a scary, gory horror on your last day.

Talk about your classic two finger salute!

Hope your daughter is ok.

I would never think it appropriate to show a horror film in school.

DawnOfTheDee · 27/10/2012 10:32

Really weird choice of film to show in school even if it is a 15. I'd talk to the school and ask them to explain.

The film doesn't end like that though iirc....the girl just climbs up to the camera and sort of jumps at it with a demonic face. Not really relevant to the main issue though.

Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:33

Thanks for your replies .

It was the last day if term and they had finished their exams, so I presume that's why he put on a dvd.

All the teachers that taught DD were informed at the time about her problems,and she has a IEP and a SN teacher she can go to and who deals with any problems.

She has never been as bad as she was when this first happened, but I have told her to remove herself from any situation that is causing her anxiety. She is much more in control. She sat at the back of the room with some other girls who were too scared to watch it.

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Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:34

There were 2 endings of the film, the throat cutting was one of them.

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WofflingOn · 27/10/2012 10:34

As I said, Gothic Horror is a unit in many secondary English curriculum, and all lessons have to be stunning, multimedia and have learning points every 2.5 seconds or summat.
So it might be why they watched it. Or the teacher could be a lazy arse who was leaving. You won't know until you ask them, not MN.

Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:41

DD has been doing Of Mice And Men and watched that film last week. No gothic horror. We're in Northern Ireland, not England.

If nobody asked MN anything it would be a bit empty.

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cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:50

Sorry I misread your English bit!

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WofflingOn · 27/10/2012 10:54

I don;t object to people asking MN at all. Confused It's just that all we can do is speculate. For the correct answer, the OP needs to contact the school, as I did when an inappropriate 15 was shown to my DD's class. She walked out of the first half.

Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 10:57

I think the teacher wanted to be seen as 'cool' DD has mentioned him swearing in the last couple of weeks. They are on half term next werk but I think I will persue it.

Thanks Smile

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Passmethecrisps · 27/10/2012 11:09

Worth pursuing coco

I have turned off DVDs that kids have brought in at the end of term due to them being inappropriate even though the certificate suggests otherwise. Teachers need to use judgement.

Your daughter sounds like she will be fine with your support and the likelihood is that that school management know nothing about it. Still worth raising - we periodically get a reminder about appropriate movies.

MrsVincentPrice · 27/10/2012 11:45

I reckon you should tell the head, because this teacher will presumably be asking for references, and this may colour them.

Original poster
cocolepew · 27/10/2012 12:09

I will email the head before they go back, thanks for taking the time to reply Smile

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Kez100 · 31/10/2012 02:29

Certificate ages really ought to be stuck too but, in addition, should still be appropriate to lessons without causing upset. I may be in my 40s but I never ever watch horror films because they give me nightmares. I would be very angry that a school decided to show one without the ability to withdraw (although with teens around, some of which could ve expected to be vulnerable to thiscontent, just not showing would make more sense to me).

I feel for you OP and your daughter. I would hate to have to sit through such a film.

Whistlingwaves · 31/10/2012 02:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

noblegiraffe · 31/10/2012 16:47

Film classifications seem to be a bunch of arse these days. Last day of term in the summer, the kids brought in Woman in Black to watch and whinged when I said no, because it was only a 12 Shock

CalmingMiranda · 31/10/2012 17:23

I would definitely mention it.

There may well be educational reasons for showing particular bits of films that illustrate a genre or make a point, but if that was why the film had been shown your DD would be aware of that.

It is careless showing an over-age horror to a class of 14 year olds, and it's all very well seeing them be all hard amongst their mates, but teachers need to know that once home alone and in bed in the dark, many a 14 or 15 yo can be seriously spooked.

Also, self-harm is hardly an unknown phenomenum in teen girls - a bit crass to show this as sensationalist entertainment.

I hope she is OK, Coco.

Original poster
cocolepew · 31/10/2012 17:30

Thank you, she's fine thanks Smile she made sure she couldn't see it. Most of the girls went to the back of the room so they wouldn't see any of it.

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