An appropriate movie for elementary school, Brokeback Mountain?

Question

The Chicago Board of Education was being sued because a teacher showed Brokeback Mountain in class, was it the parents responsibility to know what their children were about to view?

Answer 1

As a teacher of eighth graders and a parent of a two year, let be the first (and hopefully not the last) to say HECK NO! Any time a teacher of minors plans to show something that is controversial or may be seen as inappropriate he/she needs to sit down and write a letter to the parents stating: why the film is being shown; the rating of the film and why it may be considered inappropriate for those parents who don't know; and alternative activities for students whose parents do not want them to view the movie. You also need to explain to your principal why and when you will be showing this. Then if you are allowed to show it (which I doubt very many schools would allow you to show it), you need to make your you have the permission slips back from the students because--trust me--when it gets out in the community that you showed that movie, parents and other concerned citizens will be calling the school board and demanding you head so you want to make sure you have documentation. CYA! If the movie was not shown for a purpose--one of those just because we have some free time or you aced the test movies--I would not show it at all. I'm not a homophobic, but homosexuality goes against my personal beliefs so as a parent I would contact the school board and ask that you be fired if you showed that movie to my child without asking my permission. And NO! It is not the responsibility of the parent to know what you are doing in the classroom when it comes to something like showing movies. It's your responsibility to let them know about this. I could go on about this forever, but the bottom line is that it is wrong to introduce and teach--ESPECIALLY AT THAT YOUNG OF AN AGE--someone else's child about such a moral and controversial issue without first getting their permission.

Answer 2

If I were a mother I sure as heck wouldn't want my children watching this movie - regardless of characters' genders! If it had been a movie with the same kind of content and R rating with a heterosexual couple, it would still be COMPLETELY out of line to show it to students under the 7th grade level. I have friends my age (17/18) who still prefer not to watch R-rated movies. I remember hearing teachers telling me, all through high school, even, that videos with higher than a G rating must be cleared by the principal, and even in my senior year at 18 years old my parents must sign a waiver in order for me to watch an R rated movie (such as Brokeback Mountain) in school, despite the fact that I could watch such a movie at the theater with appropriate ID. What happened to that?

It's not a matter of the characters being gay, straight, whatever - it's a matter of principle. That movie is definitely not one that's pertinent to the agenda of a 5-12 year old, and therefore there's no reason that they should see it.

Answer 3

Personally, I don't think schools should do anything without parental oversight.

THINK. If the schools have the authority to show kids any movie the teacher wants to without any parental input, then they also have the authority to teach them that 1 plus 1 equals 11.

It's not about Homophobia or Tolerance. If the schools can show preteen kids Brokeback Mountain, then they could also show them something like "Triumph of the Will" by Leni Reifenstahl. In fact, a case could be made that the "Fairness Doctrine" demands it.

Nope, the school was totally out of line, and if the people of Chicago have any sense, they'll fire everyone involved including the Mayor, and send them out to California where they belong.

Answer 4

When I went to school they didn't tell us ahead of time that we were watching movies. If I as a student that spent time in that class on a daily basis had no idea what was being shown how are parents supposed to know. Brokeback Mountain is unacceptable to show in school there are several nude scenes.

Answer 5

I can't believe this! As a former teacher I knew I had to get permission from the principal to show G rated moives. If they are G rated then you don't have to ask parents permission. If it is anything else you do! The parent has the right to even question the G rated movie. What the heck was this teacher thinking?

Answer 6

OMG! I was 23 when I first saw that movie. Goodness, I cringed watching it, I can only imagine what those kids felt. WTF is wrong with teachers these days. Parents don't always know whats going on at school. Many times my son has seen a movie or read a book that I didn't know about. The teacher should have notified the parents that such a movie would be shown and leave it up to the parents to decide if they wanted their children to see it. Any normal parent would have said no.

Answer 7

The parents should have known what their child was viewing, so they could have stopped it ahead of time. It is inappropraite to show that movie to kids that are elementary age. High school kids are different, sexual preferences have already been established by then. I don't think children of the elementary age should come from man/woman relationships in their homes to watching same sex relationships at school. I don't think they're old enough to grasp the concept and meaning of a movie like that at such a young age.

Answer 8

if the school is showing an R rated movie which brokeback mountain is..then they are supposed to have permission slips signed by thier parents to watch it.

Answer 9

Uh...No. I would'nt want my kids to watch it. I want their opinions to be influenced by me and I would allow them to form their own opinions but not in elementary school. It's just not the time or place to tackle such an issue as being gay and all that. Heck many of them would not even understand what was going on!

Answer 10

it was a substitute teacher. it was a dumb thing to do, to show an R-rated movie....would have been dumb to show movie rated R for violence, too. As to suing for psychological distress....puh-leeze....I am sure kids hear the words on the playground every day, and if their parents want to pretend to them that gay people & relationships don't exist, those kids are in for a surprise sooner rather than later!