“These teachers are supposed to be us when we’re not there. They’re supposed to be role models. […] I wanted the opportunity to have the permission sent to me in form of a permission slip.” – Jane Kazor, mother of a student at Marina High School (in HBUHSD)
And this is precisely why the Huntington Beach Union High School District is considering requiring parental permission for teacher to show R-rated movies in class. Due to all the parents like Jane Kazor expressing concern over “inappropriate material” being shown in class, the district now feels compelled to act. Because of all the uproar, teachers may soon be required to ask their students to return parental permission slips to see movies like “Schindler’s List” or “Saving Private Ryan” or “Little Miss Sunshine” in class.
So what do you think about this proposed new policy for Huntington Beach high schools? Do you think parents should have a say in what movies their kids should see in school? Do you think the district may be going too far in restricting teachers’ curriculum? What do you think about this furor over R-rated movies in class?
I want to hear what you have to say about this proposed policy for HB high schools. Is this affirming parental rights? Or is this going too dangerously close to classroom censorship?
Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away and have your say! 🙂
I really don’t see the problem. I had to get permission to view Oliver Stone’s “Platoon” in High School and it was a good experience. Movie theaters don’t allow kids under a certain age to see films with R ratings.
If they don’t want their kids to see something, don’t have them go that day, it’s not a big deal.
Now as far as teachers having to be parents at school, that’s just bullshit. Teachers are not parents and have no obligation to be parents because everyone parents differently. Teachers can be mentors, friends and allies, but parents? The contradiction in this is astounding.
I think that the rating is there for a reason. It’s the law isn’t it? If movie theaters have to obey it why wouldn’t the schools? It doesn’t make sense that anyone would argue that they wouldn’t. It’s up to the parents to decide what their kid can do not the school. The parents are responsible to make decisions for them whether at school or otherwise. Until 18.
Heather, the problem is that teachers are showing this material in class without notification to the parents. So the parents don’t have the ability to keep the child home from school that day.
I don’t think I would ever have withheld permission for my children to see a movie at school, but I believe parents should have that option. Different parents have different standards.
As for the reason schools sometimes have to act in loco parentis, the sad fact is that many parents these days aren’t acting as parents whatsoever. There’s certainly an open question of whether parents stopped performing many of their parental responsibilities because others had taken them over, or whether others took them over because the parents weren’t doing them. But in many families almost no parenting takes place. As a result, a significant number of children today aren’t learning the societal norms and boundaries that will allow them to function effectively as adults.
We do young people no favors when we fail to teach them appropriate boundaries.
We have developed a DVD player that can filters the movie content. Are product is now at best buy and target and can be purchased for a little as $49.95. The DVD player is called ClearPlay and it gives the user the choices of what he or she wants to see. For example, it can filter nudity, and swearing. The ClearPlay dvd player does not alter the dvd in any way. Let us know if we can help or please visit the web site at http://www.clearplay.com
call me a grammar snob if you will.
i doubt i’ll be interested in purchasing anything from somebody who interchanges OUR and ARE when trying to market a product.
spell-check does not equal proofreading.
Gila – I was saying that I agree that parents should have a choice and they should be made to give permission. And if they don’t want their children to see it, their kids can skip the class, that’s with notice.
So I agree with you about that. And boundaries are a huge issue and consequences. Parents are shielding their children from their choices rather than having them face the outcome of poor choices. It’s unfortunate that they are robbing them chances to make mistakes when it’s not as harmful as when they are adults and they affect far more people with their mistakes.
One of the main things causing problems in the schools, is too much parental bullying of the kids – and the schools. The job of schools is to educate the next generation of US citizens, not pander to the often overly restrictive and religious-based controlling efforts of far too many parents. And no, OC Parent, they are not yours to make decisions for until 18 – not when they’re at school! We the People have public schools in part, precisely to OVERCOME the bad and over-parenting that many homes have; to give children an environment in which to learn and grow even if they have jerks for parents. There’s plenty of non-school time for parents to deal with their children.
Wow…So many great comments but one…and that one is what I will be commenting on today…JHOOPER in regards to your comment about me being a jerk I am forced to believe you must be one of these Horrible teachers that WE as parents in Orange County have to endure say in and day out in public schools systems. in what planet are you from .Oh..I know the planet where teachers show films with sex and heroine use as well as over 30 f words are from. You see it’s people like you that should never be a parent or a teacher…Oh and by the way if you have a child in Huntington Beach schools…Your welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Jane Kazor