Appropriate Censorship at High School Level

[MSSANDRA]

While I agree that the "shock factor" is what some people, not just teens, need to take some situations seriously, there are some people (of all ages) whom simply are overly disturbed by images such as this. While I do think it was ok to share this material with high school kids, it would have been respectful of the instructor to mention how graphic some of the pictures are and invite people to turn their heads if they need to. My niece, whom we helped raise has had a lot of trauma and loss in her life and images such as these, really put her in distress. If she was shown these in a class at school, she would have had to be picked up from school. I had a cousin that was a under cover drug agent. He agreed to do a program for our teen church group. I was shocked at the pictures and stories he shared with these kids but it made a HUGE impact on them. They are all college or older now and they still remember that program and not one of them has touch drugs.

 

[Jedana]

Back in the day (88, I think it was), we watched a film that showed a decapitated body with the head laying about 20 feet away during drivers ed. It had been filmed in our state--guy fell asleep at the wheel, was leaning out the window and hit the overpass.

I've seen worse when I was younger. Dad was a fireman, and an arson inspector for some of my childhood, and he used to bring home pictures and study them. I never never never played with matches.

Though once I did play with fireworks, and caught the woods behind the apartments on fire. Didn't do much damage---scorched a small area and a tree, but only because I ran right home to tell my sister, who called 911 and grabbed the fire extinguisher and ran out the door within 3 minutes of it happening.

Man, was my behind sore for a long long time. deservedly so.

Edited to add: I have no problem with the pictures. However, I think the parents should be notified ahead of time, and be given the option of pulling their student from the class. We went to see Schindler's List in my senior year, during sociology class, at the movies, and the parents had to sign a consent form.

 

[melancholywings]

Secondly, this is not an elective. It is our mandatory junior health class. I am not going to be a sports trainer, and most people in my class aren't either.

I do not understand the nightclub fire video. The 100 people who died did nothing wrong. And yet we had to watch a video of them trapped, burning alive. What was that supposed to teach us-how to properly build a nightclub?

I think more along these lines. Multiple boys in my class made comments like the one you mentioned.

Also, we had a student in our class who's brother in law was hit by a car while watering his lawn a couple months ago. It was a very brutal accident. I can't imagine how awful it was for her to see these.

Did they at least send permission slips home for the parents to sign before viewing the film? And were you allowed to op out of the video, instead doing a different assignment for credit?

I would also recommend talking to a parent about it, even more so if it's bothered you. Before talking to someone at the school.

 

[cornflake]

Did they at least send permission slips home for the parents to sign before viewing the film? And were you allowed to op out of the video, instead doing a different assignment for credit?

I would also recommend talking to a parent about it, even more so if it's bothered you. Before talking to someone at the school.

They're high school juniors. Permission slips before viewing a film? One presumes they're old enough to do something about it themselves if it really bothered them.

There was a movie (like a fictional movie) shown in a high school class of mine that bothered me, so I told the teacher it was bothering me and left.

 

[LilyWDW]

Did they at least send permission slips home for the parents to sign before viewing the film? And were you allowed to op out of the video, instead doing a different assignment for credit?

I would also recommend talking to a parent about it, even more so if it's bothered you. Before talking to someone at the school.

They never sent permission slips home for anything at that point in my high school career unless it had us leaving campus for something. Especially not for a film in health class.

And I went to a pretty strict school... and the film the OP described sounds just like what we saw at our pre-prom assembly.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think, depending on the context and how the films were presented, that what was shown was entirely appropriate for older high school students.
I don't think there needs to be a permission slip going home either.

I know some people are extremely sensitive to this type of thing. I was for a long time and my son still is. He had a similar situation at the end of 6th grade. Even at 12, when he was begin shown images that really, seriously bothered him and he felt he could not handle, he was able to get up and pull the teacher aside and quietly explain and asked to be allowed to do some other assignment and st in the hallway for the duration. I would certainly expect high school juniors who are THAT bothered by the images to be able to handle it themselves in a similar way.

 

[melancholywings]

They're high school juniors. Permission slips before viewing a film? One presumes they're old enough to do something about it themselves if it really bothered them.

There was a movie (like a fictional movie) shown in a high school class of mine that bothered me, so I told the teacher it was bothering me and left.

They're still minors and at least the school should have notified the parents. Not all families share the same religious or moral beliefs.
It amazes me how our culture gets up in arms about sex education in high school (including the acceptance of gay lifestyles or giving out condoms so that these kids who are having sex can protect themselves). But to show them graphic and intense videos of death is acceptable.

 

[Mkrop]

They're still minors and at least the school should have notified the parents. Not all families share the same religious or moral beliefs.
It amazes me how our culture gets up in arms about sex education in high school (including the acceptance of gay lifestyles or giving out condoms so that these kids who are having sex can protect themselves). But to show them graphic and intense videos of death is acceptable.

Last I checked...yes gay marriage and premarital sex are against some people's faith (I have no problems with either)

but

accidents scenes are not against any moral or relgious beliefs I am aware of. Accidents and people who cause them can come from any faith or nonfaith.

 

[cornflake]

They're still minors and at least the school should have notified the parents. Not all families share the same religious or moral beliefs.
It amazes me how our culture gets up in arms about sex education in high school (including the acceptance of gay lifestyles or giving out condoms so that these kids who are having sex can protect themselves). But to show them graphic and intense videos of death is acceptable.

As above, what do religious or moral beliefs have to do with accident films?

Also, where does that idea stop? I mean yes, they're minors but at what point is parental permission not needed for every little thing and they can deal themselves? I don't recall a permission slip being sent home for any movie or film anything we viewed ... ever, nevermind in h.s., just for taking us out of the school during school hours in elementary.

High schools show lots of films and random stuff - I can't imagine sending slips home for everything. I know a girl in an anatomy class recently watched a film with horribly gross medical experiments through history clips. No one sent a slip home - there'd be endless slips and that has nothing to do with religion, which should either be coming up because it's a private school and it's fine or it's a public school and it'll only come up in larger terms.

In my high school, trip permission slips were only for the big 'everyone on a rented bus to a different locale' thing. We went out to the park for gym a lot; the science teacher liked to take a class or one of the clubs he ran out to see some exhibit or to the park to do something - he'd just make sure we all had enough train fare. Heck, a lit teacher once randomly decided we should all go read poetry under trees. I think she was bored.

As I said there was a movie shown that bothered me - I left and told the teacher. It'd never have occurred to me to go home and tell anyone, and if I had, I'd have gotten 'well did you leave? Why're you telling us now?'

 

[luvmy3]

As a parent, no, I would not be okay with my child being shown graphic images such as that. True, you'd see images just as bad in a rated R horror movie, but that's why you need to be 18 and older to watch them. I hope my children don't want to watch that kind of stuff when they are older anyways.

It doesn't sound to me like any of those images had anything to do with driving, especially the burning people.

You hope your kids don't want to watch R rated horror movies when they are older?

I wouldn't have an issue with my Jr. in HS seeing those images, its real life.

 

[LilyWDW]

You hope your kids don't want to watch R rated horror movies when they are older?

I wouldn't have an issue with my Jr. in HS seeing those images, its real life.

So no:
Passion of the Christ
Saving Private Ryan
Rain Man
The Green Mile
Slumdog Millionaire
Good Will Hunting
The King's Speech
The Godfather
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (I think I watched this in... High School!)
Black Hawk Down

Should I keep going?

 

[luvmy3]

So no:
Passion of the Christ
Saving Private Ryan
Rain Man
The Green Mile
Slumdog Millionaire
Good Will Hunting
The King's Speech
The Godfather
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (I think I watched this in... High School!)
Black Hawk Down

Should I keep going?

I guess not, but some of those on your list don't have gruesome images of death, which I assume is what the pp meant.
I'm pretty liberal with what I let my kids watch, my 9 year old has seen a number of R rated movies. I couldn't imagine hoping that he doesn't want to watch horror movies when he's older. I loved and still love horror movies, nothing like a good scare!

As far as the real life images shown in the OP's class, they are a part of life. I have a 15 year old dd who is a freshman, if she came home and told me about her seeing them I wouldn't be mad. That isn't to say I expect her not to be disturbed, some kids will be, some won't but as a parent its not something I'd make an issue with the school about.

 

[RMulieri]

I think it is inappropriate and barbaric. Not all kids are the same, or share the same sensitivity to those kind of images. I was shown a couple of films like this in school and it influenced me in unintended ways. Other classmates got off on how gross it was 'Did you see that dude! He was totally sawed in half!'.

Also some kids have a different sensitivity to death and may have had family that that have died in accidents. Or may in the future. The last thing a child who's dealing with that needs is to see is horrific images of accidents. It makes you wonder for the rest of your life if that's how your love one looked, or if that's how they suffered.

Also I question how 'educational' it really is. You don't need to put a kids hand in a flame to teach them it's hot. And I believe it's possible to talk about safety with out 'shock and aweing' a classroom of students with graphic images.

This is a SPORTS MEDICINE class..And they are juniors who are getting ready to think about careers and apply to college, some of which may be thinking about a career in the medical field.They will be seniors and going out into the real world next summer.I think it is totally within the scope of a health class to show this material.. Heck they showed StD pictures and childbirth videos in highschool too.We also saw similar accident footage in health class at that age..Besides, sometimes you can talk about such things, but until you see them you don't really "get it"..I had such light and airy notions of nursing school..Before I went through the program.My first day as a student nurse on the floor I was in NO WAY prepared for what I saw

 

[thedonduck]

In regards to the permission slip, I sent some home at the beginning of the school year for all of my HS students' parents to sign. It was just a general overview of the videos I showed throughout the year (the ones that were R) and they had the option to cross off any they objected to. We were not required by the school to do so, but it was kind of a CYA for myself when it came to parental complaints for certain movies. All students had to bring them back signed by their parent/guardian. I didn't care if the student was 18 (or 19 in a few cases) as they are seen as minors in the eyes of the school (i.e. we as teachers are in charge of your well being when you are in this building).

Before I started the begin of the year slip, I used to send one home for each movie. But that was a major pain when students didn't bring them back in time! So I switched to one general one asking for permission to view in R movies.

In regards to what was seen in this class. OP, you may have felt upset about what you saw, but honestly as a junior in HS you really need to start seeing the reality of the world around you. Viewing such tragedies effects individuals differently. Hopefully what was seen helped change even just one person's opinion on things and that will help save a life.

 

[melancholywings]

accidents scenes are not against any moral or relgious beliefs I am aware of. Accidents and people who cause them can come from any faith or nonfaith.

I find it morally wrong to use faces of death videos as an educational 'scare tactic' tool. I put it up there with with corporal punishment. Both are disrespectful. Morals are not necessarily tied to faith, but are principles of right vs. wrong.

This is a SPORTS MEDICINE class..And they are juniors who are getting ready to think about careers and apply to college, some of which may be thinking about a career in the medical field.They will be seniors and going out into the real world next summer.I think it is totally within the scope of a health class to show this material.. Heck they showed StD pictures and childbirth videos in highschool too.We also saw similar accident footage in health class at that age..Besides, sometimes you can talk about such things, but until you see them you don't really "get it"..I had such light and airy notions of nursing school..Before I went through the program.My first day as a student nurse on the floor I was in NO WAY prepared for what I saw

I would agree with you if it was a college course, but the OP clarified it wasn't a sports medicine class but a mandatory health class. In my school (and DD's middle school) health class is the same as P.E. The OP also said that the majority of the kids were not interested in becoming doctors.

Also videos of babies/STD's are not the same as videos of people dying. It's an entirely different emotional response. Seeing a baby born may be gross but it's a generally accepted to be an emotional happy occasion, seeing an STD is gross but usually emotionally embarrassing. Yet seeing a person die can be gross but is emotionally distressing and sad. They are not the same at all. If the video is educational - what could they possibly learn about watching a club full of people burn to death? How to violently kill a lot of people?

Also there's a possibility that one of those kids may have already faced the death of a loved one. Which in the OP's class was true. It's insensitive to show videos of that nature to a kid who's possibly going through grieving. It's a delicate issue that should be shown a lot of sensitivity regardless of the age of the students.

A teacher sending a note home shows a lot of sensitivity and respect for the students and their families.

 

[cornflake]

I find it morally wrong to use faces of death videos as an educational 'scare tactic' tool. I put it up there with with corporal punishment. Both are disrespectful. Morals are not necessarily tied to faith, but are principles of right vs. wrong.

You mentioned religion as well. Corporal punishment? I don't even remotely understand.

I would agree with you if it was a college course, but the OP clarified it wasn't a sports medicine class but a mandatory health class. In my school (and DD's middle school) health class is the same as P.E. The OP also said that the majority of the kids were not interested in becoming doctors.

Also videos of babies/STD's are not the same as videos of people dying. It's an entirely different emotional response. Seeing a baby born may be gross but it's a generally accepted to be an emotional happy occasion, seeing an STD is gross but usually emotionally embarrassing. Yet seeing a person die can be gross but is emotionally distressing and sad. They are not the same at all. If the video is educational - what could they possibly learn about watching a club full of people burn to death? How to violently kill a lot of people?

Also there's a possibility that one of those kids may have already faced the death of a loved one. Which in the OP's class was true. It's insensitive to show videos of that nature to a kid who's possibly going through grieving. It's a delicate issue that should be shown a lot of sensitivity regardless of the age of the students.

A teacher sending a note home shows a lot of sensitivity and respect for the students and their families.

Many people have said their health classes included similar videos of traffic accidents, etc. and there are people whose classes involved trips to the morgue for the same reason.

Maybe the club thing was a general safety thing. Or a fire thing.

If a student was upset, they were free to do something about it.

Personally, I think it's more respectful to presume that h.s. students can deal with something like that and if they can't, that they can handle THAT themselves. I don't get how it's respectful to send home permission slips before h.s. students can view films - it treats them like tiny children.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Originally Posted by pinktink83
True, you'd see images just as bad in a rated R horror movie, but that's why you need to be 18 and older to watch them. I hope my children don't want to watch that kind of stuff when they are older anyways.

You don't even have to go to an R rated movie for that anymore. There was a CSI last week that showed very graphic images of a man cut in half by a chainsaw. Very gross. And that's on broadcast television.

 

[Mkrop]

I find it morally wrong to use faces of death videos as an educational 'scare tactic' tool. I put it up there with with corporal punishment. Both are disrespectful. Morals are not necessarily tied to faith, but are principles of right vs. wrong.



I would agree with you if it was a college course, but the OP clarified it wasn't a sports medicine class but a mandatory health class. In my school (and DD's middle school) health class is the same as P.E. The OP also said that the majority of the kids were not interested in becoming doctors.

Also videos of babies/STD's are not the same as videos of people dying. It's an entirely different emotional response. Seeing a baby born may be gross but it's a generally accepted to be an emotional happy occasion, seeing an STD is gross but usually emotionally embarrassing. Yet seeing a person die can be gross but is emotionally distressing and sad. They are not the same at all. If the video is educational - what could they possibly learn about watching a club full of people burn to death? How to violently kill a lot of people? Also there's a possibility that one of those kids may have already faced the death of a loved one. Which in the OP's class was true. It's insensitive to show videos of that nature to a kid who's possibly going through grieving. It's a delicate issue that should be shown a lot of sensitivity regardless of the age of the students.

A teacher sending a note home shows a lot of sensitivity and respect for the students and their families.

You were the one who brought up religion...this has nothing to due with that. And I do not get the correlation btw corporal punishment, something illegal in most states, and showing these videos.

The videos are an educational tool and they are everyday life. If a older teen cant handle these images, they themselves should be able to ask to be excused, they dont need mommy and daddy to get them out of there.

I guess since my dad died of a heart attack I should never view anything with a person suffering a heart attack in it, or learn about heart attacks because it might be too traumatic for me. That is ridiculous btw.

 

[RMulieri]

I find it morally wrong to use faces of death videos as an educational 'scare tactic' tool. I put it up there with with corporal punishment. Both are disrespectful. Morals are not necessarily tied to faith, but are principles of right vs. wrong.



I would agree with you if it was a college course, but the OP clarified it wasn't a sports medicine class but a mandatory health class. In my school (and DD's middle school) health class is the same as P.E. The OP also said that the majority of the kids were not interested in becoming doctors.

Also videos of babies/STD's are not the same as videos of people dying. It's an entirely different emotional response. Seeing a baby born may be gross but it's a generally accepted to be an emotional happy occasion, seeing an STD is gross but usually emotionally embarrassing. Yet seeing a person die can be gross but is emotionally distressing and sad. They are not the same at all. If the video is educational - what could they possibly learn about watching a club full of people burn to death? How to violently kill a lot of people?

Also there's a possibility that one of those kids may have already faced the death of a loved one. Which in the OP's class was true. It's insensitive to show videos of that nature to a kid who's possibly going through grieving. It's a delicate issue that should be shown a lot of sensitivity regardless of the age of the students.

A teacher sending a note home shows a lot of sensitivity and respect for the students and their families.

Death and dying are parts of life, and not always pretty.Grieving is also a NORMAL human response.Sure some people handle grief differently and some not so well..But heck I know some ADULTS that don't handle it well either.Like I said they are JUNIORS In highschool, about to make career and life decisions,some of which may be in the fields of Medicine and First response, which is not all sunshine and babies..Could the school send home a note? sure, but honestly I don't see this as a big deal.I saw similar videos when I was that age and in high school .They also made us sit thru it again right before Senior prom..You can't shelter kids forever

 

[nmmom95]

I went to a Catholic high school and we had to watch The Silent Scream sophomore year.

I don't have a problem with my kids watching age appropriate videos. As a junior in high school, in a sports medicine class, I think the graphic nature is fine.

As a junior, you are talking about someone who is nearly an adult.