PG13 Movies at School -- DS is 9

[Cindy B]

I can't believe---

1. That a 3rd grader (my guess) was shown a PG-13 movie without parent approval...not right, IMO.

and

2. That the same 3rd grader has FRENCH class?? I've not known schools to offer foreign languages until Jr High.

My kids began foreign language instruction in Kindergarten. Some schools offered choice to elementary schools (Chinese, French or Spanish). However, now the elementary schools K-5 get Spanish, 6-8th grade get choice of French/Spanish and high school gets to choose from about 6 different languages.

I know when they watch movies in foreign language class they usually watch it in that Language (French/Spanish or whatever) and have an assignment for it.

 

[Talking Hands]

2, DS is actually in grade 4 and this is his first year to have French. I guess since it is Canada's official second language, the kids have to study it but it wasn't offered until grade 9 when I was in school. Still, I think grade 4 is pretty early.

The earlier a foreign language is introduced the easier it is for kids to become fluent in the language. My daughter started Spanish in Kindergarten and by 3rd grade was put in the class for Spanish speakers. Also the earlier a child learns a foreign language the easier to add more languages later.

 

[luvmy3]

I've only had to sign one permission slip to let my dd watch a movie but it was rated R, she is in 7th grade. I have never signed for any other movie for any of my kids, but they have all been G or PG.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My son saw "School of Rock" at 9 or earlier, so I wouldn't be annoyed about THAT movie in particular, but I think I'd be upset that my 9 year old saw a PG-13 movie in school without having a permission slip sent home.

I would certainly complain to administration.

And unless the audio was in French, I'd wonder what it had to do with class.

 

[daisyduck123]

In all honesty, it does sound like one of those Oops moments. We all have them, I am sure your DS will not be permanently harmed from it and lesson learned by all.

This.

 

[AristocatFan]

I work in an elementary school and we don't use permission slips for movies. We just use common sense for age appropriate movies. School of Rock would not be a problem for intermediate grades(3-6) but would for primary(K-2). And Chinese is taught to all grades K-6. They don't have a choice.

 

[CdnBuzzFan]

For those wondering what School of Rock has to do with French, I'd bet that it was shown in French (with English subtitles).

A lot of language classes show dubbed films that in and of themselves have nothing to do with the curriculum. But the language is what's important.

However, I've never heard of a PG 13 film being shown without a permission slip to any grade below 9. (Because 9th graders are generally 13+)

It was in English and had nothing to do with French class. It was shown just because it was the Friday afternoon before the break.

 

[Hannathy]

I don't have a problem with them showing a PG 13. I don't follow the ages very much at all, my kids have seen everything including R's at young ages.

I remember having to sign something for my DD in lit to see a R rated movie.

I also don't see anything wrong with on the Friday afternoon before a break having a fun afternoon !

 

[NAB]

I've never seen a permission form for movies, and I know my kids have watched stuff at school that's rated PG and PG-13.



My kids have had daily French instruction since Junior Kindergarten. We're in Ontario, and they're in the English public board.

Where are you?

This changed two years ago. We only have french now from grade 4 and up. My son had it from kindergarten but my dd on started in grade 4.

Our ratings for movies are different here too and School of Rock is PG.

We never get slips sent home for movies in school. They usually ask kids to bring in what they have at home and they will pick from what is brought in. Of course can't be violence or rated R.

My son's class last year had someone that could only watch G rated movies in class. This was a grade 7 class too.

 

[MAH4546]

OP, you are in Canada. I'm not sure what the United States rating has anything to do with it. The film is rated G in Quebec and PG in the rest of the country. The teacher did nothing wrong, IMO.

Personally I see nothigng wrong with it. School of Rock is a harmless comedy. But I also have no problem with my kids seeing rated R films, either.

 

[MM27]

I'll go a step further and say I think its inappropriate for a school to show any PG-13 movie to 9 year olds period. There's a good reason for a movie to be rated PG-13. As much as kids that age are trying to fit in with their classmates, it would be hard to be one of the kids whose parents were wise enough to not sign the permission slip.

I can't think of any PG-13 movies that I would consider showing in school, but I've shown Akeelah and the Bee, Holes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Snow Dogs and some others that are all PG. I think showing a video can be a great way to make connections to text during literacy periods. That's one of the things I miss about not teaching reading anymore. The great thing with my school's system is that we usually have more than one class watch the video at a time and it's not really a big deal if a parent says no. Some kids just sit in the other classroom with one teacher and do whatever assignment it is they are given.

Unless it's a reward movie that the kids have earned, I always give them something to do while they watch (graphic organizer, compare and contrast chart, etc.) We don't just sit and watch movies for the heck of it.

 

[goofy!]

Wow. Even my middle schooler has a permission form to sign everytime they watch something that is not G.

Count us in too as having to sign permission slips.

I just signed a permission slip for my DS (8th grade) to watch an R movie on the holocaust.

High School - Permission slips only for R
Middle School - Permission slips for R and some PG
Elementary - Permission slips for anything over G, and R never shown

Glad you got an apology. However, I am one to think PG is perfectly ok for 4th grade.

 

[goofy!]

I'll go a step further and say I think its inappropriate for a school to show any PG-13 movie to 9 year olds period. There's a good reason for a movie to be rated PG-13. As much as kids that age are trying to fit in with their classmates, it would be hard to be one of the kids whose parents were wise enough to not sign the permission slip.

If the majority of parents sign the permission slip that it is perfectly ok, then I think it would be terribly unfair to the majority to withhold the material just because one or two parents don't like it.

I respect other people's decisions. But they also need to take responsibility for their decisions and accept the consequences, even if it means another assignment in another room. If the majority approves, you cannot expect them to change for one or two.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If the majority of parents sign the permission slip that it is perfectly ok, then I think it would be terribly unfair to the majority to withhold the material just because one or two parents don't like it.

I respect other people's decisions. But they also need to take responsibility for their decisions and accept the consequences, even if it means another assignment in another room. If the majority approves, you cannot expect them to change for one or two.

If it's related to the curriculum, if you're showing Schindler's List during a study of the Holocaust, or Ruby Bridges while studying the Civil Rights movement, then I can see how changing it counts as "withholding material", but I don't see how it's deprivation to have children do something else beside watch a movie that has nothing to do with what they're studying and isn't even in the target language.

 

[paintnolish]

Disclaimer: I did not read all of the responses and haven't seen School of Rock in a really long time.

Is it possible that the teacher "muted" the screen for objectionable scenes, turned the volume down for objectionable language, or skipped entire scenes? I let seniors watch Young Frankenstein after reading Frankenstein. I pre-screened the film and marked dow the time of anything remotely objectionable and took appropriate action.

 

[aprilgail2]

I can't believe---

1. That a 3rd grader (my guess) was shown a PG-13 movie without parent approval...not right, IMO.

and

.

I have never signed a permission slip for my daughter to watch a movie in school- in 2nd grade they watched movies every Friday and they were either G or PG movies but we never signed anything- not that I cared about that anyway.
But the OP said the child was 9 and that is not 3rd grade..its at least 4th grade and some kids are nine in 5th grade (mine was one of those). So by 5th grade (age 9) my daughter was certainly watching pg13 movies.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I have never signed a permission slip for my daughter to watch a movie in school- in 2nd grade they watched movies every Friday and they were either G or PG movies but we never signed anything- not that I cared about that anyway.
But the OP said the child was 9 and that is not 3rd grade..its at least 4th grade and some kids are nine in 5th grade (mine was one of those). So by 5th grade (age 9) my daughter was certainly watching pg13 movies.

I let my kid do all sorts of things that other parents don't. Like scramble eggs, and skateboard, and watch Lord of the Rings.

But kids at school are a captive audience. The law says that they have to be there. Given that, I think that unless there's a compelling reason, teachers should err on the "overprotective side". After all, if I want my kid to watch LOTR he can do so at home.

As a teacher, I'm pretty horrified that they're watching movies every Friday. Is it in an afterschool program? The idea of giving up 10% of my weekly instructional time for movie watching is . . . .

 

[aprilgail2]

As a teacher, I'm pretty horrified that they're watching movies every Friday. Is it in an afterschool program? The idea of giving up 10% of my weekly instructional time for movie watching is . . . .

Nope- it was class time---teacher graded papers etc during that time--the entire grade did it- they rotated classrooms each week. If a kid had work to make up he went to one room and if they had a test to make up they went to another--the rest of the kids watched a movie.

 

[Kat77]

My 7th grader saw Spaceballs at school this month. I was little shocked they watched THAT movie but whatever.

 

[luvmy3]

My 7th grader saw Spaceballs at school this month. I was little shocked they watched THAT movie but whatever.

I love that movie