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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: R-rated movies being shown in school
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Mike Blakesley
Film God
Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 12-20-2004 10:31 PM
Here's an article from the Billings (Montana) Gazette regarding a controversy about R-rated movies being shown in a high school. Aside from the questions about whether it's appropriate to show R films to skool kids, I'm wondering if this kind of thing is allowed by the film companies?
(Link at end of story)
Skyview principal: Wrong to show R film
By JOHN FITZGERALD
Of The Gazette Staff
Chris Jones thinks showing the movie “Tin Cup” during a health enhancement class is ridiculous.
Skyview principal Bob Whalen completely agrees.
Parents complained during a school board meeting Monday night about the film, which was recently shown to a health education class of Skyview juniors and seniors. It is rated R for brief nudity and foul language.
Interviews with teachers, administrators, and parents have found that the use of cinematic movies in general, and R-rated movies in specific, is rare. But it has occurred.
“With very rare exceptions, R-rated movies don't belong in classrooms,” Jones said. “Parents should be notified if anything at or above the PG-13 rating is going to be shown. … Showing R-rated movies opens up a lot of problems as far as I'm concerned.”
Whalen agrees.
“Tin Cup's” showing “was a wake-up call,” he said. “The movie is not educationally related for any reason so the second half wasn't shown and the teacher was talked to about it. And we're just moving on. Was it poor judgment? Yes. Was it done out of malice? No. She knows it was wrong.”
Jones is not ready to simply move on. She and several other parents have called for the issue to be addressed in school district policy. The Board of Trustees agreed, asking its Education Committee to look at the issue of R-rated movies.
While there is no current policy, there is a districtwide procedure - in place before the movie was shown - that requires any film shown in class to be “relevant to the educational environment.”
Whalen said R-rated films must be reviewed by the principal, all foul language and nudity must be edited out, and students must have a permission slip signed by a parent. Those who do not have a permission slip will be assigned an alternative assignment with no loss of class points.
School procedure regarding the showing of R-rated films “obviously wasn't followed with ‘Tin Cup',” Whalen said.
West High principal Dennis Sulser said he wants teachers to talk to him if there's a question about a movie.
“R-rated movies are certainly questionable,” he said.
He said editing objectionable portions of a film is easy. Just turn the movie off, he said.
He added that movies in general aren't shown very often. “Watching a full-length movie is not the best use of class time, although at times it does happen,” he said, adding that there are some scenes in some movies that are appropriate to use to emphasize an English, social studies or health concepts.
Jones' daughter, who saw “Tin Cup,” also was shown the R-rated “Platoon” in an English class last year, although she opted out of watching the movie. Some of her other children have seen portions of “Apocalypse Now” in an English class while studying the Vietnam War.
The issue will begin its process through the administration at the Dec. 13 Education Committee meeting when Trustee Conrad Stroebe, the committee chair, will ask the committee how they want to proceed.
“We're going to take our time,” Stroebe said. “This is an important issue. Anytime we change policy we need to be cognizant of the process we follow to make sure everyone is heard.”
One of those who wants to be heard is Trustee Gene Jarussi. While he doesn't defend “Tin Cup,” he does bring up other movies.
In a letter to board members, Jarussi wrote “there are R-rated movies that I think might be very appropriate in the classroom. For example, Schlindler's List is R-rated, but I think it addresses the Holocaust in a way that no verbal lecture could. … If you ban R-rated films, what next? R-rated paintings by those we refer to as the masters? R-rated sculptures? Reprints of art found in the Catholic cathedrals in Rome?”
(Link: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?display=rednews/2004/11/18/build/local/35-movies.inc )
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Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-21-2004 09:55 AM
There was a "ban" on teachers showing R-Rated movies in my school, too. Simply because of the fact that nobody was over 18 yet except some of the seniors, and a teacher can't "force" you to watch (or give a quiz on, etc.) an R-Rated movie if you're not old enough.
They did have a type of "r-card" which was just a permission slip the teacher handed out in the beginning of the year, and was kept on file. There were always a few who never turned theirs in and had to leave whenever an R film was shown. (Which was funny, because it was usually the "tough guys" hahaha!)
Movies can be shown in classrooms under the "educational purposes" clause of the Fair Use Act. If the movie was to be "broadcast" over the school's closed circuit TV system, then public performance rights would be in order. But if it's in a classroom setting for educational purposes, they're in the clear.
The school also had a list of "approved" educational movies which also included a handfull of classics or kids movies just for fun. If a teacher wanted to show something not on the list to a class, they would have to submit a reason as to how the film enhances the class, to avoid teachers taking a "break" by just popping in a video. If it was an R-Rated movie not on the list, they had to have a VERY good reason! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Stuff that's R that was on the list were things like Schindler's List, Malcom X and Platoon. The only time I remember a teacher putting in an R-Rated, Non-Educational film was on the last week of school when a teacher brought in A Bronx Tale. Hey kids, just because the movie says ![[fu]](graemlins/fu.gif) every other word doesn't mean you're suddenly allowed to!! Maybe that's why the ban was enacted... because of dumb, parroting children. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
=TMP=
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 12-21-2004 10:06 AM
http://eduscapes.com/seeds/copy.html
quote:
Use of Rental or Purchased “HOME USE ONLY”
If an educational institution purchases a copy of a videocassette or DVD with a warning label “FOR HOME USE ONLY”, it is permissible to use the tape for face-to-face instruction with students (Section 110 - 1, Copyright Act). The key here is that the program is incorporated as part of the systematic teaching activities of the curriculum in which it is being used. The program may not be shown for other than instructional purposes unless a specific agreement is entered into at the time of purchase. The rental of a FOR HOME USE ONLY videotape for classroom use brings issues of contract law into play. Basically, when one rents something, they are agreeing to all conditions of the rental agreement, stated or implied.
http://library.louisiana.edu/Tech/policy_audio_visual.shtml
quote:
Copyright:
The video cassettes and compact discs in the library are subject to the Revised Copyright Act of 1976, Title 17 of the U.S. Code, Sections 101-810, which took effect on January 1, 1978. The library prohibits the use of these materials in any way that violates Federal or State laws. Faculty, staff and students who disregard the copyright policy do so at their own risk and must assume liability for their actions. Videos are for home use and may not be shown outside a family residence, or at a place where a substantial number of people are gathered, regardless of whether admission is charged. Videos may be used in the classroom under the allowances of "fair-use" provided they follow these restrictions:
The performance must be by instructors or by pupils;
The performance must be in connection with face-to-face teaching activities
The entire audience is involved in the teaching activity;
The entire audience is in the same room or general area;
The teaching activities are conducted by a non-profit institution;
The performance takes place in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction;
The videotape is lawfully made or the person responsible had no reason to believe that the videotape was unlawfully made.
Copying a work in its entirety is allowed only in emergency situations, regardless of its intended use. Patrons may refer to the FBI warning at the beginning of the video which states:
The motion picture contained in this videocassette is protected under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. This cassette is sold for home use only and all other rights are expressly reserved by the copyright owner of such motion picture. Any copying or public performance of such motion picture is strictly prohibited and may subject the offender to civil liability and severe criminal penalties. (Title 17, United States Code, Sections 501 and 506).
Dupré library reserves the right to refuse circulation privileges to patrons who knowingly and willfully violate copyright law in their use of library materials including videos and compact discs. If you are in doubt about the use of a work check with the University's Copyright Handbook or with the Copyright Office.
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Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 12-21-2004 12:50 PM
As a teacher here are my personal policies about showing R-rated films in class:
When I worked in the local high schools, full length R-rated films were out of the question. I learned this even before I was certified by speaking with a non-tenured teacher in a neighboring district who was fired for showing Platoon to his sophomores without any parental consent. However, on the other side of the coin, clips from R-rated features showing a visual context to the lecture can be fair game. The cautionary note here is that the clip must be free of sex, nudity, or overly explicit foul language (think of Carlin's comedy act). It has been my experience that most parents wont bitch at all about the violence in a film, but one cuss word (which their son or daughter already are perfect masters of) then watch out!
Now that I teach college the gloves are off. I do limit my full length films to just two. In 20th Century World, I show Enemy at the Gates, which I don't even know the rating; in American Involvement in Vietnam, its Path to War, an HBO production. Granted, these aren't Full Metal Jacket or Apocalypse Now, but they have their moments high schools (and some deans) would frown upon.
Teachers can go overboard on showing film in place of their teaching. I actually see it a lot, so the Tin Cup contraversy didn't strike me as odd at all. In my opinion, film has a place - a very good place - in the classroom. The key is that it must represent the lecture, or part of the lecture perfect enough to provide context, but not to teach the lecture. So many high school teachers now are fed the crap by their university professors to be multi-media and let technology take over THEIR duties for them. Too bad when one thinks about it.
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