News Headlines
Source: News-Graphic, Georgetown, Oct. 24, 2009
Parents voice viewing concerns
By Elizabeth Sehon
Some Scott County High School parents are trying to find out if showing R-rated movies in classrooms is breaking the law by contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The heated debate took place Thursday night in the school’s library regarding controversial movies between the Site Based Decision Making Council, parents and teachers.
A concerned mother of five, Karen Roark, said she does not agree with the movies shown in class and received information from an e-mail stating that showing the R-rated movies to students under 17 may be against the law.
“We’re discussing an R-rated policy, when rated-R is the policy,” said concerned parent Rick Thompson.
Roark asked the board if they would seek legal advice from the school’s attorney. SCHS principal, Frank Howatt, said most Kentucky schools show R-rated movies but have a policy.
Members from the board announced they would be looking into legal advice about the matter.
However, some teachers asserted the movies they show, regardless of their rating, are for educational use only.
“The Holocaust was not G-rated,” English teacher Lynn Fiechter said.
Fiechter said when her students leave her room after watching an R-rated movie on the Holocaust they are not asking themselves if it was wrong or right to watch the movie but leave with important facts regarding the Holocaust.
The teachers expressed to the board and parents that they do not show the entire movie, only clips.
Leslie Murphy, a sophomore teacher, said the most she shows of a movie is 30 minutes.
Board member and parent, Nancy Curtis, said teachers must realize that most movies are made by Hollywood executives to entertain and make money and are not for educational purposes.
Murphy said many students are visual learners and need to see something alluring to help them learn.
“They’re surrounded by technology every day and we need something that will draw them in that a picture or art can’t do,” she said.
Another concerned parent, Robbi Barber, said she received an excellent education in Montgomery County without ever watching R-rated movies.
“We don’t need them to make a point,” she said.
The Curriculum Committee presented a policy to the council that stated the school would prepare a list of “pre-approved, curriculum mapped, core-content related movies that may be shown in class.”
Thompson said he believes there are other “avenues” teachers can use other than R-rated movies, such as documentaries.
Roark said she agreed and knew a Holocaust scholar and a Vietnnam War veteran who would come to classrooms to speak.
Annette Williams, English department ch airwoman, said she understands the concern sof parents.
“I’m here as a teacher and parent and we feel strongly about what we show,” she said.
Williams said when raising her daughter, she did not allow her to watch Looney Tunes and under stands that some children are lacking maturity to not mimic what they see.
She explained that the teachers work hard on the student’s curriculum and the movies shown in class have an important and educational meaning.
Williams spoke for her department and said they do not “pop-in” movies to fill time, and are confident in what they show their classrooms.
Barber said there needs to be a return to “wholesome” education from the school.
“I’ll fight until it can’t be fought anymore,” she said.
After the discussion, a count was taken by the board and the school’s movie policy still holds.
The R-rated movies on the English department’s list to “supplement curriculum” are:
The Last of the Mohicans, Into the Wild, Shakespeare in Love, Excalibur, Apocalypse Now, Shindler’s List, The Pianist and Elizabeth.