R-rated Movies Given the Boot
The normally liberally minded Montgomery Count, MD school system has upset some of its teachers and parents by issuing a ban on PG-13 rated movies from middle schools and R rated movies from high schools. The teachers have accused administrators of censorship (there’s that word again) but according to school system spokesman Brian K. Edwards “The leadership team did not feel that it was necessary to show R-rated movies as part of the instructional program.” There was no list of specific movies just a guideline that movies with these ratings aren’t appropriate. If the teachers have been paying any attention they would have noticed that PG-13 movies are often a soft R with some bad language and nudity and R movies for the most part have evolved into profanity laced violent movies replete with nudity. This isn’t the case with all movies but with a wide majority and not appropriate for a classroom setting.
I for one am glad to hear of this decision. My children for years have been exposed to these movies particularly at the end of the school year where that is all they do for two weeks is watch movies. Since my children have elected not to watch movies with ratings higher than PG-13 and even then they have choices to make they usually ask to leave the class until the movie is over.
One parent lamented the loss of Romeo & Juliet featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes in the middle schools where Shakespeare is taught. I guess he thinks two young attractive Hollywood stars enmeshed in some steamy scenes will really help students relate better to this classic work. Since most Hollywood movies take extreme liberties when converting books to film I don’t see how this is a big loss for the students.
Up to this point most parents probably weren’t even aware of what types of movies were being shown their children. We always have to give our permission for field trips and sex ed courses but I have yet to see a permission slip for movies.
Sorry students, looks like you will actually have to read some books and do some class work now. Sorry to the teachers who will actually have to teach a lesson rather than leaving education to the likes of DiCaprio and company.
Don Irvine is the Chairman of Accuracy in Media, AIA’s sister organization.
Don Irvine
Donald Irvine is the chairman of of Accuracy in Academia (AIA), a non-profit research group reporting on bias in education. Irvine follows his father’s legacy, Reed Irvine, to critically analyze the liberal media’s bias and brings over thirty years of media analysis experience. He has published countless blog posts and articles on media bias, in context of current events, and he has been interviewed by many news media outlets during his professional career. He currently hosts a livestream weekly show on AIA’s Facebook page which discusses current events.
Irvine graduated from the University of Maryland and rose up the ranks to become chairman of Accuracy in Media until his transition to AIA.
He resides in the suburbs around the nation’s capital and is a proud father and grandfather.
