August 24, 2007
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300
A history teacher at Westside Middle School decided to play the a few minutes of the R-rated movie “300″ in class. A parent was upset because the movie had “prolonged scenes of female nudity, sex acts, lesbian and homosexual content.”
The school administration reported that the clip that was shown had no profanity, no nudity, no violence.” Here is the link: Link
Is it appropriate to show a movie like “300″ to middle school kids as long as you don’t show the profanity, nudity and violence?
Comments (126)
sure
wait but waht did the administartion say abotu teh homosexual content?
the parent should be more upset that they showed that shitty movie like it was actually history.
I don’t see why not.
You should consent the parents first.
I don’t see why not though.
Or they should have rather.
i guess since it was censored, it was reasonable to show it. why anyone would actually want to watch it all is beyond me…
hey cool I got first
yay me
sure. but were’s the fun in that?
I just enjoyed that movie for the harem. Gives a man something to aspire to. If you know what I mean.
And I think frankly the parent was probably one of those nutso religious douchebags who thinks restricting anything fun and entertaining is the way to holiness.
It’s not only ok to show the full movie with profanity, homosexuality, nudity and violence, in fact, it should be a required part of the curriculum. How will the fledgelings learn how to cope with the real world otherwise, which is loaded with profanity, homosexuality, nudity and violence? And where better to do so than in a supervised enviroment?
I don’t really think that’s good fare for that particular audience in a public school setting. For one thing the film was 90% fantasy. I don’t see the educational value in it.
It’s inappropriate not to show the nudity.
The contempt that you puritan assholes have for the naked body never ceases to amaze me.
“For one thing the film was 90% fantasy. I don’t see the educational value in it. “~Ur_Muse
While it’s true that much of the movie was pure hollywood, what the movie does depict in truth is how successful the Spartans were in cultivating a race of nearly invincible warriors.
Its an iffy topic. Personally I enjoyed the film, but I’m not sure there is very much academic material in that film to warrant showing it in a school, beyond the ever-popular “don’t let your hunchbacks go to war”.
“decided to play the a few minutes of”
care to clarify? =)
the biggest problem is probably kids coming home and wanting to watch it, though i dont personally see a problem with it
For educational purposes. Though it wouldn’t hurt to send a permission slip home, for gosh sake’s!
of course
I had to sign a permission slip for my child to watch the movie Ghandi in middle school. If there was some pertinent reason to be showing excerpts of that movie in class, permission slips should have been required.
yeah… we saw parts of “gladiator” in middle school ( i think 7th grade & because what we were doing in class, pertained to the movie) and we had to get a permission slip signed by our parents.
I see no problem with showing a clip that has no problem issues in it. Then again, students at a certain religious university I attended nearly rioted when a professor suggested in chapel that they could benefit from watching certain R rated movies and showed similar clips from those movies.
I showed a clip of “Saving Private Ryan” and a clip from “Band of Brothers” to my Senior High Sunday School class.
No violence, or nudity, though.
And how did the parent know all that stuff was in the film, huh?
sure.
We once watched clips of “Gladiator” and “The Matrix” in Bible study a couple years ago..
For a historical purpose of course.
what do you have left of the movie if the violence, nudity, and profanity? they’re just spoiling it for the kids. 300 is a sickkk-awesome movie. i’d watch the WHOLE thing. there is no way i could only stand a “few minutes” of it. GOTTA watch the WHOLE thing.
Yeah, we used to do it all the time in middle school, we’d watch Glory or The Alamo or The Patriot, but only PG bits. Now, though, in high school, we could really watch anything. R rated just means a permission slip that the teachers didn’t care about having returned.
Yeah. I hate overprotective, moronic parents like that, who can’t even handle the very THOUGHT of a naked person or a “bad word” in the presence of their precious, innocent children. Come on, it’s middle school. I knew all about that stuff back then, or at least thought I did.
I think so.
Is it appropriate to show a movie like “300″ to middle school kids as long as you don’t show the profanity, nudity and violence?
What does that leave? The ending credits?
…why not?
Sure… Although I don’t see that it has any great relavance to real history.
as long as a letter was sent home explaining the pertinence of the movie to the lesson, and the clip to be seen ( which goes with out saying it shouldn’t contain any problem issues ), with an attached permission slip to be signed by parents.
~ as far as the question of how the parent knew what was in the movie — review can been obtained everywhere on the ‘net without viewing the movie -~
maybe not in middle school.. but honestly – there was nothing bad shown. she should not get in toruble.
My Sophmore English Teacher showed me the trailer last year.
It’s fine, especially if the “bad parts” are being censored. Make a big deal out of nothing, why don’t you, oh overprotective parents…
I guess but, the more important question here is why did they show a R-rated movie in the first place? Did it have something to do with what they are teaching in their history class?
When I was in english class, they showed Romeo and juliet…. And that had Juliets boobs. ( the older version, not decrappo)
Yeah, it is. I used to watch rated R movies all the time in my history class in middle school. My teacher used to fast-forward the movie during the sex scenes and the violent parts. We never had to sign any permission slips, he just showed it to us. As long as the teacher doesn’t show the inappropriate parts, I don’t see why the kids can’t see the movie.
Without those 3, I suppose the teacher was just going to be talking about the movie, and showing the middle school children only the box, ending credits, and a single scene containing bad dialogue.
Only slightly sarcastic.
The parent is probably an idiot that didn’t look at what they were signing as far as consent forms at the beginning of the year.
Oh, and that is definitely not an accurate account of history.
Sure, the credits are awesome!
yes…that happened once at our school when they showed scenes of saving private ryan…parents these days are stupid
I would be bitchslapping that history teacher for showing something that from all acounts is not technically accurate. Isn’t that the greater problem?…
Yes, I see nothing wrong with kids that age watching the credits role.
Because, you know, that’s all that’d be left.
I just wonder why the teacher chose to show that part of the film, when it was the worst part!
What part of 300 could possibly be shown as education material for middle schoolers? As much as I am against censorship, the teacher should have expected to get in trouble. The movie is rated “R” for a reason; no one under 17 without parental consent should be seeing it. Permission slips should have been handed out prior to the showing.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with it as long as you leave out those parts. When I was in school several of my teachers did the same–multiple times. It’s no big deal.
Considering there was no real educational value to the movie; I think it was inappropriate. If it was a movie with educational value and the junk was cut out; I would not be opposed. Where we live, we sign for stuff like that up to HS then the kids watch most everything in school (not all that happy with it but I have to hope my kids are on a good path by this time and can make good decisions based on the values they have been brought up with).
My Highschool Physics class watched 300 after all of the AP testing was done.
middle school is not the approriate place to show “300.” Even if you sent home permision slips, I say, “No.”
Those of you who are saying that there is no educational value to this movie are just wrong.
For a person largely ignorant of Greek history, the movie could be misleading. The idea that the Spartans were freedom-fanatics, for example, was a misconstruity, as the real Spartans reduced their conquered enemies to the ranks of serfs who worked a Spartan soldier’s land, with most of the produce going to the Spartan state to feed the citizens.
On the other hand, if a history student watches the movie with the guidance of a history teacher to separate the myth from the truth, then the movie has great educational value after all. If nothing else, the movie drives home the point that the Spartans were pound by pound the fiercest warriors who have ever lived.
And the sex scene provides worlds more educational material on how to fuck proper than a student is presented with in their laughable sex ed classes.
i don’t see anything wrong with what the teacher did. But that’s the thing with teaching.. there’s always that one parent that’s going to complain to the high heavens (then blame you for their child failing).
that movie was stupid. how bout some gladiator?
’tis fine!
usually you have to get parents permission to show anything in class. at least that was how it was when i was in school.
it’s not cool because that movie SUCKED.
Those Spartans were a bloody grim lot….and that parent seriously ought to shut the hell up, get over it and move on.
’nuff said…
Well… for one, gotta get the parents’ permission first for a ‘R’ rated movie. Secondly, I think that if the content shown is appropriate, and it has a purpose to it, then go for it, but get the permission first. I’ve seen movies in high school that showed brief nudity (women’s breasts), and it was, of course, Romeo and Juliet.
And I second what Yohsiph said about using the film by a history teacher to separate fact from fiction.
’nuff said…
The funny thing is, that was common during those times. What the hell are teachers expected teach about ancient Greece?
*Expected to teach?
I have no objection to that, but I find it hard to believe that
any part of Frank Miller’s work could be devoid of such things.
There’s no part of the movie that doesn’t have those three things. But it’s still a good movie. There’s no need to show movies in school anyway.
You know, in high school, they made us read stories like In Cold Blood and A Farewell to Arms, or I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, even though they’re VERY violent and have very descriptive sex scenes, but yet we were only allowed to watch G rated movies, because in movies, sex and violence is wrong.
I don’t understand that at all.
No. It’s not that historically accurate. o.O
Loosen up.
well first off… great movie…
caption america up there thinks its suposted to be real… uh no…
anywho u can show clips from movies with out it being offencive
They show 100% of schindlers list in school. (No offense) But using that and other documentary type videos as an example, they should allow it as long as there is no prophanity and language like that.
Well….sorda…it would give us the idea to watch the whole thing. Thus….not so much.
It’s probably okay, but it would still be best to get parental conscent.
consent*
no
I, personally love this movie. But its stated in the news link that the teacher showed the first five to seven minuets of the movie, which is the part describing how a Spartan boy becomes a Spartan warrior.
The violence in this part is when he kills the wolf, which in fact is shown via a shadow.
Now if its 6/7/8th graders, this is basically nothing. If the kids go hunting, or play video games, its really nothing.
But on the other hand, there is a point in that section when they show King Leonidis (sp?) as a child, punching another child. But again kids theses days see much worse.
So the teacher was right in showing the clip, it pertains to the lesson.
Thats just my opinion.
um, the parents should have been asked to give approval.
Most of those kids probably downloaded it from the internet anyway…
um, the parents should have been asked to give approval.
yes.
yes because to a certain degree it is educational.
if it was only a clip- i’d have to see the clip in order to give an honest opinion.
the entire film, uncensored? no way.
If the movie had something to do with the class the teacher should send home permission slips and explain the scene that he/she would be showing. Then s/he would allow any parent who would like to , to arrange to see the clip after school someday and/or the child/children whose parents didn’t like them seeing the movie would be taken out of the class when it was shown and if an assignment was given, they would be given an alternative assignment or it would not be counted on their grade at all.
Well, Middle School Teenagers were most of the people who saw that movie, myself included
why don’t you ask the kids? they’ve probably heard about the movie or found a way to see it regardless of what their superiors think. pretending it isn’t so would be naive.
I remember in middle school religious education, in one class we watched a video that had sex, prostitutes, and everyone was nude. I’m sure there was probably violence as well.
I don’t seem to have been scarred for life.
So I really doubt that a clip containing nothing of the above will do much harm. To be fair, maybe he should have gotten parental permission, but I really doubt the kids haven’t seen any of this on TV anyway.
We watched a few movies of shakespeare plays in middle school that contained nudity. I don’t see what is so wrong with showing a clip without any of that stuff.
Do these parents protest their kids watching TV because there is nudity and foul language on some TV stations?
In this day and age of email you get the email addys of the parents, email them the clip and then ask them to give permission for their children to see it in the context of the class room. A simple CYA solves the problem. If schools would communicate with the parents then this garbage wouldn’t be an issue.
its innapropriate to show anything that the parent is uncomfortable with.. the teacher should still have gotten parents approval for even just that scene…
Isn’t there something called parental consent or whatever.. Maybe they should have thought of that before showing the clip and the parents getting all anal.
sure
“While it’s true that much of the movie was pure hollywood, what the movie does depict in truth is how successful the Spartans were in cultivating a race of nearly invincible warriors.”
Incorrect, 300 was not only historically inaccurate, it was also racist against Persians, it was released on the eve of Norouz (Persian New Year) and Frank Miller (the original maker of the comic) was known to have anti-Middle-Eastern views.
Spartans were not nearly invincible, they fought at Thermopylae with 6,000-7,000 Greeks and defended the pass against two waves of the Persian army, the first wave being a wave of Median mercenaries and the 2nd a wave of immortals, not the “entire Persian army”. Also, their entire formation was defensive, not offensive, they did not go offensive slashing around out of their barrier, they basically created a blockade and waited it out until the Persians found a pass that went from behind.
I’ve posted YouTube videos before on past accounts that describe every single inaccuracy from the clothes worn to the weapons, to the depiction of the Persian Empire. I could not find one single historically accurate thing in that movie except for the fact that Spartans and Persians existed, but even then one would have no idea who those people were simply by watching this butchering of history.
the movie figures are no different from action figure toys and barbie dolls. barbie dolls with muscles.
most kids I know loved this; and it has some great things in it. HOWEVER comments from parents are true. Even to show the clip, without all the objectionable stuff, IS promoting the video itself. Very interesting point. How to get parents into the current school system? obviously, there is some need here. more cooperation within content and orientation of teaching itself. More input on curriculum. Charter schools offer promise of this. much planning ahead, and time investment and many things involved. Not easy.
Perhaps some sensitivity would hav been better. Like preview to parents on what was upcomming. I am sure the teacher was not shocked at the reaction.
Prayers for us all!
The teacher should have at least sent home some sort of permission slip, at the very least.
While I disagree with the parent in this case, the teacher has a responsibility to respect those people who feel that way.
Teachers try to use relevant material that kids are interested in, and they’re slapped down from every side. It’s no wonder so many of them give up trying and get cynical.
Yes, I think teachers should be able to show clips in class, providing they screen it carefully to make sure nothing inappropriate is involved.
I also think that some parents need to untwist their testicles out of the tight bunch in their panties.
I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know.
If the kids have signed a permission slip saying their parents think it’s okay for them to watch, then sure. But really, 300 is such a gorey movie that I don’t think middle schoolers should be watching it, permission slip or not.
If it was appropriately sensored…it is fine.
Meh. I think they’re overreacting.
It can be appropriate if a certain clip that doesn’t have the graphic stuff in it can explain or help teach something better than just words.
In fact, with older kids, there are some clips that may even be worth showing that do have some disagreeable content in it (with the parents’ permission) like Amistad or whatever.
we watched the entire of braveheart, gladiator, and the patriot in seventh grade history. we watched the entire of saving private ryan this past year in history (10th)
why not?
Yep
Definitely
Yeah. I mean a clip with nothing R rated could have very easily been in the previews that were on TV.
That was a strange movie. Notice the scary dude in the picture. He was much scarier in the movie.
D more or less accurate depiction of d phalanx as d key to victory has sum kind of illustrative value. D rest is pure filler. But showin dat movie could could warp kids. Next thing u kno theyll b havin sex n startin wars in their undies n capes.
Years ago my kid couldn’t bring Home alone 2 to school they said it was too violent…
Heh,
Parental permission should be gotten first from ALL of the students parents.
yes, as long as you’re not showing them the bad parts.
It’s a movie with a historical context, and the teacher was showing it in the context of education. As long as there was no profanity, nudity or other objectionable things in the clip, I don’t see a problem. It’s good to be hawkish on these issues but not to a ridiculous degree.
No R rated movie should be shown without parental consent. If the kids aren’t old enough to see it in a theater without permission, they are not old enough to see it in a classroom without permission.
all they got was a clip. They showed this movie, in its intiraty, at my daughters school once:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093389/
lol, I mis spelled a few words
If you don’t show anything that makes it a rated R movie, it’s technically a rated G movie.
The school should always ask parental permission first.
It’s rated R. Those kids are under 14 yrs old. NO.
Why the hell would you be watching 300 in school?
Take the profanity, nudity, and violence out of a movie like 300 and you have… ???
you know, parts of the bible are pretty gruesome and yet we sell them as children’s stories… if there’s nothing offensive in the clip, what’s the problem? now if they forced kids to watch the whole movie, i’d have issues with it, but otherwise, i think those parents must be bored.
I’ve seen clips of Schindler’s List in class (and that movies R)
I saw other R movies in highschool too.
but one movie we couldn’t watch–though our history teacher loved it–Was Braveheart.
300 isn’t history.
Sure.
Besides, they’ve read about all that in the books.
It’s not even historically accurate. Where was the need to show it?
Wait, you mean theres actually a part of that movie with no profanity, nudity or violence?