migamoo

Okay, I understand being upset over a movie like this being shown to an 8th grade class, especially considering there was not parental/guardian consent, but a lawsuit for $500K? That's out-there as far as I'm concerned.

nopal

What a bunch of BS.

elisheva

Heh, psychological distress. Yeah, it probably shouldn't be shown to 8th graders if it is R rated (I haven't seen it) but it's certainly not worth $500 000.

Ashleigh

... seriously?

A WAY inappropriate movie to show in a classroom, yes. I didn't even think it was a very good movie. But if your kid needs counseling after this, you went wrong somewhere in your raising. Or else you're a liar.

sunnykerr

Yeah, I'm also of the mind that if your kid needs counselling after this, then there's a problem with the parenting.

I do agree, however, that it might not have been the most appropriate film to show a Grade 8 class. Aren't high-school movies supposed to be comedic drivel?

Mind you, I remember watching Dead Poets Society in school at about that age. I was a bit more "traumatized" by Doctor Zhivago, though. It was so freaking long and so boring and that freaking "Lara's theme" that they kept playing all the freaking time...

migamoo

Hell, I felt traumatized after having to watch Birth of A Nation in the 12th grade, but I never sued.

Jerry D

Aww, I loved Doctor Zhivago! I didn't see it when I was in 8th Grade though!

I agree that Brokeback Mountain isn't an appropriate movie to show to an 8th Grade class, but I think this lawsuit is ridiculous.

Lain

It may not have been the best thing to do but 500k is beyond ridiculous. They're just looking for some money out of this.

I've watched horror movies since I was five. I haven't been traumatized at all

Fading Skies

I completely agree. If I were the judge, I would seriously consider sending social services in this family. Bad parenting is the problem, not Brokeback Mountain.

Lain

Whether it be a committed Christian or Catholic or whatever religion they are, with the way society and media runs these days, unless if you've been living in a hole, they are going to eventually be exposed to this sort of thing.

Lexis

Just nuts. The teacher wasn't right to show an R film to an underage class but lets get real here. How on earth did watching this film require the girl to go to counseling?

chicah

COUNSELLING??? That's simply ridiculous. If you think it is okay for your kid to watch all-Christian movies, then you should tolerate a movie like this. We need to get things presented from various sides.

This would be like when we watched Transamerica in class, if someone needed to go to counselling because "the woman was really a man". I mean... God...

I think it is important for our children to watch things like that. We didn't watch it in class (although it wouldn't surprise me if we'd done it, and trust me, none of the parents would have reacted) but I've watched it several times myself and it's one of my favourite movies. Personally I think everyone should see it because it shows the beauty of a same-sex relationship and the end gets me every time.
But of course, I don't mind gay people, so I guess it comes down to your views.

I do think it is good that a 8th grade-teacher believes her students to be mature enough for them to watch Brokeback Mountain. We've watched movies like that since 8th grade, I remember one of the first movies we watched was American History X, and then we also watched American Beauty and American Psycho, a lot of people would probably think that none of them belong in an underage classroom, but I would say that it makes us more mature and they are all good movies, we can't just watch braindead horror movies or comedies.

abw92

I think this is ridiculous. Brokeback Mountain may not be appropriate in a grade 8 class, although I haven't seen it, but 500K that is ridiculous. I think if the kid need counselling after watching a movie, there is something wrong with the parenting. I can't believe someone would think to sue that much over a movie.

jerkstore

I wonder if they'd be suing if the teacher had shown Passion of The Christ a.k.a. The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre?

That being said, why are they showing movies in school at all? No wonder the kids can't read.[/curmudgeon]

sunnykerr

Well, I can't remember what "grade" I was in when I saw it exactly (in Quebec, the school's system's a bit different. Without losing ourselves in the details, I know I was definitely in the 14-16 year old range.)

And I don't know that I would have been traumatized by it so much, if it weren't for the fact that (a) I was bored to tears by the movie and (b) it was the third in as many weeks that I had been "forced" to watch it. My grandmother was a huge fan and it had just aired on TV, so I had been made to watch it with her by my mum (hey, at that age, you betcha someone had to force me).

Then it aired again two days later (I swear, it was a freaking conspiracy) when we were still visiting with my grandmother. She was still a fan. And, not being in the best of health, she'd totally forgotten that we'd watched it a measly two days before. To be fair, that time, I was more, like, "Well, it's not gonna kill me to see it again." Because I loved my grandmother. So I sat through it. Again.

Then, a week and a half later, my history teacher decided to show it to us. By that time, not having emotional imperative to watch... I was about ready to murder someone. Especially every time that bloody Lara's Theme popped up. Again.