Lawsuit over (teacher showing) Brokeback Mountain in class

[Squatch]

A girl and her grandparents have sued the Chicago Board of Education, alleging that a substitute teacher showed the R-rated film "Brokeback Mountain" in class.

The lawsuit claims that Jessica Turner, 12, suffered psychological distress after viewing the movie in her 8th grade class at Ashburn Community Elementary School last year.

<snip>

According to the lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court, the video was shown without permission from the students' parents and guardians.

The substitute asked a student to shut the classroom door at the West Side school, saying: "What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class," according to the lawsuit.

Link

[Saphire]

1. an"R" rated movie to 12 year olds? I don't see the lawsuit, but the

teacher should have more sense than that.

[gollygee]

2. She shouldn't have shown an R-rated movie

but "psychological distress"? The girl needed psychological treatment and counseling? COME ON! What power do they think this movie has?

I wonder how upset if they'd shown a different R-rated movie, like The Passion of the Christ or something.

[pnwmom]

4. I'd be very upset if they showed The Passion of the Christ in school,

to any age group. Both for the religious content, and the violence.

These were elementary school students. That teacher was out of line, and so was the principal, if s/he condoned it.

[gollygee]

5. I'd be upset too

but I wouldn't sue the district.

[asthmaticeog]

3. Idiotic teacher, meet opportunistic litigant.

[goddess40]

7. BINGO

I don't think that sub will be getting anymore calls from that district.

and shame on the parents for filing that lawsuit - opportunistic is to kind. Their also stupid because they are suing themselves and punishing the rest of the students by taking money out of an already tight budget. With all the unfunded mandates brought to districts by NCLB everyone is cutting and filing a lawsuit that may go no where still costs the district money.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. What a dipshit

Certainly this idiot posing as an educator has lost her job?

[Matsubara]

8. There is some pretty graphic sex in that film...

It is really inappropriate to show that to 12 year olds. Ms. Buford seems to have very poor judgment.

I'm not sure what the grounds for the suit would be, but I think this probably qualifies as sexual misconduct and grounds for termination.

There are gay-positive films out there that are appropriate for young people, aren't there? If that was the teacher's intent, she should have chosen one of them.

Or, here's a novel idea, instead of relying on A/V materials, actually have the kids crack a book and then discuss it!

I hate how teachers today are so quick to put on a damn video.

[GOPBasher]

9. It's rated R; she shouldn't have shown it. n/t

[murray hill farm]

10. Teacher with...

career death wish, acting out at the expense of the students.