A lawsuit has been launched against a school teacher who showed Brokeback Mountain to a class of young students. Twelve-year-old Jessica Turner and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking $500,000 against the Chicago Board of Education after the movie was shown at Ashburn Community Elementary School. The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday claims Turner "suffered psychological distress" after viewing the R-rated film, which was viewed by the class without permission from the student's parents or legal guardians. Turner's grandfather Kenneth Richardson, who complained to school heads in 2005 over profanities in educational reading literature, says, "The teacher knew she was not supposed to do this. It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this. This was the last straw. I feel the lawsuit was necessary because of the warning I had already given them on the literature they were giving out to children to read. I told them it was against our faith."
Now I totally agree that what this substitute teacher did was wrong. Not only was the movie rated R, but I can't think of an educational reason for watching it. That being said, why does the issue of faith have to be involved? Is their claim more powerful because it is founded in their desire to be homophobic?
3 comments:
I was reading that with the thought in my mind that the teacher was a bit of a dope for showing kids that age an R rated movie. A bollocking is well in order - but come on! - a law suit?
Hmmmm.... on the other hand.... if they are successful I may have to reconsider my atheism; I could make a buck load on being an easily offended bigot.
All I know is that watching Heath Ledger bugger Jake Gyllenhall made me wonder if maybe god really does exist. Watching that shit was like Christmas morning, yo.
Oh, and, I should note that as a teacher, stuff like this scares the crap out of me. Not that I'm ever planning to show "Brokeback Mountain" to any of my students, but, you know. Law suits? ::shudder::
I know if was concerned about the state of my kids education I'd sue the board of education for half a million bucks.
That follows doesn't it?
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