Parents Want Anti-Bullying Film Removed From Curriculum

Posted on Advocate.com November 23, 2010
Parents Want Anti-Bullying Film Removed From Curriculum
By Advocate.com Editors





Backlash from parents threatens the future of a film with a clear anti-bullying message in Vallejo, CA schools, according to the Contra Costa Times.

That’s A Family, which is screened regularly in the district as part of a settlement with the ACLU over the unfair treatment of an out lesbian student, depicts a handful of atypical family configurations, including a family with biracial parents, a family headed up by grandparents and families with gay and lesbian parents.

Disgruntled parents say that the film focuses disproportionately on the bullying of the child with gay parents, but the filmmaker defended her choices regarding the allocation of screen time.

"The whole film is 35 minutes, and I believe the section on lesbian and gays is something between seven or eight minutes. The rest of the film is featuring heterosexual guardians and parents," Academy Award-winning director Debra Chasnoff said. "We have seen this kind of reaction in other communities at different times, and I think it's because it is relatively new that schools would take the initiative to proactively prevent anti-gay bias."

RedBedroom wrote:I don't agree with the parents taking issue. As pointed out, only 7-8 minutes are dedicated to that, when the whole film is 35 minutes.

RedBedroom wrote:I tend to agree with you that most films shown in schools don't make a big impact. But, some are well made so I have to give this one the benefit of the doubt without having seen it.