Quote :

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."

*sighs I take issue with both sides honestly. xD

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 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.

I honestly think the entire idea of showing a film is dumb. I've yet to be convinced that silly little films really do anything more than give kids some time where they aren't doing school work. If they wanna stop bullying, they actually gotta work to stop it. I think films really just make them feel like they're doing more than they are. But that's just me.

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.

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.

I am sure many are well-made and would make for some thought provoking time for SOME kids. The problem is that the kids likely moved by these films aren't typically the types they are speaking to. At best, they might make a few kids stand up for a bullied kid. But I honestly don't see bullies being effected by them. Why would they be?

Of course they want it removed. . .

. . .until one of their own children commits suicide because of the peer bullying, and then they'll be screaming at the education system for not doing anything to educate their school friends.

Doing something about bullying means more than showing a cheesy and cliche movie.