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August 27, 2007

Westside Middle School: Legally in error?

This is that last post I shall make on this issue.

It seems to me that Mr. Barrett broke the rules of the Whitfield County School System by showing a clip of the "R-rated" movie 300 to sixth graders without parental consent. That is, if "The Whitfield County school system's policy states that a movie must be on an approved list before it is shown in class. If it is not, then the permission of the principal is required. There are no R-rated movies on that list, including '300,'" then he clearly broke the rules.

I was reticent to continue looking into this matter because so many people on so many sites showed so much support for Mr. Barrett. And in all honesty, it seems quite reasonable to me that Mr. Barrett showed the clip in order to 'spark the kid's imaginations.' An error of judgment I was sure he had made; but was he also legally in error?

But now, since "Whitfield County school administrators defended the teacher's decision to show it. [A clip from the movie "300." And since] ...School officials say the teacher, Brad Barrett, made the right choice. [Saying] "We saw nothing in that clip that they would not see in a regular tv program," administrator, Richard Schoen said...Administrators say the clips were educational and fit in with Barrett's lesson. The teacher will not lose his job." Because of this, whatever legal responsibility Mr. Barrett had is now at an end. The "School Administrators" are now legally responsible; in my opinion.

"It shall be unlawful for any motion picture theater owner, operator, or projectionist to display to the audience within the theater scenes from a film to be shown at the theater at some future time when the viewing of that film from which the scenes are taken is restricted to adults or requires minors to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Scenes of such restricted films may be shown within a theater if the audience has been similarly restricted as to viewing age and conditions." (Emphasis Mine; Source: TITLE 16. CRIMES AND OFFENSES; CHAPTER 12. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS; ARTICLE 3.; OBSCENITY AND RELATED OFFENSES; PART 1.; GENERAL PROVISIONS; O.C.G.A. § 16-12-85, 2007)

If it is illegal for this kind of occurrence in theaters, why should the "school administrators" be allowed to permit it? That is my question.

Logically, if the school's rules disallowed what was shown, Mr. Barrett is in the wrong. Logically, if the school administrators side with Mr. Barrett, they are more culpable. Logically if no child is allowed to view an r-rated movie in a theater, they should also not be allowed to view portions of it at school without parental permission.

Everything else that people have said on various other sites is mere cant. It is fine that Mr. Barrett is a good teacher. It is fine that Mr. Barrett had good intentions. It is fine that the "school administrators" found that nothing untoward was shown. But all of this is irrelevant. For the only cogent point at hand is this.

A rule was broken and the "school administrators" countenance and agree with the breaking of the rule. That is all.

Seems to me that the "school administrators" allowance of this is a "Willful neglect of duties." (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-940, 2007) But I may be wrong.


Every link I have found pertaining to this story:

Hero-movies.com

WRCB, Channel 3

WTVC, Channel 9

WDEF, Channel 12

Wicked Vixen

Get that silver spoon out of your mouth.

Atlanta Falcons Sports Board

Wordforge

Comic Book Resources

The Dreamin' Demon

Dalton Daily Citizen

iTalknews.com

The Theologians Cafe

Channel 12, UPDATE

Channel 3, UPDATE

Neogaf.com

Community.cnhi.com

Red, White, and Huge

TMF

BF2S Forums

Kantor.com

Webhostingtalk.com

Dalton Daily Citizen, Commentary

Military Photos.net (Near the bottom)

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NEWS | By Carl | 02:01 AM

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