Another Lawsuit
Please read this and comment news story out of Chicago and comment.
Lawsuit Over Brokeback Mountain in ClassMay 13, 7:20 PM EST
The Associated Press
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.
The film, which won three Oscars, depicts two cowboys who conceal their homosexual affair.
Turner and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking around $500,000 in damages.
"It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this," said Kenneth Richardson, Turner's guardian. "The teacher knew she was not supposed to do this."
According to the lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court, the video was shown without permission from the students' parents and guardians.
The lawsuit also names Ashburn Principal Jewel Diaz and a substitute teacher, referred to as "Ms. Buford."
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.
Richardson said his granddaughter was traumatized by the movie and had to undergo psychological treatment and counseling.
In 2005, Richardson complained to school administrators about reading material that he said included curse words.
"This was the last straw," he said. "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."
Messages left over the weekend with CPS officials were not immediately returned.
Now I will be the first to admit that the substitute teacher was wrong. She has no business showing ANY "R" rated movie to persons in a public school system. But we all know that the problem here is that the movie had a homosexual theme as evidenced by Mr. Richardson's use of the phrase "It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this". I am thoroughly convinced that if this she had showed Forrest Gump or Star Wars, there would be no lawsuit.
In addition, if the showing of a movie with a homosexual theme has so severely traumatized this young lady, I truly believe that she was already psychologically traumitized. Most likely by her (seemingly) religious fanatics.
But my whole problem with the substitute is that she showed a movie at all. What was this class, film editing? She should have been teaching the kids just as the permanent teacher would (or maybe would have) been doing.
Lawsuit Over Brokeback Mountain in ClassMay 13, 7:20 PM EST
The Associated Press
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.
The film, which won three Oscars, depicts two cowboys who conceal their homosexual affair.
Turner and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking around $500,000 in damages.
"It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this," said Kenneth Richardson, Turner's guardian. "The teacher knew she was not supposed to do this."
According to the lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court, the video was shown without permission from the students' parents and guardians.
The lawsuit also names Ashburn Principal Jewel Diaz and a substitute teacher, referred to as "Ms. Buford."
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.
Richardson said his granddaughter was traumatized by the movie and had to undergo psychological treatment and counseling.
In 2005, Richardson complained to school administrators about reading material that he said included curse words.
"This was the last straw," he said. "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."
Messages left over the weekend with CPS officials were not immediately returned.
Now I will be the first to admit that the substitute teacher was wrong. She has no business showing ANY "R" rated movie to persons in a public school system. But we all know that the problem here is that the movie had a homosexual theme as evidenced by Mr. Richardson's use of the phrase "It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this". I am thoroughly convinced that if this she had showed Forrest Gump or Star Wars, there would be no lawsuit.
In addition, if the showing of a movie with a homosexual theme has so severely traumatized this young lady, I truly believe that she was already psychologically traumitized. Most likely by her (seemingly) religious fanatics.
But my whole problem with the substitute is that she showed a movie at all. What was this class, film editing? She should have been teaching the kids just as the permanent teacher would (or maybe would have) been doing.
posted by That Dude Right There at
5/14/2007 06:43:00 PM
7 Comments:
Ms. Buford and Ms. Diaz need their azz kicked. R rated movies are inappropriate and homosexual sex (as commonplace as we'd like to believe it is) is not an everyday visual for an eighth grader - certainly not a sheltered 8th grader...heck, I would've been shocked to see some rough, butt-naked, no lube, tent sex in 8th grade. Give the girl her $500,000... this way they can build a home theater to show her fellow classmates Scream or something...LOL
i heard Ryan Cameron talking about this on my way home today... i immediately called and shared a good laugh with my teacher friends
Yes, I agree with you that the school was wrong to show this movie.
This is elementary school! WHAT THE WORLD DO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SEXUALITY, OR EVEN HOMOSEXUALITY?
We have to be careful and watchful as to what we present to our children. This has nothing to do with the "religious fanatacisim". I think we need more of GOD for our children than teaching them about sexuality and forcing them to watch movies that praise homosexuality.
Where did we go wrong to think that this is OK to show in the classroom? We have some sick people, even our "teachers."
I am with you. The sub had no biz showing any R rated movie. I don't see where the movie could cause five hundred g's worth of damage.
If I was the grandparents I would use this as a chance to talk about sex and sexuality the way I saw fit. Not a chance to get some money.
I heard this on the radio. You know, the sub definitely had some opportunities, but this lawsuit ordeal is out of control.
I get more and more incensed about stuff like this each and every time I read about yet another gratuitous law suit.
Americans are ridiculously litigious. We seize any opportunity to abuse the judicial process in an effort to collect a large lump sum. Let's be real for a minute here. Did that 90-minute film really cause a half million dollars worth of pain, sorrow and suffering? Highly doubtful.
Did the teacher act improperly by showing an R-rated film to a class of 8th graders? Certainly. Should he/she lose his/her job. I'll concede that. Should the school (or school system if at a public school) or the teacher directly fund this little girl's trust? I don't think so.
I bet she's seen worse on MTV.
Agreeing with Mr. Jones, Why do they need $500k ? I don't trust Mr. gaurdian, something aint rite.
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