I attended last night's meeting. The speakers (both those for and against showing the films) represented a cross-section of district residents. Speakers included parents of current HS and HC students, parents and grandparents of former students, teachers and even two current students. Regardless, I believe all speakers, except the two students, were district taxpayers. Class participation neither qualifies or disqualifies the speaker and their point of view, unless of course, the speaker is completely devoid of the facts surrounding the issue.

John,
I beleive the rest of the Board Members are listening to the community by allowing these movies to be shown.

The Board is not stiffling anything. We need to prepare our children for life in college and the world if they are going to succeed in college. The children that arent prepared are the ones who will and do fail.

Karen,
Please explain exactly how the use of the films in question serves to "prepare our children for life in college and the world". Are you really arguing that District 86 should actively provide scenes of nudity, masturbation, sodomy, adultery and marriage infidelity for our kids to consume? Let me remind you, the course in question is Lit as Film. It is not a course in Human Sexuality or Sexual Ethics. It is not a course in Behavioral or Family Sciences. The teacher is qualified to teach English. To my knowledge, she has no experience or expertise in the controversial topics unleashed on the class. Furthermore, there were no suggestions made or evidence presented by the District as to exactly how the sexual aspects were discussed by the teacher, if at all. Rather, and the teacher alluded to this in her response, she likes the "star appeal" and the "good payoff" of the selections. In other words, she uses the movies to titillate the interest of her students. I strongly question the wisdom of her judgement as a result.

The question is simple - is the use of films depicting transgressive sexuality, obscene language and graphic images both necessary and appropriate to accomplish the class objectives of a Lit as Film course? The answer is also simple - No.

Karen, what is the basis of your assertion that the board members are listening to the community?

John - what is your basis for stating Ms. Barrett and Mr. Skoda are supported by a majority of the community?

I thought the article made that clear, didn't it? Do you question it? In any event, time will tell.

There is nothing in this article that states or implies how the 181district community in total feels about this issue. Simply that 40 people spoke and a majority of those spoke against the films. Hardly a scientific way to gauge the overall communities beliefs. Unless there is a referendum on this topic I fail to see how time will give us any more Insight.

I wasn't there but I understood the community spoke out against the showing of the films by more than two to one. Whether that represents the feelings of the community in total or not is debatable, but there is no evidence to support the contrary assertion. I was referring to whether the majority of the school Board who voted against the motion get re-elected or not.

Well said.

Agreed

Do you think?
But the controversy is also about a small group of people, who use excuses to tell us how to raise our own children. No child is forced to watch these movies and no child is penalized for not watching the movies. It is an elective class that requires the parents to consent to any movie being shown. This whole thing is a waste of everyone's time and an issue contrived to get someone on the radio and in the legitimate newspapers.

Ben,
Your assumption is incorrect. The controversial issue in Brokeback Mountain is not a gay relationship. It is the vivid depiction of gay sex. No different than if it were a vivid depiction of heterosexual sex. Furthermore, the sex between the two men does not serve to ennoble their love, it corrupts it. Each man's marriage subsequently desolves and the lives of women and children bound to them are destroyed. Despite this, the gay sex is depicted as 'good'.
I will repeat myself. This is an issue of judgement. The class is "Film as Lit". It is not a behavioral science or moral development course. The teacher, to the best of my knowledge, has no formal training in these subject matters. Her expertise is English. She is ill-equipped to lead a fair and balanced "critical discussion" on the issues depicted in the movie. These movies are both unnecessary and inappropriate for meeting the objectives of the class and their choices demonstrate poor judgement.

A waste of time and resources? I beg to differ. This is a battle for the heart and souls of children. If you disagree, then please Ben, present the benefits our children will derive of the presentation of nudity, masturbation, sodomy and infidelity in the District's English classes. Your response will educate us all.

I just rewatched this movie as I was having trouble understanding what the fuss is all about. In fact I came to the conclusion before rewatching the movie, that this was about homophobia and an anti-gay, anti gay-marriage agenda. Watching it a second time has confirmed those initial assumptions. There appears to be a standard mantra of "obscene" "lewd" "gay sex" "graphic" etc etc. but I wonder if those folks have even seen this movie.

Jeffrey,
Clearly you haven't seen the movie as there is more female nudity than male nudity and a more vivid scene of heterosexual sex. Both of which you decline to mention in your arguments. And yet you focus completely on the gay sex. Regardless of what was said at the board meeting I was responding to your post in particular . Specifically your concern that gay sex is depicted as good. My comments stand.
And by the way, Jeffrey, It's my understanding that neither the class nor the viewing of the movies is mandatory for the students and in fact the parents need to provide approval before that are able to participate.
If you don't like the material and don't think it is appropriate then don't participate. Simple enough. To ban a movie, like banning a book only serves to limit individual freedom. I will leave it to each parent to decide what is right for their children and am happy you have no direct influence over their education.

Jeffrey

No one will likely answer your so-called challenge, because we know there is no answer that will satisfy you. The Brokeback movie is very similar to the Easy Rider movie of 40 plus years ago. The main allegory of freedom being at odds with social destiny is the message, and the story centers on nonconformist heroes. And, the movie is all about the American experience of family, friendship, love, sex, religion, nature and the pursuit of happiness. I have zero issues with my kids watching this movie in high school, and would hope they think about the struggle and choices of the two main characters.