Tried to show my 8th graders a PG-13 documentary about censorship in China and got shut down by the principal

Last Wednesday I had this whole lesson planned around 'The Internet's Own Boy' and how it got censored in different countries. Principal walked in during my prep period and said we can't show anything rated PG-13 without a permission slip signed 2 weeks in advance. Even after I explained the whole point was about censorship itself he just kept saying policy is policy. Has anyone else had their school admin block educational content that was directly relevant to what you were teaching?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy_foster562d ago

Honestly, "too controversial" for a high school civics class?

palmer.zara2d ago

Right? Isn't it wild how they'll stop you from showing something that literally proves the point you're trying to make? I had almost the same thing happen last spring with a documentary on media bias for my high school civics class. The principal said it was 'too controversial' even though half the kids were already talking about fake news on their phones... it's like they think showing a PG-13 title is worse than letting them scroll through unverified TikTok rumors for hours. Feels like the admin is just scared of any parent complaint, no matter how good the lesson is.