Resolution concerning MCPS Media Regulation

As adopted by the Richard Montgomery HS PTSA March 13, 2006

WHEREAS, MCPS recently revised Regulation IIB-RA to ban the showing of R-rated movies as well as excerpts from these movies in high school classrooms throughout the county, and

WHEREAS, this regulation has the effect of blanket censorship which undermines many high school subjects, including but not limited to history, English, foreign language and film classes,  without regard to the educational value of the media,  or the judgment of the instructional staff concerning any assessment of the usefulness of the motion pictures relative to the classroom objectives, and

WHEREAS, Regulation IIB-RA adversely impacts the quality of student instruction, therefore,

RESOLVED, that MCCPTA requests that the Board of Education immediately rescind Regulation IIB-RA, section four, and

RESOLVED, that the replacement regulation incorporate a system for exceptions, whereby teachers apply or request to have certain films exempted from the policy for educational purposes, and

RESOLVED, that teachers who request materials that are R-rated or un-rated for classroom use should provide information to parents to form their own assessment, and that a system of signed permissions from parents should constitute sufficient authorization to permit the use of R-rated or un-rated motion pictures, either as excerpt or in their entirety, in high school classrooms.