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Derby schools chief finds film ‘inappropriate’
 
Joanne M. Pelton, Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief May 01, 2003
DERBY — Superintendent of Schools Martin Gotowala said Wednesday that the film "A Clockwork Orange" is "inappropriate" for use in a high school course and never should have been shown to city students.
Gotowala got his first glimpse of the film Wednesday morning, when he sat down and watched it.

"I looked at it this morning. Based on its content, it was clearly inappropriate," he said.

On Tuesday, Board of Education member Walter Mayhew, who is also pastor of Christian Community Church in Derby, filed a complaint with the board because his son was shown the movie and was appalled by its contents.

Mayhew said his son, Garrett, 18, a Derby High School senior, complained to the high school principal after viewing the film. He said his son found it to be violent. The elder Mayhew called it "borderline pornographic."

Mayhew had urged members of the school board’s Policy Committee to watch the movie during a committee meeting Tuesday night, but board members did not, Gotowala said.

Gotowala said he has asked high school Principal Charles DiCenso to investigate the incident.

The film was shown as part of a contemporary issues class and was chosen by an unidentified male student teacher who has only been teaching for six weeks, officials said.

DiCenso said some 35 students in the class watched the film and Garrett Mayhew was the only student who filed a complaint.

"I respect the student who came to me because it takes a lot of guts to do that," he said.

He said that while the intent of the student teacher may have been good, he thought the teacher might have used "poor judgment," in selecting the film.

"He’s new to teaching," he said, of the student teacher. "The film was used to show contemporary problems and social issues. No one meant to offend anyone."

School board Chairman James Gildea said the system does not have a policy regarding content of videos but the board would be developing a policy. He said the board is looking at several options, including creation of a pre-approved list of videos; approval of videos by administration before they are shown to students, or investigating movie reviews either at the library or on the Internet before they are shown.

"The movie (Clockwork Orange) in my opinion was inappropriate and unfortunate, and this issue needs to be addressed. We have to make sure inappropriate material such as this does not make it into the classroom in the future," said Gildea.

Mayhew said it didn’t make a difference that the students who watched the movie are seniors.

"The schools are responsible for providing top quality education, not porn. I see no other way to describe (the movie) other than porn," he said. "We’re talking about our students here; this is not a movie theater."

The movie was released in 1972 and considered a classic and one of director Stanley Kubrick’s finest works. The story is set in futuristic London and based on a book by Anthony Burgess. The film was withdrawn from circulation in England at the request of Kubrick, and only released again after Kubrick’s death in 1999.

The movie’s main character is in a gang that roams about the city, seeking victims in crimes that range from robbery to rape.

 
Joanne M. Pelton can be reached at jpelton@nhregister.com or at 734-2813.

©New Haven Register 2003