Karen Randolph Rogers, Tuesday, May 25, 2010 | Filed under: First Amendment
A teacher at Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Missouri is currently under investigation regarding her decision to show her students the Michael Moore movie “Sicko” and write about the persuasion techniques used in the movie for the class final assignment. Details of the story first emerged on a local St. Louis blogger website and later picked up by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The student, Celeste Finklebine, told the newspaper the purpose of the assignment was to analyze different forms of persuasion. She complained that the teacher, Debra Blessman, chose the movie without first obtaining administrative approval for the assignment. “Sicko,” created by Michael Moore, a well-known filmmaker, offers a critique of the present U. S. health care system. Miss Finklebine was ultimately allowed to complete the assignment with a review of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Miss Finklebine also alleges the teacher called her a “teabagger” earlier in the school year, a reference to her participation in local “Tea Party” political activities.
A district official confirmed that teachers are supposed to consult with an administrator before showing a movie in class and explain how it relates to the curriculum. The district also noted that the matter would be handled through the district’s teacher evaluation process but would not comment on whether Ms. Blessman was disciplined, as the matter is a personnel issue.
Districts should ensure they have a clear policy developed in accordance with district legal counsel regarding the use of outside materials such as movies in the classroom, particularly if it contains politically charged or other potentially controversial content. Student or parent complaints about the chosen materials should be handled on a case-by-case basis and in some cases, an alternative assignment may be appropriate.