Sex Films ‘not Automatically For Schools’ (Press, 7 December 1979)
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Summary: Sex Films ‘not Automatically For Schools’ (Press, 7 December 1979)
On 7 December 1979, the Department of Education in Wellington responded to concerns raised by Miss Patricia Bartlett regarding the purchase of a film series entitled “Growing Up.” This series, which consists of Australian films exploring topics such as lesbianism, homosexuality, abortion, solo parenthood, and teenage attitudes, has been described by Bartlett, who is the Secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, as covering "sexual perversions." She found the acquisition to be shocking and controversial, expressing concerns that the films do not make moral judgments and could be perceived as promoting the attitudes and behaviours they depict. Mr P. Brice, the development director of the department, clarified that the films would only be available for screening to tertiary students and adults, emphasising that they would not be accessible to schools. He explained that the initial request for a preview of the series had come from Victoria University, and a community group panel subsequently recommended the purchase. The films had been vetted by the Film Censor, Mr B. Tunnicliffe, who approved them for specific audiences. Brice stressed that the National Film Library plays a vital role in providing films for diverse components of the community, including universities, health and welfare groups, and parents’ organisations. He highlighted that films deemed suitable for these particular groups would not be lent to schools, thereby maintaining a boundary regarding their use in educational settings. The purchase of the film series amounted to $560, and it was noted that the series did not require review by the advisory panel established the previous year to assess human development and relationship films, since it exclusively addressed films intended for adult audiences rather than for school use.
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