Schools in the UK threaten to report parents that let their children play mature games

Shawn Knight

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Content rating systems like the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) have done their part for years with regard to rating the level of violence, sexual content, adult language and overall maturity level of video games.

Many parents, however, fail to heed these warnings for a variety of reasons. Some believe that in-game violence doesn’t translate to real-world actions while others probably don’t pay enough attention to the games they are buying their kids.

Whatever the reason, children of all ages inevitably end up with copies of games from franchises like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. That’s provoked the ire of the Nantwich Education Partnership which recently sent letters to parents of kids in 16 schools in Cheshire threatening legal action.

schools gaming video games violent content violent games teen games

Drafted by head teacher Mary Hennessy Jones from Pear Tree School, the letter said several children have reported playing or watching adults play games that are inappropriate for their age. Jones further noted that if an individual child is allowed to have access to games designated 18-plus, the school is advised to contact the police and children’s social care as it is neglectful.

Additionally, the letter advises parents about the potential perils of children having access to certain social media sites as it could increase early sexualized behavior and leave kids ripe for exploitation.

The debate of whether or not violent video games influence real-world behavior has been going on for many years. In April of last year, a study conducted by the Oxford Internet Institute and the University of Rochester found that poor gameplay mechanics – not violence – led to aggressive behavior.

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Omg, these over-regulations from UK looks so pathetic and ridiculous. is occident becoming inhabited by pussies...??? sad :(
 
Lol UK aka Nanny state are they serious. I would write a letter to the school telling them to F*** *** and pull my child out of said school.

Next think you know they will want to jail the parents cause the kids saw a boob on tv OMG the humanity!!!
 
It's not just the UK, but a lot of western countries are seeing schools invade into home affairs. Schools need to realize their place is at the school, not inside the homes of the children. They need to stay out and mind their own business
 
So funny if this is enforced the police/social services are going to get very busy. I have kids my biggest gripe is with likes of YouTube as even playing kids videos or the likes of Katy perry can end up on poor videos I don't want them watching, and I think there is more sexual content in music videos than gta, they are just games maybe they should start reporting smoking/drinking in house with kids or watching TV after watershed, riding bikes with no helmet/armour, maybe a fine if you accidently swear list goes on but regardless I might go out get these games for them to play just in defiance, who are these people thinking up these things I remember watching 15/18 rated films in school when I was in school.
 
TRIGGER WARNING: The following response uses feminine anatomy with negative connotation.

Omg, these over-regulations from UK looks so pathetic and ridiculous. is occident becoming inhabited by pussies...??? sad :(

Both the US and the UK are increasingly populated by pussies and run by vaginas.
 
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I gotta ask, what would the penalty be for this? Is it even punishable?

The next question is why we continue to ban things from our kids, while it is perfectly acceptable for adult behavior. Seriously if we don't want our kids to act a certain way, we as adults should change our behavior patterns. If we don't it will all be a hopeless cause. And until then I will piss on this type of reading as being plain out two faced.
 
I played games like those a lot when I was around 3 and onwards--MGS, GTA, Goldeneye, etc

Now I'm making the dean's list, never had a brush with the law, always respected others, had parents involved in my life (key part, something that all these people in power seem to always neglect as coming first before games and entertainment), can't hurt another person or animal unless I have no choice, and have an insane amount of self-control.

Yep, I'm damaged goods and done for.
/s
 
I played games like those a lot when I was around 3 and onwards--MGS, GTA, Goldeneye, etc

Now I'm making the dean's list, never had a brush with the law, always respected others, had parents involved in my life (key part, something that all these people in power seem to always neglect as coming first before games and entertainment), can't hurt another person or animal unless I have no choice, and have an insane amount of self-control.

Yep, I'm damaged goods and done for.
/s

Also started on GoldenEye and GTA. Turok was a favorite of mine back in the 90s. Also a Dean's list student...

Dated a girl once who played M-rated games. She went on to attend Yale.

This is breaking the narrative.......
 
With the number of families in which this happens, could the legal system afford to prosecute all the parents?

Besides that, aren't these just guidelines rather than absolutes?

Even material in "G" rated stuff can be disturbing for children. My brother-in-law and his wife took their son to Finding Nemo and their son was scared out of his mind by the shark. Maybe they should take the MPAA in the US to court for mis-rating the film.

Big nanny is watching you!!!
 
This is not surprising. UK is one of the most notorious nanny state in the world. My greatest fear is that my country (USA) will one day follow the same path. I hope I'm wrong.
 
No law says the ratings have to be fallowed just that a child can't buy the game with out a adults permission. Only rating that has a legal standing is XXX.
 
That is what I was thinking. So what is the point in "reporting", much less "threatening to report"?

They will argue that allowing children to view such content is neglectful and/or abusive. When challenged, they will provide studies that show a correlation between consumption and outcome, absent solid causal evidence.

The point isn't to achieve anything concrete. The point is to harass the parents. You see, when mum and pop are faced with the proposition of listening to little Fredrick lament his anemic game collection or deal with school officials and social workers, little Fredrick has to take it on the chin like a good lad. It is for his own good, and society, after all.

That's how the nanny state works. What they cannot achieve directly by writ of law they achieve indirectly through harassment.
 
I love how someone previously said "Lol UK aka Nanny state are they serious."

The state probably feels they have to nanny, because parents do such a poor job. Kids probably a lard *** playing computer games all day anyway. If they aren't in eating way too many Doritos and bashing in prostitutes ( take that which way you will ), they may be out on the streets drinking and doing drugs.
I mean I can't actually see kids of today being smokers, alcoholics, or drug addicts, because it would mean having to get off the couch.

Unless silk road do deliveries. Maybe we can throw some 10% off your next silk road purchase coupons in your pre order of gta6 ?

I swear as each generation of parents goes through life, the next one thinks they can do a better job than the last, like they learned some amazing lesson from their parents, but its like chinese whispers where so much was slowly lost actually. And clearly teenage girls think if they have kids at 14 they can retain more of those lessons.... yeah that's a grand idea.
 
I love how someone previously said "Lol UK aka Nanny state are they serious."

The state probably feels they have to nanny, because parents do such a poor job. Kids probably a lard *** playing computer games all day anyway. If they aren't in eating way too many Doritos and bashing in prostitutes ( take that which way you will ), they may be out on the streets drinking and doing drugs.
I mean I can't actually see kids of today being smokers, alcoholics, or drug addicts, because it would mean having to get off the couch.

I knew it would only be a matter of time before an apologist showed up.

The nanny state doesn't nanny because the population does a poor job raising its young. The nanny state nannies because the people who run it believe that they are omniscient.

If the nanny state were at all concerned with demonstrably "bad parenting" and not its own social agenda, they wouldn't be trying to identify racism and prejudice in preschoolers. They wouldn't demand everyone observe vigilance in manner, that they may not offend somebody with their opinions or actions. They would be up in arms about issues like single parenthood. But they aren't.

Like all nanny states, their only concern is their degree of control over the population.
 
Guns, morbid obesity. Nuff said. I'd rather live in the UK than the US any day. But yes, often the nannying goes over the top.
 
For anyone who has actually lived in the UK, attended school in recent years or worked in a school, the problem is obvious.
In October 2011 I did a week's worth of work experience in a primary school, I was assigned a year 5 class (9 and 10 year olds), and at the time they were all talking about how they were going to get SuM GuNz and BL45T a that Muv4***k3r. The problem is that the children don't actually realise the significance of their actions in a game, of killing, torturing etc like you do in a lot of games.
Obviously very few people know what it does feel like to do those things, but many of us do realise the significance of those actions.
I'm not going to say I'm exempt, I'm as guilty as any, I was born in '96, I watched my sister play GTA: Vice City, I even had to do some missions for her because I'm better and multi-tasking such as chasing missions, but it's not cool.
 
Yes I agree that this is a bit drastic, but what it looks like a lot of you are over looking is that people are failing as parents. This issue goes way beyond what content they are exposed to, but I'm going to leave it at that.
 
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