Summer School Cancels Movies

Protests from parents last week have prompted Harvard's Secondary School Program (SSP) to remove objectionable movies from the scheduled showings.

The popular teen movie American Pie was shown during summer school move-in week, while parents were still on campus. According to two proctors, complaints from parents made their way to administrators.

In response, Director of the SSP Elizabeth Hewitt sent an e-mail message to the list of summer proctors, which was intended for the activities coordinator staff. The e-mail reminded the activities staff that they should check movie choices with the administration.

In the e-mail, Hewitt described American Pie as "crass" and "vulgar" and said that she "was sorry that [they] picked one like that."

Hewitt also said that showing the movie was irresponsible for the students under the University's watch for the summer.

After discussion amongst the administrators and the activities staff, some movies were removed from the original list, including The Matrix and Clerks.

Yet other movies, such as the R-rated horror movie Scream will still be shown.

According to one proctor who did not wished to be named, two issues were debated involving the movie selections--the legality of showing rated R movies to students who may not yet be 17 years old, and the appropriateness of showing such films.

The proctor said that he believes the summer school is more concerned with the latter issue.

According to Hewitt, movie selections were made by the activities staff with no approval needed from administrators.

Director of Activities for SSP Sitso W. Bediako '99 refused to comment about the removals.

For summer school students who want more movie option, the Harvard Square movie theater may not be a better option.

Both high school and college students say that they have been asked for identification when buying tickets for R-rated movies.

"It's an outrage," summer school student Josh A. Rohr said. "I went to go see The Patriot last night with five other friends over 17 and...I am technically 16 so none of us could end up seeing the movie."

Harvard students here for the summer also say that it feels like movie theaters are cracking down on age restrictions.

One College junior said that he has been carded twice in the last month--something that has rarely happened to him in his two years at Harvard.

But the manager of the Loews Harvard Square theater Gage Jiles said that they have always been strict about age restrictions and there has not been an increase in carding recently.

"The company on the whole is a stickler about checking ids," he said.

--Imtiyaz H. Delawala and Adam M. Enbar contributed to the reporting of this article.