PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN'S VIEWING

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 19, 1992                   TAG: 9201170203
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN'S VIEWING
When Mr. Dooley attended our theater and expressed his concerns about children under 17 attending an "R"-rated movie, the manager and staff investigated the situation and explained the theater's policy, including presenting Mr. Dooley with a pamphlet explaining the movie rating system. Had Mr. Dooley read this pamphlet, many of his questions and concerns would have been addressed.
The movie rating system is a voluntary system that provides parents with information on films, allowing them to judge which movies they will allow their children to attend. The system is not law.
An "R" rating indicates that children under 17 require a parent or guardian to accompany them to the movie. This theater specifically requires parents to accompany the child. We do not allow an adult who is not the child's parent to accompany him or her. The parent must purchase the child's ticket, accompany the child to the door and indicate to the doorman that the child has permission to attend the movie. If the movie contains scenes of extreme violence or scenes of a sexual nature, the parent is informed of this before purchasing the child's ticket. Parents often respond by saying, "Don't tell me what my child can or can't see."
These parents are correct: We cannot tell them what their child can or cannot see. We can only try to inform them of what their child will be seeing so that the parents may make a responsible decision. Whether we agree or disagree with the parents' decision, we must respect the fact that it is their child and their decision.\ John Newman, Manager\ New River Valley Movie 8 Christiansburg

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB