Parents Pass Card Allows Minors to See R-Rated
Movies
A parent-approved pass card allows minors to see R-rated movies
without an adult chaperone at one theater chain, the Associated
Press reported June 7.
The system has sparked a debate over convenience and parental responsibility.
Supporters of the pass card said it saves parents the time and
expense of chaperoning. But opponents argue that the cards shift
the decision about which movies are appropriate from parents to
their kids.
"All R-rated films are not alike. It is the parents' responsibility
to make specific judgments about R films -- and wrong to give a
blanket endorsement to all," said Jack Valenti, president and
CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, which issues movie
ratings.
Currently, GKC, the nation's 15th largest theater chain, is the
only company in the country that offers the card. To date, about
700 parent-approved pass cards have been issued in Illinois, but
GKC plans to offer them throughout the chain by year-end.
"From what I can tell, the people who have them like them,
and the parents are trying to use them responsibly. We're not being
inundated with kids whose parents are giving them access to everything
that comes on the screen," said James Whitman, director of
operations and marketing at GKC.
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