Dear Seventh Grade Parents

Wednesday April 22nd, 2016

Dear Seventh Grade Parents,

As you may have read prior on one of my blog posts, I am interested in showing the students a movie about a post-apartheid South Africa, called Invictus.

This movie INVICTUS is Clint Eastwood's chronicle of how newly elected South African President Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) decided to champion national rugby, despite the fact that the nearly all-Afrikaans team was considered a bastion of apartheid. Although most South African blacks hated the Springbok team, Mandela befriends captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) and encourages him to win, so South Africans -- white and black -- will have something positive to rally around together. As the rugby team begins to succeed, Mandela lobbies to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, and the country does indeed bond over the sport.

As you know, we have been studying what South Africa looks like after the abolishment of apartheid. I have seen this movie several times and it is an excellent movie that shows how difficult things were between the whites and non-whites even after the end of apartheid. Below is an explanation of the reason for the PG-13 rating.

Parents need to know that this fact-based Clint Eastwood-directed drama (which stars Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman) is an uplifting movie that's age appropriate for older tweens and young teens -- the PG-13 rating is primarily for language (one use of "f--king" and a couple of "s--t"s are the worst of it). Because of its narrow focus -- the movie follows President Nelson Mandela's decision to rally support behind South Africa's nearly all-white national rugby team -- there's no violence except for the rugby itself (which is quite physically aggressive). And Damon's character kisses his wife, but there's nothing more risqué than that. Ultimately the movie is both educational and inspiring, providing an excellent lesson about post-apartheid South Africa, national unity, and the universality of sports. I am including the webpage from commonsense media.org, which is where I got this information. I am also including a link to the imdb.com website that has information about this movie.

While I know this is a very mature and serious subject, I feel like the educational value would be worth it.

Please detach this portion of the permission slip and return to Mr. Levitt by Tuesday April 22nd, 2015

Student NameHour

____My son/daughter has permission to watch the movie Invictus, which has a PG-13 rating.

____My son/daughter does not have permission to watch Invictus, which has a PG-13 rating. These students will be provided with an alternative assignment and a comfortable place in which to complete it.

Parent Signature ______