Parents Pass Card Allows Minors to See R-Rated Movies June 9, 2004
News Summary
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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