The Teddy Bear Master

Last updated
The Teddy Bear Master
Release date
  • 2006 (2006)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Teddy Bear Master is a 2006 American film produced by a group of high school students which depicts a teacher being harassed by teddy bears during class, then later being killed by them, after he humiliates a student. The 78-minute film attracted international attention when it became the subject of two separate legal actions, firstly after the school expelled the students involved, then later when a math teacher who shared the surname of the teacher in the film sued the producers for provoking "reasonably foreseeable emotional disturbance or trauma".

Contents

Background

The boys – Isaac Imel, Harrison Null, Charlie Ours, and Cody Overbay, [1] students at Knightstown Intermediate School in Indiana – worked on the film through the 2005–06 academic year, [2] giving it a limited release on DVD among friends in Summer 2006. [3] Their film depicted a teacher by the name of Clevenger being harassed – and later killed – by evil teddy bears, and the choice of name displeased their Mathematics teacher, who was also named Clevenger. [1] Seeing the film as a threat to Clevenger, the school expelled the students. Two of the boys later sued, with a third joining the lawsuit later on, and they were eventually re-instated. [4] Clevenger then launched a separate legal action against the four students for damages. [1]

Plot summary

After he is embarrassed by his teacher, a student dubbed "The Teddy Bear Master" brings a group of stuffed teddy bears to life, then orders them to kill the teacher, Mr. Clevenger. A group of students battle the bears in an attempt to save Clevenger, but Clevenger and his wife ultimately come to a sticky end. [1] [3]

Responses

In November 2006, the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana sued the school on behalf of two of the teenagers, Isaac Imel and Cody Overbay, arguing that school officials had violated the students' First Amendment rights, [2] (i.e., that their free speech had been curtailed [5] ) and that the school had overreacted to what was described as a film parody. In response, school officials argued that the film was disruptive, particularly as the teacher who shared his name with the fictional teacher had regarded it as threatening. But while US District Judge Sarah Evans Barker described the film as "vulgar", “tasteless", "humiliating" and "obscene", she did not believe school officials had proved it to be disruptive to school and ruled that the students should be allowed to return and to make up any work they had missed as a result of being expelled. The students were also ordered to write letters of apology to the teacher. [2] A third student, Charlie Ours, later joined the action, while the fourth boy involved did not contest the expulsion. [3] In March 2007 the board of the Charles A. Beard School Corp. voted 5–2 to settle the lawsuit with $69,000 worth of compensation being paid to the students. The boys also had the expulsion expunged from their school records. [4]

On May 16, 2007, Daniel Clevenger – the Indianapolis-based teacher concerned – filed a lawsuit for damages against the four boys. [1] The lawsuit claimed that the film had mocked the teacher's appearance and mannerisms, as well as containing "graphic depictions of violence" and the murder of Clevenger and his wife. It stated: "The defendants intentionally created the 'Teddy Bear Master' and intentionally used the plaintiff's name in such a way that would provoke a reasonably foreseeable emotional disturbance or trauma." [6] A Sky News report from June 2007 quoted Clevenger as saying the students were aware that using his name would "provoke a reasonably foreseeable emotional disturbance or trauma", while his wife, Christine, said of the work: "The only thing I can say is they have wronged my husband... He's a very good person, he is a wonderful teacher, he's a wonderful father, and he's a wonderful husband". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Teena</span> American murder victim (1972–1993)

Brandon Teena was an American transgender man who was raped and later, along with Phillip DeVine and Lisa Lambert, murdered in Humboldt, Nebraska, by John Lotter and Tom Nissen. His life and death were the subject of the films The Brandon Teena Story and Boys Don't Cry.

<i>The Catcher in the Rye</i> 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by American author J. D. Salinger that was partially published in serial form in 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its themes of angst and alienation, and as a critique of superficiality in society. The novel also deals with themes of innocence, identity, belonging, loss, connection, sex, and depression. The main character, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage rebellion. Caulfield, nearly of age, gives his opinion on a wide variety of topics as he narrates his recent life events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Bosley</span> American actor (1927–2010)

Thomas Edward Bosley was an American actor, television personality and entertainer. Bosley is best known for portraying Howard Cunningham on the ABC sitcom Happy Days (1974–1984) for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nomination. Bosley also did a variety of voiceover work such as playing the lead character in the animated series Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, and the narrator of the syndicated film history documentary series That's Hollywood. He's also known for his role as Sheriff Amos Tupper in the Angela Lansbury lead CBS mystery series Murder, She Wrote (1984–1988), and as the title character in the NBC/ABC series Father Dowling Mysteries (1989–1991).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotchkiss School</span> Private, day and boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut, United States

The Hotchkiss School is a private college-preparatory day and boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, it was one of the first English-style boarding schools in the United States and an early proponent of student financial aid, having accepted scholarship students since its inception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of Elizabeth Shin</span> American activist

Elizabeth Shin was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student who died from burns inflicted by a fire in her dormitory room. Her death led to a lawsuit against MIT and controversy as to whether MIT paid adequate attention to its students' mental and emotional health, and whether its suicide rate was abnormally high. Although her death was first thought to be a suicide, both MIT and her parents stipulated that it may have been an accident in the subsequent amicable settlement between MIT and the Shins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Boychoir School</span> Private, non-sectarian boarding school in Princeton, New Jersey, United States

The American Boychoir School was a boarding/day middle school located in Princeton, New Jersey, and the home of the American Boychoir. The school originated as the Columbus Boychoir in Columbus, Ohio. In 1950, the school relocated after receiving property in Princeton, New Jersey from the Lambert estate. The relocated school was renamed the American Boychoir School. It remained in this location until the sale of Albemarle in 2012. The school served boys in grades 4–8, many of whom came from across the United States and from many countries. It was one of only two boychoir boarding schools in the United States, the other being Saint Thomas Choir School in New York City. The school provided opportunity to boys from across the world to experience the rich world of music. The Boychoir toured across the contiguous United States, through Canada, as well as internationally, allowing students to gain diverse cultural perspective while performing at the professional level. The American Boychoir performed with numerous orchestras, frequently including the New York Philharmonic as well as the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Francis High School (Mountain View, California)</span> Private school in Mountain View, California, United States

Saint Francis High School, founded in 1955 by the Brothers of Holy Cross, is a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory secondary school located in Mountain View, California, United States. The Brothers of Holy Cross serve both on the faculty and on the Board of Directors. The school is located in the Diocese of San Jose in California.

Expulsion, also known as dismissal, withdrawal, or permanent exclusion, is the permanent removal or banning of a student from a school, school district, college, university, or TAFE due to persistent violation of that institution's rules, or in extreme cases, for a single offense of marked severity. Colloquialisms for expulsion include being "kicked out of school" or "sent down". Laws and procedures regarding expulsion vary between countries and states.

Thomaston High School is a public school for grades 7 through 12 in Thomaston, Connecticut. The school has an enrollment of about 350 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connetquot School District</span> School district in the U.S. state of New York

The Connetquot Central School District of Islip is a school district located in the Town of Islip of Suffolk County, New York on Long Island. There is one preschool, seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one senior high school.

Magnolia Independent School District is a public school district based in Magnolia, Texas, United States. In addition to Magnolia, the district also serves the town of Stagecoach and the community of Pinehurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Randolph Bray</span> American animator

John Randolph Bray was an American animator, cartoonist, and film producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Brazos</span> American college football rivalry

The Battle of the Brazos is an American college football rivalry game between the Baylor Bears and Texas A&M Aggies. The rivalry is named for the Brazos River that flows by the two schools, which are 90 miles apart. The Battle of the Brazos debuted in 1899. The rivalry became dormant in 2012, when Texas A&M left the Big 12 Conference to join the Southeastern Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escondido High School</span> Public high school in Escondido, California, United States

Escondido High School (EHS) is one of three high schools in the Escondido Union High School District located in Escondido, California. Escondido High received a California Distinguished School award in 2007.

<i>J.S. v. Bethlehem Area School District</i>

J.S. v. Bethlehem Area School District, 757 A.2d 412, was a case of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which found the Bethlehem Area School District could punish a student for derogatory and allegedly threatening comments made on a website about a teacher, even though the site was created off-campus.

In the United States, the school-to-prison pipeline (SPP), also known as the school-to-prison link, school–prison nexus, or schoolhouse-to-jailhouse track, is the disproportionate tendency of minors and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds to become incarcerated because of increasingly harsh school and municipal policies. Additionally, this is due to educational inequality in the United States. Many experts have credited factors such as school disturbance laws, zero-tolerance policies and practices, and an increase in police in schools in creating the "pipeline". This has become a hot topic of debate in discussions surrounding educational disciplinary policies as media coverage of youth violence and mass incarceration has grown during the early 21st century.

Title IX of the United States Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination "on the basis of sex" in educational programs and activities that receive financial assistance from the federal government. The Obama administration interpreted Title IX to cover discrimination on the basis of assigned sex, gender identity, and transgender status. The Trump administration determined that the question of access to sex-segregated facilities should be left to the states and local school districts to decide. The validity of the executive's position is being tested in the federal courts.

School disturbance laws, also known as school disruption laws, are a series of state laws within the United States that prohibit and instill penalties for those found guilty of disturbing the operations of a school. In some states, merely "disturbing school" is a crime, with the law giving no further definition or guidance to those charged with enforcing the law. Enacted by states in the early 20th century to protect students from outside adults, since the Civil Rights Era they began to be used against students within the schools. As of 2017, there are over 20 states with these laws still in place, although they remain actively enforced by only some. It is reported that nationally, 10,000 juveniles are charged with "disturbing school" each year, in addition to those who are charged as adults. The application of these laws, including arrest, expulsion, and incarceration, are in many states part of the "school to prison pipeline," the channeling of students of all ages into the criminal justice program. This frequently has adverse effects on students' academic performance, ability to remain in the educational system, likelihood of adult incarceration, and their future success in society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suicide of Sladjana Vidovic</span> 2008 Ohio student suicide

Sladjana Vidović was a 16-year-old student at Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio who committed suicide by hanging herself after enduring extensive bullying by several classmates over issues such as her ethnicity, accent, name, and appearance.

The Lost Boys of Dilworth is a 2024 New Zealand docudrama that explores revelations of sexual abuse by staff against students at Auckland's Dilworth School. It was written and presented by former Dilworth student and victim Mark Staufer and screened on TVNZ1 and TVNZ+ on 14 April 2024. Besides Staufer, the documentary also featured interviews with former Dilworth alumni Mat Stapleton, Vaughan Sexton and Paula Doherty, the sister of the late former student Sean Doherty.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Killer Teddy: Teacher Sues His Pupils". News. Sky. June 1, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "Teddy bear attack filmmakers catch a break". NBC News. NBC. December 23, 2006. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Lawsuit over killer teddy bears video settled". NBC News. NBC. March 21, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "'Teddy Bear Master' expulsions dropped". USA Today. March 21, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  5. ↑ "$69,000 win makes expulsion bearable". The Irish Independent. March 22, 2007. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Teacher Sues Over Evil Teddy Bear Film". News. CBS. June 1, 2007. Archived from the original on February 28, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2011.

Obscenity controversies in film

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.