School Daze

A man manipulates his girlfriend into proving her love by agreeing to have sex with another man. She clearly doesn't want to, but agrees to go through with it, tearfully. The other man kisses her on the cheek and she's repulsed, then he starts to undress. Nothing else is shown, but later the other man says he's no longer a virgin. A major part of the story is an attempt to pledge a fraternity with hazing, bullying, and verbal abuse. None of it's life threatening, and is mainly meant to humiliate and test endurance. A scene where the pledges are paddled in the behind is played for comedy. A few quick fights between groups show punches being thrown, pushing, and shoving. A man catcalls to a woman pedestrian from his car. Some still photos in the opening credits show Civil-Rights era violence but no gore.

A man is fully nude from the side and in the dark so no sensitive parts are clearly seen. A few scenes show college students, mostly seniors, kissing with tongue, caressing, and undressing. Sex is simulated under covers. One scene shows a lot of licking on the chest and top of the head. Hand gestures imitate masturbation. A fraternity leader makes it clear that he won't admit virgins into the fraternity. A background shows stylized nude female statues.

"F--k," "p---y," "s--t," "bulls--t," "motherf--kers," "t-ts," "f-g," "goddammit," "damn," "ass," "butt," "boning," and "scrotum face." Racist name calling includes the "N" word, "pickaninny," "jigaboo," "tar baby," and "high yellow." One song in a dance number pits the "Jigaboos" against the "Wannabes" (want to be light skinned or white), and the end credits list the actors by those group names. Another dance number's song is called "Da Butt."

A college student drinks from a tankard at a school dance. One ironic reference to smoking crack. Some background smoking at a school dance.

Parents need to know that School Daze is a Spike Lee dramedy with a few musical numbers set at a fictional, historically all-Black college campus. Controversial issues are raised about racism, racial injustice, and academic and social hierarchies and disparities. There's a very problematic storyline in which a young woman is manipulated into having unwanted sex. A man is seen fully nude from the side and in the dark. A few scenes show kissing with tongue and simulated sex. One scene shows a lot of licking on the chest and the top of the head. Some gender roles are outdated, and the focus of the main activist character is for the college to divest from South Africa, which still enforced apartheid when the movie was made. Lots of strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "p---y," and more. There's also a lot of racist name-calling, including the "N" word," "jigaboo," "pickaninny," and "tar baby." Pledging a fraternity involves lots of hazing, bullying, and verbal abuse, and it's frequently played for comedy. There's very little alcohol use, some brief background smoking, and an ironic reference to smoking crack.

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