Parents have been left outraged after a teacher mistakenly showed a slasher version of Winnie the Pooh to some unsuspecting fourth graders.
Winnie the Pooh is a classic children's story that most of us will have encountered while growing up, and it's often noted how warming the stories can be.
So why someone has made a slasher movie based on the loveable characters is a mystery, but that's the world we live in.
The film was shown to a group of fourth-grade students in Miami Springs, Florida, who were expecting a fun movie day at school, but were instead traumatized as they were subjected to an alarming rendition of the beloved children's character.
Watch the trailer below:The shocking incident unfolded on Monday, October 2, when their math teacher decided to screen the unsuitable slasher film Winnie the Pooh: Honey and Blood.
As reported by CBS News, for nearly 30 minutes, the innocent young minds were exposed to a grotesque version of the iconic bear, who turned into a murderous savage after his friend, Christopher Robin, departed for college.
The movie, notorious for its dark twist, left many students emotionally scarred.
One mother, Michelle Diaz, whose twins were unfortunate victims of this alarming screening, expressed her disbelief and frustration with the school's decision.
"I feel completely abandoned by the school," Diaz conveyed during an interview with CBS after a meeting with the school's principal.
The teacher's failure to respond to the distress of the students compounded the issue. Diaz noted: "He didn't stop the movie, even though there were kids saying, 'Hey, stop the movie, we don't want to watch this.'"
According to Diaz, the students were exposed to the movie after the teacher allowed them to choose, a decision that would lead to a distressing afternoon for many.
The Academy of Innovative Education, a K-12 Miami-Dade County Public Schools Charter, operates independently of the city's school rules, which means it bears full responsibility for the personnel they employ.
The Head of the School, Vera Hirsch, issued a statement to CBS, acknowledging the grave error, saying: "The Academy for Innovative Education has become aware that a segment of a horror movie was shown to fourth graders on Monday, October 2, 2023, that was not suitable for the age group."
She assured the community that the school's administration had taken swift action to address the issue, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of the students.
"We are actively monitoring the students, and our mental health counselor and principal have already met with those students who have expressed concerns," Hirsch added.
The movie's creation was made possible when, on January 1, 2022, the copyright on the characters of the first Winnie the Pooh book by A.A. Milne lapsed, entering the public domain. Just five months later, director Rhys Waterfield commenced production on the controversial horror film.
Notably, in March, cinemas in Hong Kong ceased screening the movie, prompting concerns about censorship in the city.
