Somerville Theatre bans (young) kids from entering after 6 pm. Let's discuss it here

[ron_newman]

This week's Somerville News has an article about the Somerville Theatre's policy of banning children under 12 8* from entering the theatre after 6 pm, even if they are accompanied by adults.

Is the theatre's policy a service to its customers who want a peaceful movie experience, or is it unfair discrimination against families with young children?

I'm posting this because we can have a more civilized discussion here than on the Somerville News blog comments. Ian Judge, the theatre's manager, reads this community, so we may be able to provide useful feedback to him here.

* Edited 11:55 am to add: I have a serious factual issue with this article. It says the policy applies to children under 12, but the theatre's website and exterior signs say it's for children under 8. That's a significant difference -- maybe significant enough to change people's opinions.

Second edit, 3 pm: Ian Judge has clarified that the theatre's policy is to exclude children under 8, not 12, from entering after 6 pm. He had made an erroneous statement to the News reporter which very unfortunately made it into the published article. Also, here is Ian's response to the specific incident detailed in the News article.

Comments

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

This doesn't solve the problem of rude adults at the movies, which in my experience is far worse than the occasional disruptive kid. The people who were sitting behind me at the AMC in Burlington and talked through the entire movie (like, ongoing conversations at normal volume) on Wednesday night were well over 12. I don't really think kids are the main problem--plenty of people don't know how to behave in public and don't have respect for the people with whom they share public spaces. Banning kids doesn't solve that problem.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Hatchets, however, do.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I advocate confiscating cell phones and duct-taping people's mouths shut before they enter a theater and administering IQ tests and anyone stupid enough not to grasp basic concepts like plot refused admittance.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

administering IQ tests and anyone stupid enough not to grasp basic concepts like plot refused admittance

Sadly, I think that would knock me out of, like, EVERY movie.