Local theater introduces new pre-packaged night

By Erica Greene
Photo by Erica Greene

A St. Augustine father, Paul Schroeder, may never send his children or grandchildren to see a movie at Epic Theatres of Saint Augustine.

On Friday nights after 6, one movie in one theater is available for viewing by people 16-years-old and under who are not accompanied by an adult. Poorly behaved teens are the cause of this decision.

“I think it’s bogus,” Schroeder said. “Kids should be able to see any movie up to, but not rated R.”

Schroeder sees a better solution.

“Get security and kick the punks out,” he said.

Local youths are not thrilled about the new policy either.

“We are mature enough to see what movie we want,” eighth-grader Madeline Leibin, 13, said.

Marie Bongiorno, 13, believes she should be able to choose what movie she wishes to view but she understands the reason for the new policy.

“If there are no parents around, we are loud and stuff,” she said.

“I understand where they are coming from,” said Justin Black a St. Augustine resident and father of three. “But I think they should punish only the kids that do wrong.”

Cooperate owners of Epic Theatre in Deland, Fla., were not available for comment.

According to the general manager of the St. Augustine, location this policy has been in place since September 2009.

In January 2010, the Flagler College Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) chapter launched Mission: Media, a program that lets St. Augustine’s Boys and Girls Club children control the news for a day.
In Mission: Media, the children generate and develop story ideas in a “news budget” meeting that SPJ members lead before heading out into the field. Each SPJ member guides a few children through the city and helps them find and interview sources. After the children finish reporting, they return to the Flagler College Gargoyle office to write and publish their work here.