IT'S UP TO PARENTS TO MONITOR MOVIE SELECTIONS

The announcement came with considerable fanfare. President Clinton proclaimed last week that thousands of movie theaters have agreed to require photo IDs for young people seeking admission to R-rated movies.

The National Association of Theater Owners will require the photo identification to ensure young people are at least 17 before they get in to R-rated movies, unless accompanied by an adult. The organization represents about 65 percent of the motion picture screens across the nation.

The two companies that operate movie theaters in Cape Girardeau already card young customers who attempt to buy tickets for R-rated shows.

But that won't stop all young people from watching R-rated movies. The problem is the layout of most movie theaters rather than ticket diligence. In most theater multiplexes, once individuals turn in their tickets, they can move from screen to screen. Most theaters simply don't have to the personnel to constantly monitor admittance to each and every screen.

This is an issue that begins at home. Parents set the tone for their children's movie habits. Many adults pay no attention to the rating guidelines. It's not uncommon to see young people in R-rated movies accompanied by adults. The same applies with R-rated videos that parents bring home for their children to watch.

Nice try, Mr. Clinton, but photo identification is no guarantee teens under 17 won't slip into a darkened movie theater with an R-rating.