( EW.com ) -- The battle over `` Bully 's '' R rating rages on . Katy Butler , a 17-year-old high school student from Michigan , delivered a petition ( with more than 200,000 signatures ) Wednesday to the Motion Picture Association of America 's office in Sherman Oaks , California . Her message : Lower the MPAA rating of the upcoming Weinstein Company documentary from R to PG-13 . `` Bully , '' a look at the rise of adolescent bullying in America , was rated R for `` some language '' -- specifically for the f-word , which is used a reported six times in the film . An R rating means that adolescents under the age of 17 -- the documentary 's intended audience -- can not see the film without an adult guardian . Butler , who came out as a lesbian in middle school and has been the victim of repeated bullying , launched the online petition on February 26 . Since then , she has been featured on CNN and Fox News , and was in the audience during today 's taping of `` The Ellen DeGeneres Show , '' during which DeGeneres urged her viewers to also sign the petition . But will all of this media attention have any effect on the MPAA 's decision ? In response to Butler 's petition , the organization released the following statement from Joan Graves , the Chairman of its Classification and Rating Administration : . `` Katy Butler 's efforts in bringing the issue of bullying to the forefront of a national discussion in the context of this new film are commendable and we welcome the feedback about this movie 's rating . The MPAA shares Katy 's goals of shining a light on the problem of bullying and we hope that her efforts will fuel more discussion among educators , parents , and children . The voluntary ratings system enables parents to make an informed decision about what content they allow their children to see in movies . The R rating and description of 'some language ' for Bully does not mean that children can not see the film . As with any movie , parents will decide if they want their children to see Bully . School districts , similarly , handle the determination of showing movies on a case-by-case basis and have their own guidelines for parental approval . The R rating is not a judgment on the value of any movie . The rating simply conveys to parents that a film has elements strong enough to require careful consideration before allowing their children to view it . Once advised , many parents may take their kids to see an R-rated film . '' With `` Bully 's '' March 30 release date quickly approaching , the Weinstein Company is running out of time . The studio lost its appeal to overturn the movie 's R rating , falling one vote short of the two-thirds requirement . As a result , the company was left with three options : ( 1 ) Release `` Bully '' as is with an R rating ; ( 2 ) Edit or mute the profanity in order to obtain a PG-13 rating ; or ( 3 ) Release the film without a MPAA rating , which could result in some theaters treating `` Bully '' as though it were actually rated NC-17 . The film 's director , Lee Hirsch , has already voiced his opposition to making any edits . `` To cut around [ the profanity ] or bleep it out , it really absolutely does lessen the impact and takes away from what the honest moment was , and what a terrifying feeling it can be [ to be bullied ] , '' Hirsch told the AP . And the Weinstein Company believes an R rating would similarly diminish the film 's influence on adolescents . `` If your parents take you or make you go [ to the movie ] , it 's like forcing a child to take medicine , '' David Glasser , the studio 's COO , told EW . `` But if a kid has the ability where he can go on his own , it becomes a movement . That 's one of the reasons why we need this rating changed . '' So far , the Weinstein Company has n't decided how to move forward with `` Bully , '' besides the decision to continue keeping pressure on the MPAA . `` We 're contemplating all options right now regarding what 's best for the movie , '' said Glasser . `` In an ideal world , it 'd be great if the MPAA would say , 'Look , they got the majority vote , and in context , [ the film 's language ] is fine . ' And then everybody goes on their way and we 're able to get a very powerful movie out the door . '' See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved .
`` Bully , '' a look at adolescent bullying in America , was rated R for `` some language '' The Weinstein Co. believes an R rating would diminish the film 's influence on adolescents . Comment: