Public educational entities have very liberal “Fair-Use” exceptions to copyright restrictions.
Besides just the optics of this, Disney really is over-reaching on crap like this.
And imagine how much violation of Copyright Disney probably “tolerates” from China.
I’m wondering if the school brought this on themselves by using the screening as a fundraiser. No “fair use” exception should apply in that case.
Um, no.
If a teacher showed the movie in class, then yes; educational fair use.
But fees were paid for admission to the movie; that makes it a for-profit venture and the payment is due.
You don’t have to like intellectual property law and royalty payments, but they are the law, and for good reason.
Even a cover band in a local bar owes royalties to the copyright holders for songs they cover in their set list. If the establishment has an ASCAP sticker on the door; they enforce the payments.