By punishing children with disabilities for behaviors they can’t control, the film warns, we’re doing more than disrupting their education. We’re pushing them from school to prison.
adult, weaves the threads together. Reflecting on his life, Dylan recalls how his behavior was misunderstood, his needs ignored, and his life eventually thrown into chaos. Returning repeatedly to Dylan’s story demonstrates that punitive disciplinary tactics are rarely isolated incidents, and that they can snowball in alarming ways.
Though the film draws on lots of studies and statistics, it maintains its human element, presenting each subject as more than a list of diagnoses and misbehaviors. Elementary schooler Tiana, for instance, is first seen sullenly refusing to read flashcards her frustrated mom waves in her face.
Each expert interviewed in the film is listed only by their title — “ACLU advocacy coordinator” or “preschool teacher” — rather than by their name. The decision to anonymize these professionals is an odd one, and detracts slightly from the film’s authoritative message. Greene himself appears, eloquently explaining why many teachers are unprepared to handle children with special needs.
The film briefly touches on solutions to the problems it articulates, the most basic of which are increased funding and stronger supports for children with disabilities. This decision — combined with the heartbreaking conclusions of the characters’ stories — forces viewers to confront the harm that’s being done in America’s schools.calls attention to a long-ignored problem, and puts the onus on all of us to dismantle and reassemble a broken system.
This film is not yet in distribution. You can watch it in streaming format on Maine Public Television, beginning in late March, or by
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