Race to Nowhere

A local school recently hosted a free screening of the new film, Race to Nowhere.

The mother-turned-director had children who were physically and emotionally spent trying to cope with the demands of a typical American schooling. After 8 hours of school, kids go home to 2-6 more hours of homework. They are also expected to participate in daily sports practices, be accomplished artists and musicians, do community service, and still get sleep at night. The film is a call to action for teachers, parents, schools and students to pursue methods of education that are beneficial to the whole person.

For many parents, it will be an eye-opener to learn how many students abuse drugs to stay awake on a regular homework night. In a recent study of 5,000 students, only 3% had NEVER cheated. The battle for them is just to cope. The film gives a constant stream of factoids about the developmental abilities of students at different ages and how ill-fitted our education system is for the needs of those students.

The sticking point for me was when a high school teacher said, "When did schools gain the right to tell students how live after the bell rings?" And conversely, I wondered when parents gained the right to tell teachers how to teach students in their own classrooms.

This is an issue for everyone - not just parents. It is worth your time to find a public screening and help your community change schools for the better. www.racetonowhere.com