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"The War on Kids" Exposes Issues in Public Education
Is America's public education system failing its students? The conclusion one would draw from Cevin Soling's documentary "The War on Kids" is yes.
Soling's 95-minute film takes a tough look at the tactics that happen in elementary and high schools across America. Over the course of six years, Soling investigated concerns that have arisen from schools adopting Zero Tolerance Policies. Although initially intended as proactive responses to school violence, these efforts have mostly succeeded in cultivating an environment of fear in which young children are penalized for innocent actions.
This film suggests that genuinely educating kids has stopped being a high priority for many institutions. Instead, the goal is to keep kids in line. Hence, creative, out-of-the-box thinking is discouraged. Students who express unusual ideas are stifled, compelled to hold back their thoughts and frequently subjected to prescription drugs in hopes that their conduct will cease to pose a threat to classroom decorum. Meanwhile, behavioral issues on the whole have become more of an issue, with such conditions as Attention Deficit Disorder growing, and the current psychiatric solutions appear to be adding to the challenge.
Throughout the documentary is footage that demonstrates the extent to which authority figures exert control over the students in their care. Many schools now turn to metal detectors and drug-sniffing dogs. Moreover, youngsters have already been suspended for carrying innocuous items such as nail clippers that could allegedly be used as weapons. Students in such an oppressive environment consider learning hard, as they are under a continual blanket of fear. Indeed, many have described the present school experience as being comparable to prison, though stringent security techniques have not necessarily translated into enhanced student safety.
Soling's documentary places a lot of the blame for America's education crisis with the schools themselves, claiming the infrastructure is excessively authoritarian and thus centered on sustaining discipline that young minds are not sufficiently nurtured. While the picture that he paints is dreary indeed, the hope is that his film can offer impetus to repair a profoundly broken system.
"The War on Kids" has already garnered some attention from high places, including mentions on "The Colbert Report" and the award of Best Educational Documentary at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival. With a wider audience, Soling's important message may be spread throughout the nation as parents and students find ways to ensure that this present-day generation doesn't fall through the cracks.
