Join us for a screening and discussion of “RACE TO NOWHERE” on DEC. 2
Schools, community invited to see film that explores the effects of today’s pressure-packed academic culture
The high-stakes, high-pressure culture that permeates today’s schools and students’ lives will be explored Thursday, Dec. 2 at Foxcroft when the documentary film Race to Nowhere will be screened and discussed. The public is invited to join teachers, parents and administrators from Foxcroft and other area schools at the event, to be held in the Engelhard Gymnasium on the School’s Middleburg, VA, campus.
Vicki Abeles, a concerned mother-turned-filmmaker, directed the movie which features stories of young people in all types of communities who have been pushed to the brink, educators worried that students aren’t developing the skills they need, and parents trying to do what’s best for their kids. The film also hears from psychologists and education experts as it raises difficult questions about how to best prepare children to become healthy, bright, creative citizens.
“As a mother, I experienced the stress firsthand and realized that no one was talking about it,” says Abeles, a 48-year-old lawyer with three children between the ages 11 and 16. “I saw kids who were anxious, depressed, physically ill, checking out, abusing drugs and, worst case, attempting suicide. I felt compelled to speak out about this crisis by making a film and giving voice to the students, teachers, and parents.”
Race to Nowhere is being shown at scores of schools, theaters, and community centers across the country in hopes of stimulating the growing national dialogue examining the educational “race to nowhere.” An open audience discussion is a feature of each screening; Alexander O. Northrup, Foxcroft’s Academic Dean and the individual responsible for bringing this film to Middleburg, will facilitate the conversation at the Dec. 2 screening.
An interesting counterpoint to the general-release film Waiting for Superman, which addresses the failures of urban school systems, Race to Nowhere questions policies and practices that focus on testing, performance, and competition, sometimes at the cost of meaningful teaching and learning.
“Every once in a while, a film comes along that has the potential to change the culture,” said New York Times bestselling author Rachel Simmons (Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls). “Race to Nowhere shines a light on the crisis of learning and meaning facing American education. The film is both a call to arms and a beacon of hope, a source of relief and outrage and a way forward for all of us."
The Foxcroft screening is free but seating is limited. For more information about the screening, please call Cathrine Wolf, Director of Communications, at 540.687.4511. For more information about the film, go to www.racetonowhere.com
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