THE NEW PUBLIC TRAILER from THE NEW PUBLIC on Vimeo.
The New Public
Jyllian Gunther / USA
(87 min)
Regional Premiere, Arkansas Premiere
In fall 2006, former DJ, point guard and teacher turned first-time principal, James O’Brien, opened a small public high school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where 1/3 of residents live below the poverty line and the graduation rate is 40%.
With infectious optimism, O’Brien and his staff of eight undertook a new and unconventional approach –– emphasizing strong individual support with an arts & media-based focus. Initially, the buzz from the community was that this was a dream come true. But conflicts soon arose when old realities surfaced.
Filmed over four years, The New Public goes in and out of the classroom to follow the journey of students, parents and educators striving to reconcile idealism with reality and make a difference in the futures of young people whose lives are stark representations of our country’s education and opportunity gaps.
Through the prism of one inner-city public school, we witness complexities faced by urban public schools and communities everywhere.
Filmmaker and Educator Kevin Greer attending via Skype
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