SCHOOL DISTRICT HANDLING OF RACE DOCUMENTARY SPARKS "ANGST"

The decision by the school district to cancel the classroom showing of the Academy Award-nominated documentary 13TH and instead schedule an after-school screening prompted "angst" and claims it was "racist in nature," Superintendent John Ramos said Monday.

Ramos explained what went into the decision that has sparked opposition by some parents who gave permission for their children to screen the movie in middle school classes and were told that plan was cancelled by the district office.

He said the central office was unaware of the previous plan to show the film in specific classes where permission slips had been sent home and signed. Some parents were concerned because they believed that the classroom screenings were cancelled after one lone parent objected. 

One of those parents spoke Monday night and claimed that the move was a sign of institutional racism because the parent was white.

13TH, which is name for the 13th Amendment that barred slavery, follows racism from that point citing mass incarceration up until the modern day. It was shown at Columbia High School last fall.

See the discussion at Monday's meeting below:




The district has scheduled the after-school showing for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 at South Orange Middle School. 

See more on the movie HERE. It is also available on Netflix.