“Race to Nowhere” the latest attempt to point out perennial problems with schools

Expected to be the revolutionary documentary of the year, “Race to Nowhere” is just as its title suggests. It’s nothing new—we’re working kids too hard, we need to slow down before we become America’s most unimaginative, robotic generation yet.
           
While we’ve heard this said over and over again, when have we listened? Practically never.

The film “Race to Nowhere” is only as good as you make it. While the documentary contains strong opinions about how students work too hard, the film itself may not be strong enough to break through our self-imposed culture of competition. Though it is supposed to be the be-all end-all of the timeless grade issue, much of it may be lost on the A-or-nay student mentality at MVHS.
           
“Race to Nowhere” has the one thing that teachers, guidance counselors and other educators haven’t had in their fight to save students—proof. In this documentary, real life cases are presented to the audience. While the movie is artfully composed of testimonials and facts from people that have seen the struggle firsthand, it does nothing to hide the ugly truth.
           
Outside of this documentary, most of society would not have seen some of the trials these students suffer through. It shows that many students experience real pain and frustration over not being good enough academically. School causes fights that can break up families and stress that eats away at individuals, but that’s not all. Worse things can happen as shown with Devon Martin, a girl that committed suicide after getting an F on a math test, to whom “Race to Nowhere” is dedicated.
           
The viewers are brought into the heart of a culture where students are taking performance drugs to improve grades, where homework is the biggest form of abuse and the next test always hangs over the student like a ticking bomb. Sadly, the only thing new to us is that we are beginning to realize how unhealthy our fixation on is. Or, we should.

What sets “Race to Nowhere” apart from everything we’ve ever heard is that the people in this film come out and say what we have been skirting out of fear for tact. For this fear, we may have forfeited more than our role in the space race, or a rank among the world’s smartest children. We may have lost the imagination and innovation of today, and in the process, the progress of tomorrow.
           
“Race to Nowhere” calls desperately for reform from our children, parents and educators. Perhaps this time around, society will do itself a favor and listen.

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