Format

Panel

First Presenter's Institution

The Highest Standard Documentary

First Presenter’s Email Address

Beaconfilm@gmail.com

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Director and cinematographer Isara Krieger is a documentary filmmaker currently based in Oakland, California. She is an on-call Video Producer for KQED Arts (SF Bay Area PBS affiliate) and this year her directorial debut––an episode of KQED Arts’ award-winning series If Cities Could Dance––was nominated for a NorCal Regional Emmy® award. She has also worked on the creative, editorial and production teams of multiple award-winning feature documentaries on Netflix, CNN, MSNBC.

Location

Session Seven Breakouts (Plimsoll)

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Health: Mental & Physical Health

Relevance

Film director, Isara Krieger grew up in Boston, MA where she transferred from private to public middle school. There she experienced the vast inequality in education available to urban versus suburban students, and the damaging standards within education that this creates across social classes. This experience motivates her to this film’s story, and fuels her journalism that focuses on the social and emotional effects of inequitable structures in the US.

Brief Program Description

In our program, Isara seeks to use The Highest Standard documentary film as a conversation starter with educators, educational activists, mental health professionals and students that are part of the film to discuss what tools are available and what tools that should to be created to support students of greater need in the classroom and beyond.

Summary

Session Title: Finding Equity in Education (45 - 60 minutes)

  • The Highest Standard tells an American coming of age story that challenges the inaccessibilty of our country’s private high schools. Three Boston Public School students, who rank far below their suburban peers, decide to apply to some of the most elite boarding schools in the country. Is 12 months’ preparation enough to enter this completely new predominantly-white world as low-income students of color? Four years later, as seniors in high school, the three students reflect on this question.

The film team and advisors seek to be in conversation with panelists and attendees alike using the film as a teaching tool to empower all youth, educators, administrators and social justice warriors. Featuring 3-5 clips from the film, the filmmakers would like to host a discussion tackling racial injustice within America’s education system. You can review our 11-minute teaser: HERE.

  • Themes to explore on the panel:

    • In your role, what does equity mean to you? How do you want equity to show up in your school/classroom/organization?

    • What current resources do you have to support all students, including those with greater need, at your school?

    • What tools do you feel you have access to and/or need to be created to support racial justice in education? How can community leaders/activists in education support your work?

    • How can your school partner with DEI organizations and mental health advocates to support your learning environment? Is that something that you are interested in doing?

  • Panelists to represent The Highest Standard can include:

    • Isara Krieger (Director of the film)

    • Meleah Neely, Exavion Clerveau, Makai Murray: 1-3 Film participant(s)

    • Carlos Hoyt, DEI counselor in high school education

    • Change Cadet, DEI consultant for large-scale corporations

    • A representative from InnoPsych (Mental Health Organization) (TBD)

  • Contact: Beaconfeature@gmail.com

Evidence

There are multiple reports that have highlighted the racial disparities in the classroom. Most recently, American Society For Microbiology published findings earlier this year that discussed how racial bias has played a role in schools for many decades. From slavery to segregation in American schools, to lack of resources, jobs, livable wages, clean water and food, updated educational materials, lack of teachers in communities of color and now a battle with technology - it's time for educators, school administrators, parents, civil rights activists and mental health professionals to come together to address and actively work on dismantling racism in the classroom. The COVID 19 Pandemic was only exacerbated the issue. The time is now.

Learning Objective 1

Learn how to create space to discuss educational disparities.

Learning Objective 2

Brainstorm the resources that attendees have access to to support all students and what resources should be created.

Learning Objective 3

Learn how to tap into mental health resources for students to feel safe to access and ways to increase more people of color to become mental health professionals.

Keyword Descriptors

Race, Education, Youth, America, Wealth, Low income, African American, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Presentation Year

2023

Start Date

3-7-2023 2:45 PM

End Date

3-7-2023 4:00 PM

Download

Share

COinS
 
Mar 7th, 2:45 PM Mar 7th, 4:00 PM

Finding Equity in Education

Session Seven Breakouts (Plimsoll)

In our program, Isara seeks to use The Highest Standard documentary film as a conversation starter with educators, educational activists, mental health professionals and students that are part of the film to discuss what tools are available and what tools that should to be created to support students of greater need in the classroom and beyond.