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Award-winning filmmakers Alan Raymond and Susan Raymond chronicle one school year with the students and teachers of Frederick Douglass High School, an inner-city Baltimore school that has struggled to meet the expectations of President Bush's controversial 2002 No Child Left Behind Act.
Premieres June 25.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jul 21, 2008 12:38 PM
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The velvet ropes outside the AFI theater in Silver Spring were strung, the red carpet unrolled, and the Frederick Douglass High School Marching Band ushered in the audience with gleaming brass pomp and pride at the recent world premiere of ?Hard Times at Douglass High,? a documentary by Alan and Susan Raymond chronicling a year in this struggling Baltimore high school.
The responsibility of a documentarian is to hold a mirror up to nature, steady and unflinching, and the Raymonds have a storied history as documentarians. They were the creators of the early 1970?s look at suburban American life in the PBS series, ?An American Family.? And they won an Oscar for their 1990?s film about the challenges of an elementary school in Philadelphia.
But ?Hard Times at Douglass High,? like their previous exploration of urban education, is an exercise in smoke and mirrors. Instead of sounding an alarm to stir public outrage and action in the face of devastating school failure, the documentary seems content to be an apologist?s lullaby, singing a nation to sleep.
Susan Raymond told the Washington Post (?The ABCs of Failure,? June 23), ?If you're depressed [after seeing the documentary], it means that we've succeeded.?
But succeeded at what, exactly?
In their examination of Douglass?s underachievement?16 percent of students were proficient in English, and 5 percent in math?the Raymonds give short shrift to the leadership and instructional failures that are the primary determiners of student achievement. Instead, they turn the cameras to focus on the results, not the causes, of school dysfunction: disengaged students and fractured communication with parents.
To be sure, this film was created with tremendous sympathy for the adults who work in this school. When a ninth-grade English teacher departs mid-year and is replaced by a string of substitutes, among them a school counselor-in-training, the camera casts a compassionate lens toward the departing instructor and those who follow. When we learn that 60 percent of Douglass?s teachers are not credentialed, we are asked to sympathize with a school struggling to keep warm bodies at the chalkboard. What isn?t shown, however, is the impact of this unstable, underqualified teaching staff on the students and their learning.
When a 17-year-old ninth grader refuses to attend a remedial reading class and argues in the hallway with an administrator, the scene is offered as proof of student unruliness. We are never challenged to wonder why the school placed this young man in a remedial reading class rather than credit-bearing English with stronger instructional supports, a strategy known to produce greater student learning, less failure and a better shot at graduating.
Telling someone else?s story comes with tremendous responsibility. It is clear that the Raymonds knew little about the world they entered when they walked into Douglass with cameras in tow and even less about the struggles and aspirations of students within the walls of schools like this one. Throughout, the symptoms of school dysfunction are misdiagnosed as the problems themselves, leaving the hope and power of real reform a daunting distance from the hands of the very people who stand to make change happen: the educators.
If the aim of this film was to perpetuate stereotypes about urban students, parents, and schools; to excuse Douglass?s poor performance when similar schools across the country are steering students to success; and to suggest that American public education can?t be the powerful equalizer that we believe it to be; then, I guess they did succeed.
And they succeeded in excusing a nation for allowing the dreams of too many of students to atrophy in struggling schools ? students like those young marching band members last Friday, asked to play at their own funeral.
Brooke Haycock is a documentary theater artist engaged in advocacy on issues of urban school reform and equity. She is a former D.C. public school student and works for The Education Trust.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jul 16, 2008 5:34 PM
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HBO should be ashamed of themselves. The problems at Douglas were there LONG before the No Child Left Behind program. It has absolutely nothing to do with it. I myself graduated from Southern High School in Baltimore City in 1986. I always heard about Douglas and how bad things were there and how much everyone at my school looked down at them.
So I do disagree with the majority of everyone who posted their comments. The answer is not funding the schools either. Schools have gotten a 300 % increase in funding in the last 20 years but the math and reading proficiency scores have moved just one or two point in that same 20 year period. However Teachers salaries have only increased very little in the past 20 years so what incentive do they have? The teachers unions cripple the education system by not letting school administrators discipline teachers if a problem arises. In New York City the superintendant had to employ up to 250 unwanted teachers, assistant principals, and other staff that were not wanted by any school because their union contract guaranteed that they have a job.
But that is just one issue.
The real problem starts in the home... it's that simple. I won't go into specifics but I stand behind what Bill Cosby, JC Watts, and even Obama have said about the Black community. I think there is a stigma in the black community that they are expected to fail, they are expected not to achieve success and live without pride and just get through life by any means necessary. Most of the blame should be pointed at the so called "Black Leaders" who only thrive when they keep those they are supposed to support beaten down at every turn. They would be out of business in a heartbeat if a positive shift came along in the community. I feel sorry for all kids growing up today because we now have a society that feels like they are owed something and have not one ounce of personal responsibility.
I say we get back to basics folks?..FAMILY. Stop putting the problems you had as a child on your own children. If you live in a bad neighborhood then??Move! If jobs are limited in your area...MOVE. There is more than enough help for you out there to get you on your way. Step up and be a role model to your kids then Fitty, PDiddy, and the like would have to get real jobs from the lack of them being so idolized.
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Edited by TrapGT at 07/16/2008 2:35 PM PDT
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Edited by TrapGT at 07/16/2008 2:56 PM PDT
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jul 14, 2008 12:06 AM
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I graduated from Frederick Douglass High in 1963 as a part of the same class as the principal in this piece. If a young lady showed up for school in a dress that was too short when we were students at Douglass, that young lady was sent home immediately. Lillian Murphy or Esie Hughes saw to it that this happened, and parents got involved. The principal in this HBO Feature (Class of "63") was running Douglass in 2005 with rules that denied what she learned as a student in 1963, and she should have been dismissed.
It is of course stupid to blame the problems at Douglass on one principal breaking the rules she learned as a young girl, but it is a point to note that the breaking of this system began long ago. Healing the system will take a monumental effort. It's not just the system, it's not just teacher certification standards and it's not lax rules. It is answering the question of how to rebuild a value system we forgot to continue nurturing.
There were single mother led families and absent fathers in 1963 and somehow 618 kids graduated from Douglass that year (February and June graduates counted together). Many of that graduating class attended college, went into the military or acquired public sector employment right after graduation. Yet somehow something very wrong has happened to our society.
I am the contemporary of the Grandparents of the lost kids in this piece, and we must all be held accountable for this mess.
How do we rebuild a value system? I do not have a ready answer, but I'm ready to talk about it.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jul 10, 2008 5:39 PM
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I agree that early intervention is extremely important! The earlier issues can be identified, the better tools a child will be equipped with later. Intervention, and even preventative measures of some kind, should be the rule very early, and not the exception.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jul 10, 2008 11:39 AM
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I was wondering as well schla why are they not trying to help these children when they are in elementary school and making them a priority at the very beginning. What these children need to learn is how to read, write and take care of themselves. I don't like all these standardized tests and trying to push everyone along because the government says that is what we need. Each child is an individual and needs to be treated as one not as a score on a test.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jul 8, 2008 9:04 PM
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I would like to point out that I think this documentary is well done EXCEPT it leaves out a major component: what about the responsibility of the lower schools? this documentary gives the appearance that the responsibility falls upon the high school. what about the parents (eluded to in the show) and especially the elementary and middle schools? kids who get to 9th grade and have a fifth grade reading level don't get that far all alone... it took 8 years of education to get to that point.
clearly this documentary centered around a school near Washington DC with significance in history to gain viewers and attention. I'd like to see a story that simply doesn't only state the white versus black issue of education as it is only one facet of the problems with education in general and NCLB specifically- whites aren't doing the best in schools, asians are. and african americans aren't the only segment of society with education issues. what about hispanics? native americans?
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jun 30, 2008 1:38 PM
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Wonderful post sluggie! I agree with you about poverty being a problem. We as a country really need to help our own out of poverty and be there to stand behind our educational system.
Welcome to the boards and I hope you enjoy posting here with us.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jun 28, 2008 8:23 PM
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Poverty is the problem, not the kids or the teachers or even necessarily the parents. The problem with our educational system is that we consider it an isolated issue rather than as a symptom of a broken society where the rich get richer and the poor grow in numbers.
NCLB encourages an environment of blame and anger rather than the supportive environment these children need to survive. I was appalled by the way the principal was talking to the teachers. When you have a staffing problem you don't solve it by threatening the teachers you've got. Unfortunately her manner of talking to them was pretty typical for what I've seen while working in low income schools. I can't even get too angry with her since I know that she cared, and that she was under a tremendous amount of pressure herself. I also wish I'd seen more of the adults encouraging the kids instead of just telling them that they were failing.
If the kids aren't paying attention to you it's time to start thinking about the way you're presenting the curriculum. When I first started teaching I was shocked by the way some of the kids behaved. I realized that my wishing that the kids behaved better wasn't going to change anything. It's hard to keep this in mind when you have a ton of material to get through, but your enthusiasm for the curriculum makes a difference.
I wish that we had seen someone sit that child who had failed down and talk to him in a supportive way. If he was angry at the system for being failed he should have been encouraged to prove them wrong by being the opposite of what they were saying he was. Kids aren't "bad" they're hurting. When they don't believe that anyone believes in them they will look for ways to make the adults around them prove that idea correct. I wish the counselors and teachers we saw him interact with had given him a response outside the expected one that he was so clearly challenging them to give him. If he really didn't care about school he wouldn't have showed up on the campus at all, the fact that he was lingering in the hallways showed that he wasn't a lost cause. When you encourage kids they'll be more likely to listen when you need to set a limit. That's why the coach was so successful with them, he gave them a combination of both.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jun 27, 2008 3:07 PM
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> And yes, I did take away some positivity with such
> students as Matt & Jordan who showed tremendous will
> power & heart. Hopefully those kids are making it
> life as we speak.
Hi SonikLi, welcome to HBO forums! I agree and hope that are too.
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Tim
HBO Forums Host
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jun 27, 2008 2:28 AM
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What a disheartening documentary. Even more so, if you are a teacher or work in education. I got the impression that the adminstrators only cared about statistics rather than support the teachers & all the b.s. they had to deal with on a daily basis. But, then again, I'm not surprised because many administrations do exactly the same thing at priviledged suburban schools & will still leave teachers to hang dry.
And it was really disturbing to see that the students took Mr. McDermott for granted. How are the teachers supposed to compete with apathy & a lack of discipline in their classes? Seems to me like Mr. McDermott cared & those students just spit in his face. I'll even dare say that they didn't deserve to have him as a teacher. It's a shame that many of those kids (and many others around the country) see their education as a burden or as torture. Especially that kid - "Audie" or whatever his name is. How could he be that smug? How could he choose to be a "messup"? Whether anyone wants to blame the schools, teachers, parents, or society, all ungraetful kids will have to take responsibility for their actions in the end.
How much better would the school be if those slackers would get their acts in order and actually give school a try? Hmm....?
And what the hell was up with those kids in the hallway, 55 minutes into the program? Did you see that guy punch those girls in the face? For a lot of kids who roam the hallways at this school, security was pathetic that day.
And yes, I did take away some positivity with such students as Matt & Jordan who showed tremendous will power & heart. Hopefully those kids are making it life as we speak.
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Edited by SonikLi at 06/27/2008 12:00 AM PDT
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Jun 26, 2008 11:13 PM
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You assume that the documentary only showed us the worse of Douglass High. But some of the numbers of the show showed simple tell us that they showed us the truth about the HS.
- 600 kids enter FDHS as freshman and by the end of that year the number is down to about 300. That stat tells you something is horribly wrong with that school.
- Almost 1/5th of the students are absent from the school each day, that doesn't include the hoardes that are shown showing up late or missing classes hanging out in the hallways
- Over 50% of the teachers on that campus are subs, which can only lead to chaos.
- Also only 130 of kids should have graduated, not the 220 that went through ceremonies. The admin completely put pressure on students to get them to graduate, even allowing students multiple makeups even after being caught cheating.
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Edited by dailytrojan at 06/26/2008 8:18 PM PDT
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Un- Dis illusioned because I don't drink the Kool-Aid
Jun 25, 2008 11:44 PM
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You're absolutely right. And if anyone hasn't watched the George Carlin clip that WhiteRabbit posted, you should really see it now.
I see, I know, I care, and I'm actually trying to do something about it.
George Carlin on education
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Jun 25, 2008 8:06 PM
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You guys just don't get it. This doc was called hardtimes...therefore that was most of what was shown. They decided to show few instances o good going on such as the debate team and band. They went to classes where teachers did not have good management. The majority of the teachers at the school have good class management and rapport with the students, but this is not what was shown. This was done deliberately.
Yes, you have the worst of everything at schools like this. However, I am going to say that this is a necessary evil. It is easy to fix a school like Douglass. For starters, stop taking the "GOOD" students by putting them in city-wide schools. The so-called "GREAT" teachers that are at the city-wide schools should be placed where they are needed the most, RIGHT??? Administrators need to be competent. All too often we have administrators, including principals being placed in these positions because of someone they know and not what they know. The Teacher's Union protects HORRIBLE teachers by filing a grievance when the principal tries to remove them. Then instead of poor performers being fired...they are sent to other schools.
Lets not forget...this is a capitalist society. In order to have the HAVES, I maintain that you must then have the HAVE NOTS.
VJ
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jun 25, 2008 4:13 PM
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I teach in a school that is an almost identical twin to Douglass, right down to the basketball and choir traditions on the good side and the hall-walking, acting out, asleep or absent students on the bad.
One of the points that hit me hardest was when the principal was echoing a speech I've heard countless times: What does it mean when only 3 of 25 students in a class are passing? Of course it must mean that the teacher is not teaching. Never could it be that there are only that many students who should have been enrolled in that class in the first place.
I teach a foreign language and I am totally unsuccessful teaching students who 1-don't want to learn a foreign language, 2-don't need it for graduation (unlike in MD), 3-aren't going to college, 4-didn't choose to take it, 5-don't have an aptitude for it, and 6-don't like it.
When I have a class of 25, of whom only 5 want or need the class, it can devolve into a pack of feral children trying to feed on the teachers. That is a situation I faced this past year. Combine this side of the equation with the fact that the typical student in my school reads on a fifth-grade level, and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that for kids for whom English is a foreign (albeit native) language, the likelihood of having the requisite skills to master the state curriculum in another language is very low.
Even this wouldn't be an insurmountable obstacle if the students were in attendance, attentive, and polite. But the reality is that many students only show up after the truant officer threatens to refer their parents to the state, then arrive after a hard night of partying and just want to sleep through the rest of their day. Nearly one fourth of our students have children of their own, so many absences are due to child-care issues. Even the students who want to do well don't have the drive or the stamina to sustain a passing effort.
Now add in the rapidly increasing load of work and the accompanying stress from administrators constantly threatening you with non-renewal, and you can see why there is a teacher shortage. Teaching in the inner-city is the number one stressful job, according to Health Magazine. But like most of the teachers who have remained at my school and at Douglass for years, we do it for the students. They did not pick their parents, and those who want to excel deserve the best quality teachers they can get.
That's why I gave up rocket science (literally) to teach these kids.
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Re: HARD TIMES AT DOUGLASS HIGH: A No Child Left Behind Report Card
Jun 25, 2008 2:57 PM
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> Also, the Wire is fictional, although probably close
> to the mark contextually.
Yes, the Wire is fictional, however, many of the characters are composites of real people in Baltimore. I'd go further than you and say that it absolutely nails the mark contextually.
Anyone interested in this subject would be well served by watching Season 4 of the Wire. It would be an excellent companion piece to this documentary as a prequel.
It deals in depth with many of the points raised on this thread, including parenting, home life, the burden on teachers and the underfunded school system, NCLB, student attendance, etc.
If this documentary wasn't, infact, inspired by Season 4 of the Wire, it's a pretty big darn coincidence.
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