“Race to Nowhere is a call to challenge current educational assumptions and mobilize families, educators, and policy makers how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens,” Race to Nowhere website. Standford University stepped up to the challenge by screening the film.
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Race to Nowhere at Stanford
Written by Vicki H. Abeles
The Stanford screening last Thursday, December 2, proved to be as enlightening as we had hoped. Joining in the Q&A session afterward was Dr. Deborah Stipek , Dean of the School of Education at Stanford, noted clinical psychologist and author Dr. Madeline Levine, and Dr. Denise Pope, Stanford Lecturer and author of Doing School.
The film was a catalyst for a spirited discussion across a range of issues, from high school testing procedures to university ranking practices. As usual, the audience included a mix of education and psychology professionals along with concerned parents and students. The Stanford venue resulted in a healthy participation from the academic community, whose evolving perspective and influence is critical if we hope to enact the reforms we are trying to achieve.
Due to the campus proximity to East Palo Alto and Stanford's affiliation with the area's charter school, the discussion touched on the dilemma of addressing the educational needs of the area's under-served students at a time when the economic downturn has severely impacted the community. Dean Stipek outlined the stresses on students involved in trying to meet the basic needs for food, clothing and shelter, the impact of diminished aspirations and the perception of limited opportunities.
Dr. Levine pointed out that childhood depression has doubled in the last 5 years in all communities regardless of socio-economic status, due to a multiplicity of factors...
Part I
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