Watch Elementary Genocide: The School To Prison Pipeline

Elementary Genocide: The School To Prison Pipeline is a documentary film that explores the controversial topic of the "school-to-prison pipeline", a phenomenon that refers to the policies and practices that push students, particularly those who are African American and Latino, out of schools and into the criminal justice system. The film takes a critical look at the historical, social, and economic factors that have contributed to the creation and perpetuation of this pipeline, including the de-funding of public education, the rise of the private prison industry, and the proliferation of zero-tolerance policies and school resource officers.

Through a combination of interviews with experts, educators, parents, and students, as well as powerful statistics and personal stories, the film exposes the devastating impact of this pipeline on individual lives, families, communities, and society as a whole. It also offers solutions and alternatives to dismantling the pipeline and creating a more just and equitable educational system for all students.

The film is structured around four chapters: The History, The Reality, The Solutions, and The Future. In the first chapter, The History, the film traces the roots of the school-to-prison pipeline back to the post-Civil War era, when schools were segregated and black students were denied access to education. It then explores the rise of mass incarceration in the 1980s and 1990s, and how this has contributed to the pipeline by creating a profit-driven prison industry that depends on a constant supply of inmates.

In the second chapter, The Reality, the film presents a portrayal of the pipeline in action through interviews with students who have been impacted by it, as well as educators and parents who have witnessed its effects firsthand. The film shows how zero-tolerance policies, suspensions, and expulsions are often used as a first resort for minor infractions, pushing students out of school and into the criminal justice system. It also highlights the disproportionate impact of the pipeline on students of color, who are more likely to be suspended or expelled than their white peers.

In the third chapter, The Solutions, the film offers a range of alternatives to the pipeline, including restorative justice practices, community-based schools, and the allocation of resources to schools that have been historically underfunded. The film also highlights the work of activists and educators who are advocating for these alternatives and for the end of the pipeline.

In the final chapter, The Future, the film looks ahead to what a society without a school-to-prison pipeline might look like, and how we can work towards this vision. It emphasizes the importance of collective action and systemic change in creating a more just and equitable society.

Overall, Elementary Genocide: The School To Prison Pipeline is a powerful and thought-provoking film that sheds light on a deeply troubling issue in American society. It challenges viewers to consider their own role in perpetuating the pipeline and to advocate for the creation of a more just and equitable educational system for all students.

Elementary Genocide: The School To Prison Pipeline is a documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 6 minutes.