The New Public
“The New Public is an unwitting primer on how to teach disadvantaged students. As the country continues to struggle with education reform, it seems obvious that education schools need to change, so that prospective teachers walk into their first classroom knowing how to teach. This film can help bring about that change.”
PRESS
“With nuance and humor, The New Public shows how poverty presents many obstacles..to effective teaching and strong learning... Inspiring and sobering. ”
“A powerful and important film, [The New Public] uniquely documents the reality of urban schools...without reifying stereotypical images of urban education. It is both a well-crafted and emotionally gripping American story and an invaluable learning tool for potential and practicing educators everywhere.”
“Any prospective teacher, and most especially someone who is thinking of teaching in a small urban high school should see this film.”
“The New Public is a three tissue film! It is unlike any education film I have seen before...as honest as it is inspiring. An important, human story. An American story. A must-see...”
“Setting aside political debates over school funding and philosophy to examine one school’s real world experience, The New Public...is a fine addition to the larger conversation and has theatrical appeal. ”
“A personal look into the lives of a handful of...instantly likable characters. You leave the film with an appreciation of the immense challenges faced by inner-city educators. The New Public doesn’t provide and answer, but it looks at how one imperfect solution has succeeded and failed in the face of impossible odds.”
“In an age of rancorous debate over the fate of our schools, The New Public artfully reminds us of the core tenets of public education; trust, service, relationships and an unwavering commitment to the needs of students, families and communities.”
“A thought-provoking look at the challenges and triumphs of public education through engaging characters, students and faculty alike.”
“The New Public is exceptional in contrasting the principles of a community and the effort of reaching out to students and offering a system of hope for their future...It is as ambitious and brave as the people who began the small school...”
“The New Public leaves space for what you can’t see...unusually frank...remarkably engaging and complex documentary.”
“This is not just a good film about a school. It‘s a film filled with very special human drama that transcends the education film genre and is better than any fictional film about schools that I’ve ever seen. That may seem like hyperbole, but it’s true!...The only film that I remember capturing kids and educators in the inner city as effectively was the great TV series The Wire... That’s a high compliment.”
SPECIAL THANKS
About the Film
Part One: Freshman Year.
It’s August 2006, just days before Brooklyn Community Arts and Media high school (BCAM) will open its doors for the first time. Dr. James O’Brien, former D.J. and point guard turned first-time principal, and his faculty of eight, take to the streets in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn to recruit students. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their ethos is enticing: to build strong personal relationships, meet kids where they are at and provide unconventional arts and media electives taught by local artists. From the first day of school, the buzz from the student body (a single class of 104 freshman) is that this is a dream come true. But as the months go by, conflicts arise when “the honeymoon is over.”
Part Two: Senior Year
Flash forward to September 2010, the first day of senior year. Principal O’Brien arrives at the morning staff meeting and marvels that his faculty has grown from 8 to 50. It will be their first year as a complete school with four grades and 450 students.
That’s the good news! The bad news is, of the 104 students in their founding class, almost half have transferred or dropped out, leaving a senior class of 60 – and only 30 on track to graduate.
What happened? What happened is both compelling and frustrating, and it’s what makes The New Public a critical document of the complexities, frustrations and personal dramas that put public education at the center of national debate. What makes a kid or a school succeed are a series of complicated, interconnected dynamics, including, a re-evaluation of how we define “success.”
BCAM has made major adjustments – most notably, more disciplinary structure and no arts electives for seniors. But as O’Brien owns, “We spent more time thinking about empowering our community than board of Ed requirements…now it’s a race to the finish.” Casualties are unavoidable.
Their story explores issues of class, race and culture in the contemporary battlefield of urban education. It’s a case study and a detailed map for the road ahead.
The New Public follows the journey of students, parents and educators striving to reconcile idealism with reality and make a difference in the futures of young people whose lives are stark representations of our country’s education and opportunity gaps. Through the prism of one inner-city public school, we witness complexities faced by urban public schools and communities everywhere.
THE NEW PUBLIC: EDUCATOR’S EDITION
Joe Nocera of The New York Times called The New Public "...a primer on how to teach disadvantaged students."
The New Public: Educators Edition was created by Teacher's College, Columbia University, Professor Anand Marri and independent curriculum writer Brian Crocco specifically for use in teacher training programs at the college and postgraduate levels.
The package includes a chaptered version of the film and an accompanying discussion guide. The Educators Edition was designed to minimize teacher prep time first by identifying moments in the film that can serve as case studies, and then by suggesting the questions and themes that emerge from them.
Learn More
Orders/inquiries by phone: 212-629-6880 or email: info@kinolorber.com