The Education of Shelby Knox (2005)
Directed by Marion Lipshultz and Rose Rosenblat
My first selection for doc of the week is "The Education of Shelby Knox". This film is a couple of years old but with the GOP primaries underway, it seems the issue of sexual education is still relevant today. Basically, this doc follows Shelby Knox (a Southern Baptist) as she comes to understand her role in her super conservative hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Shelby is only in high school, but with her youth leadership club, she lobbies the town and the school board to make sexual education more comprehensive (more like existant) in Lubbock. Her town has a gastronomical teenage pregnancy rate. As Shelby and her group interview actual experts, get familiar with Planned Parenthood, etc, she starts to see that her community's view on abstinence as the ONLY form of sex-ed is completely inadequate and clearly not working. The adults in her town dismiss Shelby, despite her strong will, and consider her to be "going through a phase". Her efforts to educate her parents, classmates, and even her pastor make this film worth watching.
Personally, I found this film deeply motivational because I think we all have a bit of "Shelby" inside of us. When I was young, I remember finding out information like where chicken nuggets come from, and not understanding why I was the only person who seemed enraged by this! I wish I had followed my gut instincts as much as Shelby does. Shelby is professional, well spoken for her age, and is clearly ambitious enough to follow her heart and her morals despite what her religion or school board tell her. I wouldn't be surprised if Shelby does run for president some day, as she claims is her ultimate career goal. I would vote for her!
Here's the trailer:
Update: Shelby today works for Change.org ... One of the BEST sites for online advocacy (sometimes called slacktivism). Proud of you girl!
This is Shelby today! All grown up :)
No comments:
Post a Comment