Valentine Road

Valentine Road

An HBO documentary directed by Marta Cunningham (2013)

In this documentary, filmmaker Marta Cunningham, investigates the case of Brandon McInerney, 14,charged with the murder of his classmate Larry King, 15. On February 12, 2008 at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, CA, Brandon approached Larry while the class worked in a computer lab and shot Larry in the back of the head. Larry survived the gun wound, only to die a few days later as a result of his injury.

The documentary explores how this tragic event came to be. Interviews are conducted with both friends and family of both boys, which provides insight into their character and background. When the incident occurred, Larry was living at a group home after being removed from his living situation after allegations of abuse were reported and Brandon lived with his grandfather due to his parents’ shared drug addiction. By portraying both young boys’ background, the audience begins to understand how the tragedy began years before these two boys even shared the same class.

Interviews from the boys’ teacher, Dawn Boldrin, former teachers, administrators, and attorneys add legal perspectives to the case including the logic of pursuing a hate crime conviction and trying Brandon as an adult.  It is argued that Brandon killed Larry because of Larry’s homosexuality and feminine attire, which is also argued was condoned and even encouraged by the school’s principal and Boldrin. In addition, because Brandon had just turned 14 at the time of the murder, he was eligible to be tried as an adult according to California law.

Brandon and Larry’s story really highlights how the adults in these boys’ lives failed them. The documentary does a thorough job allowing all voices from all sides be heard.

Quantitative: No Lexile Level or ATOS available

Qualitative: This film could be examined through many different lenses. Because of the sensitive nature of this film, I would recommend this for 11th and 12th graders. The film, rated NR, could pose a problem at some schools given the topics that emerge from it. The various access points, and

Content Area: English; Art--Film; Psychology; Government/Ethics; Health; Peer Resource.

Curriculum Suggestions: On the surface, this film could be used to discuss bullying or gay rights in the school setting. Beyond that, Valentine Road touches on:

• Child abuse
• Addiction
• Child protective services
• Education code--student rights and teacher rights
• Gun control
• School shootings
• Juvenile justice

Teachers could have students research these controversial issues and devise solutions or methods to address them. I know this sounds very broad, but there are many angles that a teacher could target in order to create a very authentic learning experience.

Common Core Standards: SL.11/12.1-6; RH.11/12.1-3; W. 11/12.1, 4-6.

	Additional/Digital Content: Valentine Road Home Page--             http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/valentine-road# Valentine Road Facebook Page--            https://www.facebook.com/valentineroaddoc- Overview of the murder of Larry King-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Larry_King Time Magazine article-- http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2090287,00.html Overview from NPR--           http://www.npr.org/2013/09/30/226597210/valentine-road-a-path-to-teen-tragedy Personal Thoughts: Because of the local nature of this tragedy, it is important for students that live in Oxnard--where I work--understand the factors that both directly and indirectly contributed to Larry’s death. Beyond examining controversial issues, the documentary conveys the power of acceptance and compassion. It is a beautiful film that captures the horrific nature of what happened at E.O. Green and that healing must begin with remembering. *This meets the "media item" requirement

Listening is an Act of Love

Listening is an Act of Love: 6 Animated Stories from StoryCorps

Channel: PBS

Listing: POV (also available for online viewing)

Host: StoryCorps founder, David Isay

Director: The Rauch Brothers

Original air date: November 28, 2013

StoryCorps is a program associated with National Public Radio. In this addition, six stories were converted into an animated, visual format and produced for PBS on the show, POV. The episode begins with a conversation between David Isay, founder of StoryCorps, and his nephew. Isay proceeds to explain the importance of asking questions to our loved ones. The six stories include:

1) Cousins James Ransom and Cherie Johnson--The cousins reminisce about their summer, childhood visits to their grandparents’ house in Florida. Their conversation revolves around a colorful neighbor named Miss Divine.

2) Noe Rueda and his high school teacher, Alex Fernandez--Noe tells the story about how he used to sell knickknacks to an attempt to relieve his mother of financial stress.

3) Guinevere Mann and her boyfriend, Yasir Salem--Guinevere suffers from short-term memory loss after she had a surgery to remove a brain tumor. She and Yasir share stories about how Guinevere’s memory loss has impacted their lives.

4) David Wright, a homeless alcoholic, shares his story with Eddie Lanier, a man who showed Wright kindness in his time of need.

5) Scott and Jackie Miller (son and mother)--Jackie tells her son about a hidden secret she has kept from him until this very moment. Scott, Jackie’s adopted son, reflects on the time he shared a big secret with his mother.

6) Cheng Wang and her father Chen Wang ask Kay Wang, Chen’s mother, about her childhood and how she met her husband, Chen’s father.  

Quantitative: No Lexile Level or ATOS available

Qualitative: This animated episode of StoryCorps can be accessed by students in grade levels ranging from 5th grade to high school. Because of the animation, it could be assumed that this would be appropriate for a younger audience. However, due to some of the subject matter--specifically alcoholism, adoption, and homosexuality--it would be best to gear this towards a more mature, high school audience.

Content Area: English; Health; Psychology.

Curriculum Suggestions: The beauty of a resource such as this is that a teacher could show the whole episode to underscore an overall theme or show each story as needed depending on the topic. For example, a question students may need to answer is: How do these stories show that “listening is an act of love”? No matter what the approach, I see each story offering an example of how to interview a person, specifically developing open-ended questions. Due to some of the larger issues addressed by the stories, research could be conducted on poverty, brain injuries and memory loss, alcoholism, homelessness, adoption, homosexuality, and family origins. Teachers could also have students conduct their own interviews and even schedule their own StoryCorps recording.  

Common Core Standards: RI.9/10.6-8; SL.9./10.1, 3; RH.9/10.7, 9; W.9/10.3-6

Additional/Digital Content:

• POV online--http://www.pbs.org/pov/storycorpsspecial/full.php#.UvUq9GJdXTo

• StoryCorps homepage--http://storycorps.org/

• Schedule a StoryCorps recording--https://storycorps.org/reservations/

Personal Thoughts: StoryCorps pieces are very short, yet very touching. These stories offer endless possibilities especially when getting students engaged and interested in learning. Additionally, they naturally lend themselves to work in the library whether it’s through research or producing digital media online.

*Meets the "Media Item" requirement

$ellebrity

$ellebrity

A documentary directed by Kevin Mazur (2012)

In his documentary, Mazur investigates the perpetuating money-maker, American celebrity culture. The film exposes the implications of our obsession with celebrity--from the origin of gossip magazines to the domination of reality television. Yet the central subject matter revolves around the relationship the public has with the concept of “celebrity.” The definition of celebrity is investigated and discussed with superstars like Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lopez as well as experts and researchers. Issues such as privacy, consumerism, body image, marketing, artistry, paparazzi, and the 1st Amendment arise throughout the film. The film then expounds upon these central issues to address credibility and true journalism. This documentary underscores the depths at which celebrity invades our identity, including our politics.

Quantitative: No Lexile Level or ATOS available

Qualitative: $ellebrity moves logically from one facet of the cultural investigation to the next, with each segment clearly labeled. However, because the film offers such rich and nuanced topics, a viewer may struggle to pick up the implied aspects of the arguments or see the connections between segments. Mainly due to density, complexity, purpose/structure and organization, and cultural knowledge this film is best suited for high school students (11th or 12 grades) or adults. Less sophisticated readers would clearly understand the danger of the celebrity culture, but may not pick up on the more subtle implications and how they permeate.

Content Area: English; Art--Film; Art--Digital Photography; Social Science--U.S. History; Psychology; Economics; Government/Ethics; Health.

Curriculum Suggestions: This film has lots of possibilities. Under the CCSS, a cross-curricular unit could easily be developed that addresses all the content areas above. For English it could be a thematic addition to the novels, The Great Gatsby and Jake, Reinvented,  that extends to a very current, very relevant aspect of modern-American culture. One can argue that this kind of over-obsession with celebrity roots stem from Gatsby’s 1920’s. It is clear that is very typically American to build someone up, only to relish in his/her fall. In a government/ethics class, students could examine the Constitution and determine, as public figures, how much are and should celebrities’ private lives be protected. The themes can be explored further by reading and analyzing Nancy Jo Sales’ spread, “The Suspects Wore Louboutins,” and maybe discuss the irony of it appearing in Vanity Fair magazine.

Common Core Standards: SL.11/12.1-6; RH.11/12.1-3

Additional/Digital Content:

• Connection to Nancy Jo Sales’ Vanity Fair piece on “The Bling Ring”--

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/03/billionaire-girls-201003

• Review--http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/468458/Sellebrity/overview

• Trailer--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_qcOuE50Io

*Meets the "Media Item" requirement