Standing together to stop hate and bullying
by
January 24, 2012
|
|
Not In Our Town: Class Actions profiles students and community members who are creating change in the wake of racism, anti-Semitism, and the traumatic consequences of bullying. Narrated by Yul Kwon, the half-hour documentary will debut on Feb. 13, 2012 on PBS stations.
Fifty years after James Meredith became the first black student at the segregated University of Mississippi, football fans resurface the chant, “The South will rise again.” Student leaders confront the divisive practice, sparking a campus visit from the Ku Klux Klan. New solutions are found in Lancaster, a city east of Los Angeles, after teen suicides in nearby towns shake the town into action. A middle school counselor starts an anti-bullying program that inspires a citywide campaign. The college town of Bloomington, Ind., shocked after a Korean student was murdered by a white supremacist a decade ago, bands together again after anti-Semitic attacks on the eve of Hanukkah.
“Not In Our Town: Class Actions profiles courageous people stepping out of their everyday lives to seek solutions to the deep challenges of intolerance and bullying,” said Patrice O’Neill, Executive Producer of Class Actions and Co-Founder of The Working Group. “In Class Actions, we learn from young people and civic leaders who are brave enough to examine their own choices.”
Beginning in March 2012, public media outlets, schools and communities across the country will host screenings, events and discussions on creating anti-hate and anti-bullying programs, working to develop new ways to make their schools and towns safer. Public media stations in 20 markets, along with national partner organizations including Facing History and Ourselves, will use the film to initiate dialogue about bullying, intolerance and acceptance in their communities.
Not In Our Town: Class Actions is the fourth PBS special from Not In Our Town, a project of The Working Group. Not In Our Town launched in 1995 with the national PBS special Not In Our Town, which followed the citizens of Billings, Mont. as they joined forces to resist bigotry in their town. Over the past 15 years, Not In Our Town has grown from a PBS documentary into a national effort to connect people working together to take action against hate and create safe, inclusive communities. In September 2011, Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness premiered on PBS stations and has been screened at more than 200 community events nationwide.
Here’s how you can join the national movement:
1. ORGANIZE a public screening of “Not In Our Town: Class Actions” and lead a discussion about anti-hate and anti-bullying efforts in your town. Consider collaborating with your education partners on an event that showcases the positive actions of local student leaders.
2. CREATE a Not In Our Town campaign in your community. Check out videos and other resources at www.niot.org for ideas and inspiration.
3. SUBMIT a story about your local activities, so others can learn from your experiences.
4. INSPIRE your education partners to create a Not In Our School campaign. Videos and lesson plans are available for free download at www.notinourschool.org, and teachers can apply for an Educator Mini-Grant to launch their campaigns.
5. ENCOURAGE local student leaders to submit work for the Not In Our School Video and Art Contests.
Not In Our Town: Class Actions was directed by Patrice O’Neill and produced by The Working Group. Adrienne Calo and Charene Zalis serve as producers. The film was edited by Jill Strong with principal photography by Gary Mercer.
Major support for this program is provided by PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Einhorn Family Charitable Trust. Additional support has been provided by the Reva and David Logan Foundation and Public Welfare Foundation.
Learn more: http://www.niot.org/classactions
Tell us your story now!