Film examines education's pressures

Back in the day, I thought my hand would fall off after my weekly assignment.

Write 100 times: “I will not talk in class.”

Today’s students seem to have a whole lot more on their minds.

Vicki Abeles was so concerned about her children’s pressure-packed school environment that she decided to set aside her law books and pick up a camera. Her documentary film, “Race to Nowhere,” will be screened Tuesday night at Charlottesville High School’s Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center.

It is the second local showing this month. The Renaissance School screened the documentary at Piedmont Virginia Community College two weeks ago.

Abeles, the mother of three and a former Wall Street attorney, became concerned after her 12-year-old daughter was treated for a stress-related illness. After a 13-year-old girl in their community took her own life after receiving a failing math grade, Abeles grabbed a movie camera for the first time in her life. She felt compelled to draw attention to the stress that school children face as they strive to succeed in today’s test-obsessed curriculum.

“As a mother, I experienced the stress firsthand and realized that no one was talking about it,” Abeles noted in a press release. “I saw kids who were anxious, depressed, physically ill, checking out, abusing drugs and, worst case, attempting suicide.

“I felt compelled to speak out about this crisis by making a film and giving voice to the students, teachers and parents. I wanted to expose a deeper truth about our education system. We are graduating a generation of robo-students, unable to think and work independently, creatively and collaboratively.”

Her film debuted at the Mill Valley Film Festival in October of 2009 and has been shown in festivals, theaters and school auditoriums across the country. Each screening is followed by a discussion.

Some have agreed with the message. Some haven’t. But the film raises awareness of what some children are willing to go through to perform, achieve and compete for the best scores.

One girl featured in the film, Natalie, attended a private school where she balanced academics, sports and Hebrew lessons. She was having difficulty finishing all of her homework. She discovered that by not eating, she could stay awake all night. By her sophomore year, Natalie was diagnosed with anorexia.

Abeles is hoping her film will spark a nationwide debate: Does the advanced class and homework overload really develop smarter students?

Jarreau, another student featured in the film, found a way to maintain top grades: memorizing. By cramming the night before a test, he kept the material fresh in his mind. He succeeded. Jareau was accepted into Stanford University — but he really struggled as a freshman.

Abeles calls it a silent epidemic. The pressure of competition and testing has created unhealthy, disengaged, unprepared and stressed-out students, she says. Her film features students, parents and educators who are worried that children will not develop the critical thinking skills that they need to truly achieve in today’s world.

Through film, Abeles felt she could help bring communities together and raise awareness on a bigger scale.

“Race to Nowhere” will be shown at 7 p.m.