Documentary: American Promise

[Anonymous]

Has anybody watched this?

It chronicles the academic lives of two African-American boys in New York for 12 years as they attend the highly esteemed and elite Dalton School.

It's a very compelling documentary.

It's also streaming live on pbs until mid-March.

Can someone post the video here? My computer's acting funny.

[Anonymous]

I'm recommending it in this forum as I think it touches on a lot of the academic, parenting issues we discuss here. Perhaps someone will see themselves in these parents and learn from their mistakes before it's "too late".

The filmmakers are both Ivy league-educated. (Harvard and Stanford) What they thought would be a documented record of their son's successful life, beginning with his acceptance to the Dalton school (a training ground for the Ivy leagues) at age 5 ended up being a record of his sometimes highs, mostly lows, parental 'failures' and regrets--as well as an unfair indictment of schools like Dalton and their treatment of African-American males.

We see these families go through the college application process with less than motivated sons-and the outcomes of the college decisions.

It is an intriguing watch.

If you haven't seen it already, head on over to pbs.org, watch it for free, then let's come back here and discuss.

[Anonymous]

Here's the video:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/americanpromise/full.php#disqus_thread

[Anonymous]

It's on TV here on the local PBS station on Saturday night. I've set the DVR.

[Anonymous]

DH and I watched it. Interesting how parenting has changed since we were kids: Neither of our parents were so interested and helpful with schoolwork. They mostly nagged us about getting good grades. But it seems the parenting represented in the film is what is the norm now. DH and I both went to Ivies and elite private schools for grade school - hs although we are not AA. I am Asian and DH is white.

I agree with Idris's mom's lament that her son does not have the same drive that she had. Told my DH that I don't want to redo elementary, middle and high school with our son, doing homework, keeping track of his work and projects. If the kid cannot manage those things himself, what's going to happen when the kid goes off to college?

Interesting film. Very much worth watching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I watched it. Interesting how parenting has changed since we were kids: Neither of our parents were so interested and helpful with schoolwork. They mostly nagged us about getting good grades. But it seems the parenting represented in the film is what is the norm now. DH and I both went to Ivies and elite private schools for grade school - hs although we are not AA. I am Asian and DH is white.

I agree with Idris's mom's lament that her son does not have the same drive that she had. Told my DH that I don't want to redo elementary, middle and high school with our son, doing homework, keeping track of his work and projects. If the kid cannot manage those things himself, what's going to happen when the kid goes off to college?

Interesting film. Very much worth watching.

I agree with you. Parenting is soooo different now. My parents weren't terribly interested in my schoolwork either. They simply wanted to see the report cards.

But several things have changed. 1) Schoolwork has become so much more challenging. I could finish my homework for all 7 of my classes in 1 hour or less. Today kids are doing homework for 4-5 hours per night! 2) We've just become so much more competitive. Today our children are just another example/extension of our success. We must have the biggest house, fanciest car, best figure and most attractive spouse in the subdivision. And our children then must be more successful than yours. They must go to the best school (Dalton) and get into the best colleges (Stanford) or we (the parents) look like failures.

[Anonymous]

I started watching it online last night. I only got 15 minutes into it and then I went to bed. I'll watch the rest tonight. I wish they explained a few things that a PP explained. It makes sense that their parents are well educated. I thought it would be about 2 black boys from the poorer section of NYC get into a top school. They didn't really explain about the admissions process and what other schools they looked at, etc. I guess some of my questions might be answered but I already had tons of questions after they got into the film.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I watched it. Interesting how parenting has changed since we were kids: Neither of our parents were so interested and helpful with schoolwork. They mostly nagged us about getting good grades. But it seems the parenting represented in the film is what is the norm now. DH and I both went to Ivies and elite private schools for grade school - hs although we are not AA. I am Asian and DH is white.

I agree with Idris's mom's lament that her son does not have the same drive that she had. Told my DH that I don't want to redo elementary, middle and high school with our son, doing homework, keeping track of his work and projects. If the kid cannot manage those things himself, what's going to happen when the kid goes off to college?

Interesting film. Very much worth watching.

I agree with you. Parenting is soooo different now. My parents weren't terribly interested in my schoolwork either. They simply wanted to see the report cards.

But several things have changed. 1) Schoolwork has become so much more challenging. I could finish my homework for all 7 of my classes in 1 hour or less. Today kids are doing homework for 4-5 hours per night! 2) We've just become so much more competitive. Today our children are just another example/extension of our success. We must have the biggest house, fanciest car, best figure and most attractive spouse in the subdivision. And our children then must be more successful than yours. They must go to the best school (Dalton) and get into the best colleges (Stanford) or we (the parents) look like failures.

I had the same amount of homework in high school and so did DH and it was the same for my cousins who attended a test-in STEM magnet. Our parents did not sit next to us helping us with homework like in the film. My parents didn't know what homework I had much less check it or make sure I did it and hand it in. I couldn't help feeling that when Seun need tutoring and remediation at Dalton in elementary school that he was probably at the wrong school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started watching it online last night. I only got 15 minutes into it and then I went to bed. I'll watch the rest tonight. I wish they explained a few things that a PP explained. It makes sense that their parents are well educated. I thought it would be about 2 black boys from the poorer section of NYC get into a top school. They didn't really explain about the admissions process and what other schools they looked at, etc. I guess some of my questions might be answered but I already had tons of questions after they got into the film.

Why did you assume they would be poor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started watching it online last night. I only got 15 minutes into it and then I went to bed. I'll watch the rest tonight. I wish they explained a few things that a PP explained. It makes sense that their parents are well educated. I thought it would be about 2 black boys from the poorer section of NYC get into a top school. They didn't really explain about the admissions process and what other schools they looked at, etc. I guess some of my questions might be answered but I already had tons of questions after they got into the film.

Why did you assume they would be poor?

Not the PP but come on now. You know that's the feel good story people want to see.

The (black) kid from a family where both parents are Ivy league (dad=Harvard and Stanford doctor/mom=Columbia Law-->a real life Huxtable family) is a NONSTORY. It's what you'd expect to happen.

But the kid with a single mother who's a crackhead? Oh now that's what makes us feel good.

[Anonymous]

In the beginning of the documentary, it showed where they lived. Not exactly in richy rich Manhattan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the beginning of the documentary, it showed where they lived. Not exactly in richy rich Manhattan.

They live in an upper middle class neighborhood in brownstones that cost at least 2-3 mil.

[Anonymous]

One boy is wealthy and the other is poor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One boy is wealthy and the other is poor

The "poor" kid lives in a 2+ mil brownstone and his mom is a nurse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One boy is wealthy and the other is poor

The "poor" kid lives in a 2+ mil brownstone and his mom is a nurse.

His dad is a systems engineer for CBS.