Watching For Ahkeem adds even more detail to an essay like Ta-Nehisi Coates’ essay on the black family in the age of mass incarceration — and in fact, the filmmakers have similar concerns: one of the main issues they thematise in the study guide that accompanies the film is the so–called ‘school-to-prison pipeline’. Here is how they explain it:
By all available measures, the United States incarcerates its youth at a much higher rate than any other country in the world, with 130,000 youth being incarcerated each year. […] Alarmingly, for many students the point of entry into the criminal justice system is their classroom. The term school-to-prison pipeline is a metaphor for a complex blend of policies and practices that contribute to a student being funneled out of the public education system and into juvenile or criminal justice systems. In For Ahkeem, we see two examples of this beginning with Daje being removed from her traditional school and placed in the court-supervised alternative school, the Innovative Concept Academy. In Antonio’s case, we watch as he becomes disengaged from his schooling, becomes incarcerated, and navigates the justice system without adequate legal support. There are many factors that contribute to and maintain the school-to-prison pipeline and its impact on students. Here, we will detail three of the most well-documented components: the enforcement of zero-tolerance disciplinary policies in schools; the use of exclusionary discipline that removes or reduces the opportunity for students to learn; and the criminalization of misbehavior in schools.
I think it makes sense to kick off our own discussion of the film by considering their questions regarding this issue:
- What parts of For Ahkeem and Daje’s story resonated most with you? Why?
- Have you personally experienced the school-to-prison pipeline or seen it at work in the life of a classmate?
- Have you ever noticed a discrepancy in the way you were disciplined for misbehavior vs. the way one of your classmates was disciplined? What types of things do you think influenced that discrepancy?
- How is Daje’s educational journey similar or dissimilar to your own? To people in your community?
- Who are the stakeholders that you think need to be involved in changing the school-to-prison pipeline in your school, school district or state?
- Did you notice that Antonio was in an adult court even though he was only 17 years old? Was this surprising to you? Why or why not?
- Why wasn’t Antonio allowed to sign up for the job training program? What other types of challenges do you think Antonio may face as a formerly incarcerated person and/or as someone with a felony conviction?
I have some questions of my own that I’d like to add, but since this is already a good bit to chew on, I’ll wait until we see each other in person to pose them.