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Courtesy of Paper Tigers
Paper Tigers: Educating Traumatized Youth
Directed by James Redford, Paper Tigers follows a small group of students in Lincoln High School, an alternative school in Walla Walla, Washington that specializes in educating traumatized youth.
Redford’s film introduces the acronym ‘ACES’—Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Lincoln High incorporated new information about the impact of childhood trauma and implemented an innovative approach that dramatically improves the experience and life outcomes of these children.
The film brings us into the worlds of traumatized students as well as the school’s teaching staff who are supporting their healing and metamorphosis. Yes, we learn the tragic circumstances of the children—their ACES; but the focus is on how they are supported and growing into healthy adults.
The viewing experience is both heart-wrenching and thoroughly inspiring.
Just as there are glimmers of a movement to redefine drug use and abuse as a medical and social psychological issue rather than a criminal problem, Paper Tigers reveals a movement to change our punitive approach to the full range of destructive and self-destructive behaviors of high school students.
Everybody wins when suffering is addressed with compassion rather than ignorance and attacks. Like so many other social movements, this movement to address childhood trauma in a high school setting needs support. Redford’s film is a major contribution to the garnering of that support. And because of that, I write with passion that Paper Tigers is a must see for everyone—especially for educators, bureaucrats and political leaders.
The film’s homepage has a ‘sign-up’ form at the bottom for any and all who want to learn more about this movement and how to support this much-needed transformation in education.
Refer to the film's website to find screenings.
San Francisco Bay Area folks please note that the fall film festival schedule of Paper Tigers screenings includes two at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
Tuesday, October 13 / 5:30pm 7:30pm / CinéArts Sequoia / Mill Valley
Friday, October 16 / 3:00pm 5:00pm / Lark Theater / Larkspur
Don Schwartz