Parents Embrace Documentary About Stressed Out Kids

A sold-out crowd filled Thursday night to see a screening of Race to Nowhere, the documentary film causing a nationwide sensation. The film, created by mom and filmmaker Vicki Abeles, chronicles the stresses put upon the nation’s children caused by over-scheduling, excessive schoolwork and fear of not getting into college.

It is a powerful reminder that adolescence is an age of self-discovery and that kids are not finding the time or energy to do just that. Instead of learning what they truly desire in life, they’re cramming their heads full of knowledge simply to take tests and race to the top which may ultimately lead nowhere.

The screening of the movie was organized by a coalition of local pre-school directors. While the film focuses on the problems of high school students, these early childhood educators saw a need to start the conversation now. “We feel the pressure coming down the line,” said Pat Chambers, director of in La Crescenta. “New parents have been asking about our academic curriculum. To that, we respond, 'Can you give us five years of childhood?’”

The film presents the real-life stories of twenty students, spoken in their own words, about how they learned to cope--or, in some cases, not cope--with the heavy workload and increasingly high expectations put upon them in high school, middle school and even elementary school. Fear of not measuring up gave kids headaches, stomach aches, and swollen joints. Pressure to perform led to sleeplessness, depression, anorexia, and in one tragic case, suicide.

“I came tonight,” said La Crescenta mom, Christine Holmquist, “because my fifth-grader is chewing the sides of his nails. He gets so overwhelmed.” Her concerns were shared by many of the attendees. 

“That fourth grader in the movie is my kid,” said PTA member, Sandy Russell, referring to the son of the filmmaker who struggled with homework and stomach aches.

Experts in the fields of child psychology and education spoke out against the current education paradigm. According to Denise Pope, PhD, of Stanford University, the countries that outperform the U.S. on international tests do less homework. One advanced placement biology teacher decided to cut homework in half and remarkably, A.P. test scores rose.

While the film is admittedly one-sided, it presents a very strong case. The fundamental question it asks is what does it take to make happy, creative, motivated human beings?

In the end, the movie is a call to action. Local mom Sandy Russell pledged to be an advocate for change. “I’m going to ask the principal to make our school a no-homework site,” she said. While there was no official post-film discussion, many parents stayed after and talked in small clusters about what they can do to initiate reforms.

“Start thinking about what you want for your children now,” said Chambers. “At our preschools, we’ve taken a pledge to protect your kids’ childhoods.”

Currently, the only way to see Race to Nowhere is at a community screening.  To attend a screening or to set one up in your community, visit their website at www.racetonowhere.com.

The screening was made possible by preschool directors from:

Valley Vista School, Montrose

Center for Children, La Crescenta

CVUMC Childcare Center, Montrose

Robbin’s Nest Preschool, La Crescenta

St. Georges Preschool, La Canada Flintridge

Lighted Window Preschool, La Canada Flintridge

La Canada Community Center

Crescenta-Canada Co-op, La Canada

Grandview Presbyterian Church Children’s Center, Glendale

La Canada United Methodist Children’s Center

Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church