Freedom Writers

576 00:40:04,139 --> 00:40:07,351 because their high school gets turned into a reform school? 577 00:40:07,434 --> 00:40:09,061 Because kids who don't want to be here... 578 00:40:09,144 --> 00:40:11,313 and shouldn't be here, are forced to be here... 579 00:40:11,396 --> 00:40:14,316 by the geniuses running the school district? 580 00:40:15,025 --> 00:40:16,735 Integration's a lie. 581 00:40:16,943 --> 00:40:20,488 Yeah, we teachers, we can't say that or we lose our jobs for being racist. 582 00:40:20,572 --> 00:40:23,575 So, please, stop your cheerleading, Erin. You're ridiculous. 583 00:40:23,908 --> 00:40:26,494 You don't know the first thing about these kids. 584 00:40:26,619 --> 00:40:28,496 And you're not qualified to make judgments about the teachers... 585 00:40:28,580 --> 00:40:31,207 who have to survive this place. 586 00:41:10,954 --> 00:41:15,167 We're gonna play a game, alright? It's a lot of fun. I promise. 587 00:41:16,459 --> 00:41:18,086 Look, you can either sit in your seats... 588 00:41:18,169 --> 00:41:19,921 reading those workbooks or you can play a game. 589 00:41:20,005 --> 00:41:21,589 Either way, you're in here till the bell rings. 590 00:41:21,673 --> 00:41:25,718 Okay. This is called the Line Game. 591 00:41:25,802 --> 00:41:27,303 I'm gonna ask you a question. 592 00:41:27,387 --> 00:41:30,682 If that question applies to you, you step onto the line... 593 00:41:30,765 --> 00:41:33,393 and then step back away for the next question. 594 00:41:33,518 --> 00:41:35,603 - Easy, right? - Yeah, whatever. 595 00:41:35,770 --> 00:41:37,105 The first question... 596 00:41:37,188 --> 00:41:40,608 how many of you have the new Snoop Dogg album? 597 00:41:48,449 --> 00:41:50,076 Did you steal it? 598 00:41:50,367 --> 00:41:52,495 Okay, back away. 599 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:56,165 Next question... 600 00:41:56,248 --> 00:42:00,044 how many of you have seen <i>Boyz n the Hood</i>? 601 00:42:08,343 --> 00:42:10,429 Okay. Next question. 602 00:42:10,554 --> 00:42:13,807 How many of you live in the projects? 603 00:42:18,228 --> 00:42:23,316 How many of you know someone, a friend or relative... 604 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:26,361 who was or is in juvenile hall or jail? 605 00:42:30,281 --> 00:42:32,909 How many of you have been in juvenile hall or jail... 606 00:42:32,992 --> 00:42:35,036 for any length of time? 607 00:42:35,161 --> 00:42:36,788 Detention don't count. 608 00:42:40,082 --> 00:42:42,084 Does a refugee camp count? 609 00:42:42,877 --> 00:42:44,462 You decide. 610 00:42:59,268 --> 00:43:02,312 How many of you know where to get drugs right now? 611 00:43:07,317 --> 00:43:10,487 How many of you know someone in a gang? 612 00:43:18,453 --> 00:43:21,289 How many of you are gang members? 613 00:43:22,832 --> 00:43:25,168 - Nice try. - Nice try. 614 00:43:25,460 --> 00:43:27,921 Okay, that was a stupid question, wasn't it? 615 00:43:28,004 --> 00:43:29,255 - Yeah. - Yeah. 616 00:43:29,339 --> 00:43:31,382 You're not allowed gang affiliations in school. 617 00:43:31,466 --> 00:43:34,052 I apologize for asking. My badness. 618 00:43:38,639 --> 00:43:43,227 Okay, now I'm gonna ask you a more serious question. 619 00:43:43,394 --> 00:43:48,524 Stand on the line if you've lost a friend to gang violence. 620 00:44:13,673 --> 00:44:16,635 Stay on the line if you've lost more than one friend. 621 00:44:23,558 --> 00:44:25,101 Three. 622 00:44:38,573 --> 00:44:40,491 Four or more. 623 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:53,087 Okay, I'd like us to pay respect to those people now. 624 00:44:53,170 --> 00:44:56,006 Wherever you are, just speak their name. 625 00:45:22,657 --> 00:45:24,993 Thank you all very much. 626 00:45:25,827 --> 00:45:29,205 Now, I have something for each of you. 627 00:45:31,290 --> 00:45:33,418 Everyone has their own story... 628 00:45:33,501 --> 00:45:38,005 and it's important for you to tell your own story, even to yourself. 629 00:45:38,130 --> 00:45:40,675 So, what we're going to do is... 630 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:43,928 we're gonna write every day in these journals. 631 00:45:44,178 --> 00:45:46,097 You can write about whatever you want... 632 00:45:46,180 --> 00:45:48,682 the past, the present, the future. 633 00:45:48,766 --> 00:45:52,645 You can write it like a diary, or you can write... 634 00:45:52,853 --> 00:45:58,233 songs, poems, any good thing, bad thing, anything. 635 00:45:58,317 --> 00:46:01,069 But you have to write every day. 636 00:46:01,153 --> 00:46:04,656 Keep a pen nearby. Whenever you feel the inspiration. 637 00:46:04,740 --> 00:46:06,992 And they won't be graded. 638 00:46:07,075 --> 00:46:10,537 How can I give an A or a B for writing the truth, right? 639 00:46:10,829 --> 00:46:13,623 And I will not read them unless you give me permission...