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Parenting & Families

UCP’s Parenting Channel provides information and resources for your family on living with disabilities and learning together.

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Parenting & Families

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GOING TO SCHOOL - A Documentary on Inclusion and Special Education

GOING TO SCHOOL (Produced and Edited by Richard Cohen) is a new 64 minute documentary about empowering children with disabilities & their parents in Los Angeles public schools is now available for purchase.

GOING TO SCHOOL presents a compelling and often humorous look at experiences of the first student with significant needs to be included at El Sereno Middle School, and explores gains made by the Los Angeles Unified School District toward compliance with civil rights laws that guarantee a meaningful education for all children. Filmed in a cinema verite style, viewers are brought into the world of inclusion and special education, and share inspiring stories of mothers, children and teachers.

Viewer Comments:

I went to see the documentary GOING TO SCHOOL last night and it was outstanding. … What I like most about the film is the way it focuses on children with disabilities and humanizes them for people unfamiliar with those disabilities. They were ultimately just regular kids with extraordinary challenges. The film also shows special ed parents in very positive advocacy roles, and addresses the inequities of the special ed system in a rather subtle manner. The film is very uplifting. --Crystal Cheryl Bell, parent

GOING TO SCHOOL is an eye opening documentary which allows the viewer to experience the special education experience from a consumer’s perspective. This film presents the human story behind the move towards inclusion in our schools. I highly recommend "Going to School" to anyone interested in improving the educational experience for all children. --Wendy Parise, Special Education Instructor, Santa Monica College

GOING TO SCHOOL is a successful and powerful documentary. It balances its important message with lucidity, humor and deeply felt emotions. It was a great joy to see this beautiful piece. --Robin Palanker, Artist

I viewed your film this evening and wanted to let you know I thought it was fantastic. You did a wonderful job and really opened my eyes to the posibilities our schools have. Now if just everyone could see this film. --Angela Pina, Special Education trainer

This poignant focus on individual students and their families should serve as a catalyst for critical reflection on the state of our schools and their willingness to serve all children equally. --June Downing, Professor of Special Education,Cal State University Northridge

Read about GOING TO SCHOOL "a compelling glimpse..."

SPECIAL OFFER:
To encourage understanding of the experiences of children with disabilities and their parents in public schools, GOING TO SCHOOL is available for $49 plus 8% tax in California. IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE WITH NARRATION & SUBTITLES IN SPANISH.

For more information, contact Richard Cohen Films at (310)395-3549 or visit their Web site.

Going To School Credits: Produced, directed, edited by Richard Cohen, cinematography by Baird Bryant, camera assistant Mario Ruiz, translation Sonia Thaler, commissioned by the Class Member Review Committee of the Chanda Smith Consent Decree, and distributed by Richard Cohen Films, a project of Film Arts Foundation. C.PAI, Inc.