Class Divide

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

A look at the gentrification of New York City focuses on a single intersection in Chelsea, where children from both low-income public housing and an expensive private school interact.

Premieres Monday, October 3, at 8 PM ET.

[GaT]

I just finished watching this, Avenues seems like an incredible school, but those kids who live in the project across the street must really hate it. It must seem like the promised land that they can never go to.

That little girl Rosa needs to come live with me. She was adorable & I don't know anything about kids, but she seemed really articulate for an 8 year old.

I wonder what was going on in that kid Luc's life that he killed himself.

I also wonder why the chairman resigned in 2015.

[AgentRXS]

This documentary made me frustrated because the same thing is going on here in South FL, albeit on a smaller level. Multi-million dollar apartments are being built on former grassy areas/used car lots right down the street from low-income housing.  That one real estate bitch who was like "Some people have to go" really pissed me off. NYC (or any other major city) should not be exclusive to the rich. Those people were there first.  The rich can live anywhere---why do they have to encroach on the middle-to-lower class areas? It isn't right.
 

It also really bothered me how the rich had access to allow their children to play in the projects' playgrounds but that Avenues was not offering more scholarships/financial assistance to the poor. An inquisitive child like Rosie would clearly thrive in that environment. Its really sad. Great documentary, through.

[beesknees]

I died.  I wanted to watch the entire documentary but I got so depressed after trying to watch it (3X).  Man, I am embarrassed but  I had to turn it off.  I was tearing up and I didn't know why.  No Bueno.  Couldn't do it.  I was intrigued about the documentary as a whole and I tried.  This was  a GREAT documentary though.  Very Good.  Loved it and I would recommend.  Will say that.

However, the documentary depressed me greatly.  I get it - I know the financial divide.  I am not wealthy.  I live in an wealthy area and my children constantly ask me why I can't get them the $600 plus phones they covet (plus the monthly fees!).    I die ....

The concept of the Avenues Schools is quite lovely !! (I have lived abroad and taught in Japan, China, South Korea, and Indonesia as an ESL instructor/teacher).  

The show was very well executed.  This is a great documentary.   I felt the Avenues students seemed incredibly out of touch.  The wealthier students said the correct phrases   Always.  Rehearsed.  The students said the right buzz words.  

The wealthy students said the right things but :(  .....     I dunno.  I think the rich white kids didn't/don't actually have clue .....  Do they?  Did they?  How could they?  In their insulated bubble it seems impossible although they repeat the right phrases.  The closest the wealthy kids had to experiencing "poverty" was walking across the street from the projects where the "poor" people lived.  Was that enough?

Why didn't the "Avenues" 50K a year school at least have the uber rich, privileged students do quarterly fund-raisers for the uber impoverished "have-not/project" students who live directly across the street from them?  I mean, the Avenues schools touted themselves as globally focused and worldwide, no?   How about looking, seeing, and dedicating one's self literally in one's back yard, no?  Just sayin'.   Pissing me off.  Soooo depressing the whole documentary was but I guess that was the message the director was trying to convey.

Edited October 8, 2016 by beesknees

[AgentRXS]

I wonder how much of this documentary played a role in Luc's suicide. If he was already having issues, having the spotlight focused on his privilege and forcing him to face whatever guilt he felt because of it may have been enough to push him over the edge. Makes me wonder if how they choose their interview subjects.

[Rlb8031]

On 10/4/2016 at 2:13 AM, GaT said:

I just finished watching this, Avenues seems like an incredible school, but those kids who live in the project across the street must really hate it. It must seem like the promised land that they can never go to.

That little girl Rosa needs to come live with me. She was adorable & I don't know anything about kids, but she seemed really articulate for an 8 year old.

I wonder what was going on in that kid Luc's life that he killed himself.

I also wonder why the chairman resigned in 2015.

Chris Whittle was appointed head of a school district in NJ (Newark??) by Chris Christie after a state takeover. He's made a good living getting paid by government to develop "better"  school's. Im not sure that he's got a great success record either with Avenues or his charter/public school work, but he's got a ton of believers