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Screening and Discussion Guide This TEACH US ALL screening and discussion guide is intended to cover the necessary steps involved in planning an effective town hall-style screening, provide additional strategies to enhance the success of the event and prepare resources to execute each screening.

Overview: What is the Purpose of a Town Hall-style event?

A Town Hall event is a community coming together to discuss an issue or issues of common concern. Most town hall events are open to the public and encourage participation from the audience. Government officials or agencies typically conduct town hall events to present a new proposal that impacts the community or discuss an emerging issue of concern. In either case, the primary purpose is to provide information to the community and collect feedback. For a town hall-style screening dedicated to an issue, the community can include teachers, students, parents, other stakeholders, policymakers and interested citizens.

To effectively plan and coordinate a town hall-style screening, organizers must:

1 - Define Objectives for the Screening

Knowing precisely what you hope to achieve from your town hall-style screening will have a significant bearing on numerous aspects of the planning process, including the contents of the agenda. A town hall-style screening format is well suited to raise awareness of an issue and solicit feedback. While raising awareness of an issue is a valuable goal in itself, organizers can maximize the value by expanding the scope of the agenda.

Sample TEACH US ALL Objectives:

Beyond a simple dialogue on the nature and significance of equitable education for all students, how can the discussion explore potential solutions to the problem?

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What are the next steps attendees can take to ensure that progress will be made in pursuing those solutions?

As a result of these discussions on the issues of school segregation and improving student access to effective teachers, how can your screening create a springboard for advancing advocacy efforts that may lead to meaningful policy changes?

Attendees will become advocates, actively supporting the call for a student group, local policy maker, governor or legislative task force to study the issue and develop recommendations and implement them.

2 - Generate Media Coverage and Outreach Plan

A key component in the dual objectives of raising awareness and advancing advocacy efforts is the generation of media coverage. Engaging in an effort to develop and pitch compelling story ideas to the media in order to generate pre-event publicity on the issue of equitable education for all students can be extremely effective in bringing public and governmental attention and creating interest in the town hall-style screening.

Sample TEACH US ALL Media Coverage and Outreach Ideas

- Generate phone list - Phone call outreach to local advocacy groups and news outlets - School announcements and outreach prior to event (see our Social Media and Media Toolkits) including website links, event dates and time. - Distribute Press Release (sample at the end of packet) to local interest groups

3 - Getting Organized

There are numerous tasks associated with the planning and execution of a town hall-style screening requiring an organizational plan and a clear delineation of responsibilities for those charged with carrying out various aspects of the event.

The organizer should possess solid organizational skills and should be prepared to devote sufficient time to ensuring effective implementation of each facet of the plan. Organizers may want to consider creating a task force of volunteers to help oversee the project, with key responsibilities divided among the task force members. Areas of responsibility could include:

- Securing hosts/speakers - Site selection and logistics - Media relations - Stakeholder communications and public outreach

4 - Determining the Budget for the Town Hall-Style Screening

Organizers can put on a high-quality town hall-style screening for much less money by avoiding some of the significant expenses that might normally be associated with planning. It is not

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necessary to hold the screening at a high-priced venue. Excellent free or low-cost spaces may be available. There may also be a desire to bring in a high-profile speaker to help enhance interest among the media and the public. While a “big name” speaker can have significant impact, paying the speaker’s honoraria and travel expenses may prove to be too costly. Certainly, organizers may want to explore such opportunities and may find that high-profile speakers will agree to participate at little expense. But it is not necessary to include a nationally-renowned expert or other high-priced speaker in order to attract attention to the screening. Beyond these two considerations, other expenses expect to include:

- Printing of flyers, posters, handouts, signs - Possible A/V equipment rental - Refreshments

5 - Setting Your Timeline

With your objective in mind and an understanding of the resources you have, you can develop a preliminary agenda, which will help guide a number of subsequent decisions in the planning process. As mentioned earlier, developing a two-part agenda that focuses both on the substance of the issue and potential ways to address the issue is an effective way to achieve the dual objectives of raising awareness and advancing your advocacy efforts.

Sample Timeline

1. Film introduction and explanation of agenda to attendees – a brief outline of the issue, its causes and urgency.

2. Film screening 3. Break for casual discussion/food/bathroom/etc. 4. Panel/Town Hall discussion - A legislator/official/other authority outlines current/past

efforts to address the issue, Panelists provide their perspectives on these efforts and impediments to action, Audience input/questions on current efforts and suggestions for next step, Moderator leads interaction with panelists to find consensus on next steps.

5. Recap and conclusion - Moderator leads interaction with panelists to find consensus on next steps

6 - Identifying Key Participants

A significant key to a successful town hall-style screening is the inclusion of qualified, informed and influential individuals to serve as moderator, panelists and guest speakers. Determining the individuals you want to serve in these roles (and back-up candidates in case they can’t participate) should be among the first tasks performed in the planning process. Invitations to all speakers will need to be sent as early as possible to confirm their interest and willingness to participate, and to identify problematic dates where scheduling conflicts might occur. Initial invitations can be made in person or over the phone, and a written invitation should also be

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sent as a follow-up to the conversation. Organizers may want to include a request for an RSVP from the invitees to help determine likely attendance.

7 - Selecting the Date and Location for Your Screening In choosing a future date and space for your screening:

1 - Select a date and time that does not conflict with other planned major events in the city that could negatively impact participation or media coverage of the event. In many cases, holding the screening on a weekday evening may be preferable as it is less likely to result in scheduling conflicts for speakers and guests, and increases the chances that desired space will be available.

2 - While space at hotels or other prime locations can be costly, organizers should consider other low-cost or free options that can be ideally suited. Large meeting rooms in state office buildings, hospitals, colleges, schools, community centers, or libraries can be excellent venues and can often be reserved at little or no cost.

3 - While budgetary concerns may be the overriding factor in selecting the space, other important considerations include:

• Size of the room • Set up of the room • Seating capacity • Audio/visual capabilities • Parking and access to the public

8 - Sample TEACH US ALL Guiding Questions Below are suggested questions to guide our post-screening discussion:

Chapter 1/Overview Questions:

o How did the film make you feel about education in America? o What was the most memorable part of the film? o Is there a thought or feeling that has stuck with you that you’d like to share or discuss? o What is your relationship with education in your community/school? What is your

interest group?

Chapter 2/Little Rock Then & Now:

o What was the audience’s prior knowledge about the Little Rock school crisis? o Have you ever experienced a scenario where people were practicing intolerance or

bigotry in an overt way? o How can we stand up for tolerance and inclusion on our daily life? o How does the film tie tolerance and inclusion to challenges in racial segregation in

school?

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o Was a particular student/parent/teacher’s experience resonate with you as a viewer?

Chapter 3 – New York City:

o What is the motivating factor for such high rates of school segregation in NYC? o How can families and students contribute to equal school experiences across the city,

how about in the city where you live? o What are the school resources like where you/your kids go to school? Do you know if

it’s the same as other schools in your district? o Was a particular student/parent/teacher’s experience resonate with you as a viewer?

Chapter 4 – Los Angeles:

o Triple segregation affects students profoundly by limiting their exposure to immersion English language experiences, racial diversity and coursework keeping up with traditional classes when assigned to ESL classes. Does this issue affect your community? If so, how?

o How familiar were you with the Mendez vs. Westminster Case? By pursuing their case, the Mendez familiar took a personal cause (their own daughter’s education) and extended it to the larger community? How can we carry this approach in our own community?

o What are ways to promote student and parent activism in your community at the local, state and federal level?

o Did a particular student/parent/teacher’s experience resonate with you as a viewer?

Chapter 5 – All of Us:

o Describe the idea of Tikkun Olam in your own words. What does this mean for your community and the country at large?

o Are there examples ideas and strategies you can share from your own experience or someone you know that have been successful or unsuccessful in fighting for education equity?

o What relationship do you have with your local schools now? What kind of roles are open to you to participate more in the way your school community operates?

o At the end of the film Senator Joyce Elliot urges those who are doing, in their eyes, what’s best for their own children to also take “some responsibility for the whole.” Is this possible? Altruistic? Realistic? If not now, how can our efforts make the environment change to make it so?

Concluding Activities:

- Create mailing list for all attendees - Send a copy of the mailing list to TEACH US ALL for inclusion in the national campaign - Create subcommittees of guests interested in pursuing specific tasks post-screening

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- Assign note-taker to compile information on subcommittees and agreed-upon action steps to coordinate outreach efforts

- Plan and schedule future meetings - Provide all relevant social media information to attendants for future use - More action steps for participants can be found at www.teachusallfilm.org

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Appendix: Social Media Toolkit Before, during and after watching and discussing TEACH US ALL, you can use social networking sites to engage online communities in the movement for educational equity. Social media tools can help spread awareness and advocate for social change. This toolkit offers guidance on how to best utilize the resources of this campaign online.

TEACH US ALL Social Accounts

Be sure to follow and tag us! We want to hear what you have to say and we will like, respond, and share! Tweet along as you watch the film. Post a picture on Instagram of you and your friends at a screening. On Facebook, you can write a summary of your discussion, what you learned, and how you’re going to get involved. You can also post reaction videos where you talk about why educational equity is important to you. Whatever you post, just remember to tag us @TeachUsAllFilm on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Campaign Hashtag

• Use the hashtag #TeachUsAll to tag your TEACH US ALL posts and join the online discussion.

• You can create your own hashtag for your community. For example, if you’re in Florida you might use #TeachUsAllFlorida. But be sure to also use the general #TeachUsAll.

• Other relevant hashtags: #desegregation #diversity #documentary #civilrights #edequity #education #film #jointhemovement #littlerocknine #socialchange #socialjustice #studentactivist

Campaign Graphics

Social media graphics are available for download at www.teachusallfilm.org (Get Social).

• Change your Facebook profile picture and encourage your friends to change their profile picture to the TEACH US ALL logo. This is a simple but impactful way to spread awareness about TEACH US ALL

• Cover Photos and Banners: Download our cover photos to add to your online profile or website.

• Flyer: Spread the word by sharing the TEACH US ALL flyer. You can hand them out directly or post them around your community. Always be sure to get the proper permissions when posting flyers in non-public areas.

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TEACH US ALL Trailer

Give your friends and followers an idea of what TEACH US ALL is all about. Share the trailer on your social media platforms. Trailer Link.

Why Share on Social Media

Social media tools have many benefits when it comes to spreading awareness and advocating for social change. Here are a few reasons why sharing TEACH US ALL can help make a real difference.

• Free: There’s no fee to use it! Every tweet you send is free and you won’t see a bill for every picture you post on Instagram. This makes social media ideal for sharing information about TEACH US ALL.

• Wide reach: Social media connects us to millions of people. This is highly impactful for sharing ideas and working together towards a common goal.

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• Instantaneous: See it? Share it! That’s how quickly social media works. Connect with your friends and followers instantly. Social media makes sharing news and information lightning fast.

• New Opportunities: Social media connects us with so many people, it allows us to listen and engage with people from different backgrounds and hear a wide array of viewpoints.

Who to Share With

TEACH US ALL is a film for everyone, because education affects everyone. But here are some specific people with whom you might want to share TEACH US ALL.

• Students: Students are the ones most affected by the public school system, and they have the most power to change it! Share with other students at your school, or contact other schools in your area. They might have student activism groups that might be interested.

• Educators: Along with students, educators are experiencing these issues on a daily basis. This can include Teachers and Principals, as well as people at the district and state level such as your Superintendents or School Board Members.

• Community organizations: Do you know of a non-profit, foundation or advocacy group that would embrace the ideas of TEACH US ALL? You can reach out to them to set up a screening or invite them to your next screening.

• Policymakers: These are the people who can make a difference in a big way by changing the way the system works. Reach out to your Mayor, Governor, State Senators and Representatives. Most people in these positions will have Twitter accounts, and an email listed on their website if you need more than 140 characters.

What to Say

Not sure how to start a discussion? Here are some suggested posts and topics that you can share to get started:

• #TeachUsAll focuses on #EdEquity and school #desegregation. See the journey from #LittleRockNine to now.

• There's a difference! #Equality will not close the achievement gap, but #Equity works towards achieving that goal. #TeachUsAll #EdEquity

• Our students of color deserve better. Join the #TeachUsAll movement and make a difference: http://www.teachusallfilm.org/

• “The future of this country will be determined by what happens in its schools” -Pedro Noguera #TeachUsAll #EdEquity #civilrights

• A poor student who can’t read on grade level by 3rd grade is 13x less likely to graduate high school. #TeachUsAll

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• The percentage of minority students attending “hyper-segregated” schools has nearly tripled since 1988. #TeachUsAll #EdEquity #desegregation

When to Share

The reason social media is so powerful in spreading awareness is because you can do it any time. You can post every day about TEACH US ALL if you like! Below are a few dates that relate to education and would be great for sharing TEACH US ALL and the importance of Ed Equity.

• September 25, 1957: 2017 marks the 60th anniversary of the Little Rock school crisis. • April 23, 1635: 2018 marks the 383rd anniversary of the first public school in America,

The Boston Latin School, opening. • May 17, 1954: 2018 marks the 64th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. • June 23, 1973: 2018 marks 45th anniversary of Title IX being signed into law.

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Things to Remember

• Social media is a powerful tool that connects us with people outside of our immediate social bubble. This means not everyone will have the same beliefs and opinions as you. It is important to listen and be respectful when discussing and hearing opposing viewpoints.

• Finding common ground is important. We know there are many sides to this issue and there are just as many different solutions. We need to work together and remember that our focus is on the children and improving education for all.

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Appendix: Media Toolkit It is the job of the media to inform and to educate the public on the state of affairs. It is our job to inform media and gain access to their audience by bringing our news to their attention and to the forefront.

To engage and influence media, it is important to build a relationship:

• Provide factual information in a timely context. • Be courteous and honest. If you don’t know the answer to a question, tell them you’ll

find out and follow-up. • Be congenial when you call on the phone or in person; via email, begin and end your

email with a greeting and salutation. • Don’t give up if you don’t get a response quickly. They may be interested or they may

not be; they could also be on deadline. • Be punctual if you’re meeting them. • …And always keep your word, return calls promptly or provide more information/details

if promised.

How to Find Your Local Media

• Start with the newspaper, radio and TV station you follow; ask local friends for their favorites too. Media gain immediate respect for you when you’re familiar with their organization.

• Wikipedia is a good start to search for media in an unfamiliar area. • Conduct online research to find names and contact information; go directly to their

website (e.g. Contact Us page) for the most current, updated information. About Us may also list the names of editors and reporters (sometimes it includes their area of focus, e.g. education, metro/local issues, civil right/social justice, etc.).

• Call and speak with the receptionist or newsroom if you can’t find who to contact.

The Pitch

• Media want to know Who, What, When, Where and Why – provide all the information you have.

• Email is the best first line of contact; the Media Alert template we provide below gives you basic information – you just have to fill in your local details.

• Email the information about 4 days before your event; email the alert the day before as a reminder.

• Call and follow-up. o TV Stations – call within an hour and ask if the event can be put in the Planner o Newspaper – call the next day and follow-up o Radio – call the next day and follow-up

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• Begin with a greeting, introduce yourself and immediately identify your email invitation (if you sent one) or invite them to attend a film screening and community gathering to discuss education.

o Ask them if they have a moment to hear more information. If not, ask when you could call back because it’s an important issue that might interest them. Be passionate – explain this is important because it not only affects the

schools and students in your area, but is endemic nationwide. See next section for Key Messages.

• Next Steps o If they decline attending, politely ask if someone else at their organization might

be interested. If it’s a firm no, move on. If they’re unsure, contact someone else and start the process over.

o If they’re unsure they’ll cover it, offer to follow up the day before the event about their availability. Make sure you call the day before and follow-up.

o If they say yes, tell them that you look forward to sharing the event with them. Tell them any other details that might be new, e.g. parking info, cross streets, and let them know you’ll send an email reminder. Make sure you or someone you know can be their “on-site” contact who

will meet and greet them before the film begins. You want to be courteous, but you also want to know they are there.

Consider ahead of time who would be a good “interview” – someone who is passionate about the issue; a community activist or parent or educator who can provide valuable information about the local “angle” to this story.

o Email twice; call twice. Don’t contact the same person more than 4 times.

Education Equity Key Messages

• Segregation, Double Segregation and Triple Segregation. These are modern terms for an age old problem: disproportional access to quality education. Although Brown vs. the Board of Education ruled state laws separating children by the color of their skin unconstitutional, de facto segregation today divides America’s students by race, income and language.

• The percentage of minority students attending “hyper-segregated” schools has nearly tripled since 1988.

• A poor student who cannot read on grade level by the 3rd grade is 13 times less likely to graduate high school.

• A high-school dropout faces a 4-times-higher-probability of going to prison. • Without a high school diploma, that student will earn an average of 25% less income

over their lifetime. • The vicious cycle repeats, and as the child fails, society suffers.

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• America’s future depends on the present’s determination to more fairly allocate resources and improve educational effectiveness.

TEACH US ALL Key Messages

• Education remains a gateway to opportunity, yet it balances on a precipice within a system that fails to repair itself. So it’s up to us to take charge and demand change.

• Sixty years after the Little Rock Nine faced violent resistance desegregating Central High, America’s schools continue to represent the key battleground of the Civil Rights Movement.

• TEACH US ALL, a documentary film and social justice movement, demonstrates powerful lessons from history within an urgent context, emphasizing the need for unity and collective action to rectify the disparities among America’s children.

• TEACH US ALL seeks to spark the conversation on the current state of U.S. education and investigate: 60 years later, how far have we come—or not come—and where do we go from here?

• In search of answers, TEACH US ALL gathered the expertise of Civil Rights icons, historians, policymakers, teachers, and parents alongside the most important point-of-view: students.

Community Gathering Key Messages

• Community – Come Unity. We’re gathering to hear and to listen; to transcend disagreements and find common ground.

• Forward, Together. As a community, it’s up to us to take charge and demand change - to determine collective solutions that make a fair and equitable system that educates every American child.

• TEACH US ALL hopes to mobilize our youth and redefine who we are as a nation and to stand up for what we believe in – to be inclusive, not exclusive; to be engaged, not isolated.

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SAMPLE MEDIA ALERT CONTACT: [NAME], [MOBILE], [EMAIL – hyperlinked]

TEACH US ALL Documentary Screening and Community Discussion Focuses on Today’s Urgent Civil Rights Issue: Education Equity

[LOCATION NAME], [WEEK DAY], [MONTH] [DAY], at [TIME]

Parents, Students and Community Activists Gather to Find Common Ground That Shapes the Future of Education for EVERY American Child

WHAT: On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the 1957 “Little Rock Crisis,” disparities in access to quality education remain among the most urgent civil rights issues of our time. Segregation, Double Segregation and Triple Segregation. These are modern terms for an age old problem: disproportional access to quality education. Although Brown vs. the Board of Education ruled state laws separating children by the color of their skin unconstitutional, de facto segregation today divides America’s students by race, income and language, including [INSERT CITY NAME]. TEACH US ALL, an 80-minute documentary and social justice campaign, seeks to bring the critical lessons of history to bear on the current state of U.S. education and investigate: 60 years later, how far have we come—or not come—and where do we go from here? WHEN: [WEEK DAY], [MONTH] [DAY], [YEAR]

Film Begins: [TIME – a.m. before noon; p.m. after noon] Discussion: [TIME – a.m. before noon; p.m. after noon]

WHERE: [LOCATION NAME] [STREET ADDRESS] [CITY, STATE ZIP] WHY: Education Equity is a difficult conversation. TEACH US ALL strives to rise above personal politics and transcend disagreements – to listen, to hear, to move forward together and find solutions that address local issues amid a national crisis. In search of answers, TEACH US ALL gathered the expertise of Civil Rights icons, historians, policymakers, teachers, and parents alongside the most important point-of-view: students. Throughout history, young people like the Little Rock Nine have been powerful agents of social change, and education remains their gateway to opportunity and freedom. Our goal is to not just raise awareness of the issues, but to put students at the forefront of forging an educational system based on quality and equity, as we believe schools remain the key battleground of the Civil Rights Movement. WEBSITE: http://www.teachusallfilm.org/ TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5hE2Xm_dDQ HANDLES: @teachusallfilm