Boys of Baraka

After watching the film "Boys of Baraka" I felt hurt and shocked. Like I mentioned in class I feel like the system let them down twice, I mean just seeing the look on their faces and the hopelessness they had once they got word that the school closed down was heartbreaking. I believe that yeh the school succeeded in temporarely placing them in a new environment, reminding them that they were kids, and providing them with individual attention; however, it failed to teach them survival techniques and how to cope with the daily stress that they see in their community in a positive way. Not the survival techniques that they learn back home which is fight, shoot, and violence is the key, but enhancing their ability to unite with positive people, talk out their problems, work through their problems and teaching them that their environment does not dictate their life. The school system failed in also not setting up something for the children back home, even in the summer time , to continue to stay in touch and learn. My question would also be Why Kenya? and another would be where were the african american teachers? Even though there were african teachers at the school the majority of the teachers were white,which is not a huge issue if they were willing to be there for the kids, however the kids still had no one to relate to that could show them , "Hey I come from where you come from and we can all make it out together." I feel like they took the boys out of one environment and put them in another that only taught them how to displace their anger, their anxiety and their feelings. Individually I believe the young men were confused when they came back. The school also missed the mark in making that connection of when they went back home. Even though some of the young men continue to succeed what happened to the majority of the others that were not exactly in the forefront of the film? In school, I was also the smart one, but I was never teased for "acting white" or "not being black enough". So I can't personally can't relate to "acting white" article. My school was predominately african american all through my years growing up and I remember talking to everyone. I was always outgoing. Only thing that I remember used to make me so upset, I just thought was pure ignorance, was in middle school there was one young lady that used to always say, " I wanna marry a white guy because I don't want dark babies; black babies ain't cute." That statement used to make so mad. Although I struggled with self-esteem issues growing up I never was ashamed of who I was and I remember always thinking it's sad that she does not like herself that much to reproduce such a beautiful race of people. Today, now that I know what I know, that statement makes more sense to me .