The Education of Shelby Knox (2005) User Reviews

Excellent, thought-provoking...

[neal2zod · 8/10 · 22 March 2005]

Caught this inspiring and entertaining documentary at SXSW 2005 - it's a great film for teens and families to watch together.

The film follows Shelby Knox, a Lubbock, TX teen, as she fights for sex education in her conservative school, and later for gay rights, while trying to stay true to her Christian beliefs and principles. Though far from a "warts-and-all" documentary, Shelby isn't always cast in a sympathetic light, and many of her peers do question her motivations and perceive her as a spotlight-grabber.

What makes this film truly great is the interaction with Shelby and her conservative Christian parents - though they often disagree, their support for her and willingness to let her come to her own conclusions is truly inspiring and shows how important honest communication can be between parents and teenagers.

I can certainly see why some reviewers here felt this film was anti-Christian and made a cartoon villain of the abstinence-preaching pastor. However, the pastor is actually given plenty of screen time and gives several convincing arguments on why "safe sex" can be truly unsafe, and the film doesn't try to disagree with him. In fact, the movie itself doesn't take a hard stance one way or another on the issue of sex ed, it simply follows the internal struggle within Shelby and what it takes to be a liberal Christian in today's world.

Overall, this film was one of the favorites of many people I talked to at the SXSW Film Festival, and deservedly so.

"Don't Have Sex with Anyone in Lubbock"

[suzyl_05 · 7/10 · 22 September 2005]

I saw this film at my college. The directors, and Shelby were there for a Q & A session afterward. Shelby, now a junior at UT-Austin, truly has developed into a wonderful young woman and I admire her greatly. This is a very well made documentary. Unlike some other commentators, I do not believe that the filmmakers were attacking Christianity. This is an absurd comment to make, since Shelby was in fact a devout Christian. The film makers simply interviewed the pastor, to which he responded honestly. Shelby did ask tough questions, and he gave his own answers. If he looks stupid, it is his own fault, and not the filmmakers. The beliefs of this pastor cannot be generalized to Christianity. This film was, of course, shot for a purpose. There is a problem in Lubbock, TX. They have one of the highest STD rates and the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. It is told from a view point which advocates comprehensive sex ed and LGTB rights in schools. However, it does represent the other side. This was the purpose of the many people who were interviewed who did not advocate this movement. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

A well made, if strident documentary.

[fae-of-eire · 6/10 · 26 June 2005]

The film definitely takes the side of it's heroine, which is fine, since the documentary is really about her and her views of the issues, rather than the issues themselves. The camera work is truly exceptional, and some of the more candid shots arrive at particularly choice points in the narrative. A fine example of this would Ms. Knox's stand against the startling, and personal statement made by the super-intendant of the board of education toward her. Her defense, though is some how made a little less valid by the only flawed piece of editing (my opinion), in how the epilogue handles the man's guilt concerning an affair he had whilst on the job as a sort of 'told you so' moment. Over-all though a nicely handled documentary of an interesting true-life coming of age story.

Loved it !!!

[mlynn63 · 1 February 2005]

Saw it at Sundance. Loved Shelby's passion. Was amazed at conservative parents support. I also got to meet Shelby... She is now eighteen and in college she is still fighting for what she believes in.

When Shelby and her parents were introduced they got a standing ovation! You could tell she had grownup she handle the crowds questions and press like a pro.

Hope this movie is seen by many. Honest and Correct education of any kind should not be suppressed. In my career we call it LUCK ...Laboring under correct knowledge !!!

If Shelby runs for president in 2030 I'll vote for her !!!!

Vote for Shelby

[jphanley · 7/10 · 3 April 2006]

Shelby Knox will make you laugh, cry, get angry, and then laugh again. Shelby's adventure takes her all over the conservative bastion of Lubbock, preaching the good word of Tolerance, Education and Snappy Outfits.

The politics are one-sided, but that's okay - Texas politics of late have only ever been one sided, and in the opposite direction. This film gives Shelby and her message a fair shake...even though her fellow Texans don't seem to want to give her that same courtesy.

This film is a wonderful look at the power of the individual in the face of seemingly insurmountable opposition. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you win or lose: it's how you play the game. And Shelby plays a good game!

Must See for Teens

[mysticwit · 9/10 · 21 March 2005]

Shelby Knox is a role model for all teens. She questions the way things are and what's she's told and stands up for her beliefs and for others.

While sex education is the focus of the film, it is more the foundation of the issues Shelby faces. Shelby takes on the battle of sex ed despite the fact she is not sexually active; the fact that sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy are epidemic in her town is the driving force behind her campaign for fact-based sex ed.

THE EDUCATION OF SHELBY KNOX is about more than what Shelby is fighting for, but about young people standing up for themselves and wanting to make a difference. Her strength and integrity is a role model to other teens (and all ages, for that matter).

Balanced and Compassionate

[mcnally · 10/10 · 29 May 2005]

I saw this film at the 2005 Hot Docs festival in Toronto. This film follows the life of 15-year-old Shelby Knox, a teen living in conservative Lubbock, Texas. Though from a conservative Christian Republican family, Shelby is a feisty and compassionate campaigner for sex education in the public school system, feeling that their "abstinence-only" policy is ignoring the obvious, including higher than average rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The film follows her over a period of three years, as she begins to question the easy answers offered by her church, her school, and her community. She works with a city-funded group, the Lubbock Youth Commission, but when local politicians force the group to tone down its activism, she quits and begins working with a group of gay teens to help them start a Gay Straight Alliance group at school. Despite the fact that Shelby herself has pledged to remain a virgin until marriage, she recognizes that not everyone in her community wants (or in the case of the gay students, is able) to make the same choice. This film is a balanced and compassionate look at one young woman's political and spiritual awakening. In light of the currently raging culture wars, it's a must-see for people on all sides of these issues.

An inspiring story about a young girl's battle for reform and improvement in a small Texan town in need of serious change

[katethegreat008 · 10/10 · 20 January 2005]

Shelby Knox is a brilliant, strong, passionate, inspired, and determined young woman whose fight for truth, liberation and justice has become not only a huge part of her life, but an incredible accomplishment as well. I know this not only from the film, but because she is a personal friend of mine. The struggles and obstacles she has faced over the years were an immense amount to handle for a 15-year-old girl, but have made more of a difference than most people make in a lifetime. The film portrays her situation and strife with perfect accuracy, and I recommend this to anyone interested in watching a fight for what's right in action.

knowledge is power!

[postmanwhoalwaysringstwice · 9/10 · 5 February 2007]

Perhaps we could all take a moment to look back to when we were fifteen years old. What were we like? How did we fill our free time? It's doubtful that many can attest to being involved in real world politics in the fashion shown in the documentary "The Education of Shelby Knox". The film follows an intelligent, young Southern Baptist (Shelby Knox) for four years as she and a youth-run organization work to allow their Lubbock, Texas schools to teach sex education beyond the mere chillingly brief words of 'abstinence only'. These youth come from a strict, conservative town that just happens to have the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. It is truly inspiring to watch Shelby while she struggles to overcome the bureaucracy that plagues lawmakers and citizens alike, as she begins to question the foundation of her belief system, and as she blossoms into a strong, convicted woman with a mission. This is a reminder to everyone who might take our rights for granted, and who might not realize that as life on earth becomes more complicated some people are still withholding knowledge from the future owners of it.

Christian Values & the Education of Shelby Knox

[elizabeth-shafer · 10/10 · 3 December 2006]

Many reviewers call Shelby Knox an "unlikely advocate" for comprehensive sex education since she is a Southern Baptist, but I feel that the film and its heroine are the epitome of Christian values. Shelby a Southern Baptist by faith recognizes an issue of social justice in her community. She sees that people are suffering - suffering from unwanted pregnancy and misinformation about safe-sex and sexuality. Instead of sheepishly following the beliefs of her community, she stands strong against members of her community that threaten her and her sympathizers. Without stating it explicitly, Shelby recognizes that J.C. would not usher judgment upon the sexuality of young adults in her community in the way that her community leaders do. It's clear that her defiance is spiritually based and wise beyond her years. Although she is unsuccessfully in convincing her local school board to instate a comprehensive sex education program during her high school career, I know this film will influence change in hearts and minds across the U.S.

P.S. My favorite part of the movie is the fact that the ultra-conservative anti-sex ed school board member is brought down in controversy after a discovery that he had used the school computers on school time to proposition a coworker for sexual favors. I know that isn't super Christian of me to cast judgment back on him; I'm praying about it.

A Remarkable Documentary for a Remarkable Teen

[kevin-flake-444-879268 · 10/10 · 9 August 2012]

The Education of Shelby Knox is a remarkable documentary, just as it appears that, Shelby Knox herself is a remarkable woman. The documentary itself focuses on the city of Lubbock, Texas, a high school sophomore named Shelby Knox, and the state of sexual education in Lubbock's public school system. Shelby joins the Lubbock Youth Commission, a group the city formed to give local youths a voice, and in doing so develops her own, which she still uses for feminist activist causes today.

Shelby defines herself as a "good Southern-Baptist girl" and a "Democrat". In Lubbock, those terms should never be in the same sentence, so much of Shelby's journey, while becoming an activist, is about reconciling those ideas within herself. Once she has, it is the rest of the world's job to catch up. She tackles not only the president of the Lubbock Youth Commission to have her voice and ideas understood, but also her parents, peers, pastor, and community. She appears on radio and television shows and even marches around a church to support gay rights, her conservative mother beside her.

This documentary, which is largely observational on the part of the filmmakers, opens up a discourse about sex, politics, societal rights, and social mores, not only for Shelby and her parents, but for all teenagers who want more from their education and thus more for their lives. Thank you, Shelby Knox for wanting more.

An intimate coming of age story about an abstinent pledging teen who becomes liberal pro-sex ed advocate.

[amalalane · 9/10 · 8 February 2006]

This is in the very best tradition of cinema verite' but it goes to a whole new level competing with fiction features in terms of production values, character arc and through line. Unbelievably beautiful cinematography, editing and the dialog is really not scripted. Just a captivating look at the culture wars, families that are united when they could very well fall apart and the power of compassion for all orientations and perspectives.

Plot line: A 15 year old Shelby Knox pledges abstinence, goes to church and follows the maxim, "God, Country and family," in that order. When confronted with the fact that 1 in 6 teenage girls in her school is pregnant and many of her classmates have contracted STDs, she decides to join the Lubbock, Texas Mayor's Youth Commission and take action. Her journey transforms her into a liberal advocate for comprehensive sex education and gay and lesbian rights.