The War on Kids (2009) User Reviews

A very upsetting look at what we do to our children

[DisturbedPixie · 9/10 · 9 December 2009]

I can very much relate to these children. If the zero tolerance policy was in effect just 2 years earlier, I would have been kicked out of my middle school for drawing a picture of a knife. I got called to the counselor's office and was interrogated, but I got to go back to class and stare down my teacher who sent me there instead of being put in handcuffs. This documentary depicts the things we do to our children. Letting K9s bark in their faces, and kicking their belongings, putting them in jail for a pushing match, expelling them for drawing a weapon, playing cops and robbers, and worse of all, we drug our children. And then we tell them not to do "drugs" and we call in the ARMY to recruit them.

I repeatedly broke down in tears, because I was drugged up as a teen for ADD and Depression ( a side effect of ADD medication aka DRUGS!)

I can't imagination my own children having to deal with these horrible things in school. Makes me consider homeschooling, and having them participate in community activities as a social alternative.

If it wasn't so shocking...

[Amadio · 5 May 2012]

Documentaries set out to show a point of view. Michael Moore, whoever, have a point to prove. So, with this documentary I wanted to see the point that was being put forward. However, if even one half of 1 percent of this movie is 'fact' not film-makers putting forward their views it is bad enough. While 'law enforcement' may be necessary, prosecuting children for 'bad' behavior is insane. This film shows time after time how schools are prisons (in all but name), administration has abrogated responsibility, and how police revel in brutal authority over those weaker than them (why exactly are police in schools?). This is truly a documentary, showing the reality of failures at all levels in the education system - except for the kids who are energetic, vibrant, alive and curious.

Great Film

[gwenterprisesllc · 10/10 · 22 May 2012]

Everyone who has children, or plan on having any need to see this great film. It makes a great case for Home schooling, and shutting down the Department of Education and giving control back to the parents. As a filmmaker I can see the finished product as a fantastic project. Also the flow of the story keeps your attention, and really makes one think. having endured Parochial Schools in the 50's when teachers Taught, I am thankful for the education I received. I did a spanking or two-but deserved each for sure, got one when I got home as well. I learned not to repeat my actions very quick-Thank God they did not use mind altering drugs back then.

Valid argument, questionable delivery.

[scottmkeen · 1/10 · 7 December 2012]

Last night, upon the recommendation of a friend, my wife and I watched the documentary "The War on Kids." I was planning on writing some sort of detailed response to the film, but it's not necessary. In short, it is a deeply cynical and poorly-constructed film with a rambling message concerning the state of public schools in America. Some of the arguments in the film are valid, albeit neither new nor novel, but the film's producers make no effort to ferret out fact from anecdotal re-tellings, and the discussion falls flat of actually achieving productive discourse. I could go on and on (and on).

In one of the film's more egregious missteps, a lengthy discussion about ADHD and its related pharmacological treatments is erroneously and surreptitiously paired with a historical montage of school shootings. In the same segment, viewers are seamlessly shepherded from an intense conversation about ADHD to a discussion of school shootings and the fact that most school shooters were on psychiatric medication. The point fails (miserably) because each of the shooters in question was being treated for depression using powerful psychoactive drugs. Not ADHD. Not Ritalin or Adderall. The conversation then continues, focusing exclusively on ADHD and the marketing of pharmacological treatments for ADHD. Although both of these points have validity independent of the other, to clumsily pair them only serves to weaken both arguments. Quite frankly, it's also condescending to the viewer to assume that we wouldn't notice (or care enough to comment on) this misleading presentation of information.

So it is with The War on Kids; a bunch of legitimate concerns clouded with so much cynicism and sarcasm that it's hard to imagine that anything productive will come of it.

If you're a parent of a teenager, watch this film

[cyndi_hill_86 · 24 July 2011]

If there was ever a film that would make a parent of an overachieving teenager find the low-life, they normally wouldn't let their child be with for being a low-life, and feel sorry for that low-life or embrace that person, then it did a job well done. That's what 'The War on Kids' is that kind of film that'll cause the CEO of a household take a second look at a child's low-life looking friends and realizes there was something they all have in common, victims of bullying in the hands of teachers. The film does what every kid wants to do any cruel teachers but is tortured into silence that even parents ends up being the last to know, which it's too late. We all seen shows like i-Carly that show the heroes fighting back in hilarious ways with results in a success. However, in real, it's not a funny matter, even if the crackdown is successful.

Cevin Soling finally breaks the social taboo that few are willing to admit and points out the flaws in the bullying by teachers. No wait, bully is to kind of a word, torture sounds and some why. Soling explain the use of 'zero-tolerance' is a modern day version of corporal punishment had lead to more forms of turning schools into prisons, even if classes are smaller, teachers are better trained, and additional funding was given. Schools have become a symbol of destroying free-thought, and even medicine to control that so-call disorders like oppositional defiance disorder increased the adultism the school are guilty of and refused to like it be known. The film focuses on teenagers, mainly but points pre-teens aren't safe either.

Now, what is this worst than corporal punishment? For one thing, corporal "physical" punishment will land a school official in jail in some US states and secondly, it's rarely used. However, corporal punishment is still unacceptable because school official aren't allow to touch students, except for a hand shake. Yet, it was only used as a last resort in an alternate to suspension since a student's education had to be done. On the other hand, in the times before zero-tolerance and the Orwellian society, common sense was used and was more effective.

During the times before zero-tolerance, if you had a classmate who harassed to the point to have enough and revolt by punching back, it would get the bully so much in shock rather hurt, the bully would learn a lesson and that was it. In modern times, criminal changes would be filed even if your reason was understand to the point the police would leave you alone. Teachers would simply work on reason when it comes to discipline, for minor crimes were let go or a warning was enough. Now, drugs and violence has created a new breed of trouble in the school. Soling really points out the issue, head-on.

If schools were going to teach how to be responsible adults, why not teach the rights they have. Soling points how students are basically wroth nothing. They are denied their rights, forced to be drugged or tested for drugs, forced to snitch, and are constant watch, even a serial killer with no soul would think that is outrageous. Schools claim that are trying to keep a second Columbine from happening where it's doing the exact opposite since it was the formula of that tragic shooting. If you're a parent of a teenager, watch this film!

How old was the person who made this film?

[mcdappraisal · 1/10 · 7 October 2013]

First off, this is NOT a documentary. This is just another political hit piece masquerading as a "100% truthful" documentary. Michael Moore has RUINED the documentary genre with his BS docs. I was very interested in seeing the movie as the description of its contents are a real issue. Schools have become mini prisons. But this Doc makes it sound like conservative forces are ruining schools! WHAT?! For the past 25 years public schools have become more and more progressive (led by progressive unions). But the film constantly uses 1950s public service commercials to somehow "explain" the reasons for all the bad policies in the current school environment. The director of this film cannot figure out what to really complain about either. There is absolutely no one in this film that gives any positive alternatives to the so called mess schools are in. Its just one complaint session after the next. Also, they seemed to find the biggest punks in school to complain about why "school sucks man!". Gimmie a break! Whats really dangerous about a film like this is that it is target audience is kids! I saw it on a cable station (Pivot) who's target audience is millennials and current teens. This is the kind of film we find in the next school shooters DVD player AFTER hes gone on his rampage. Sad, we wonder why kids do the things they do now-a-days. Maybe we should stop giving the immature adults in this world who make pathetic hate-filled movies like this a spotlight.

Are kids adults or do they need to learn how to BE kids Vs Adults

[lldenney · 1/10 · 29 September 2012]

According to this author who's own "BIO" includes ZERO mentions of education, ZERO mention of higher education. RED Flag for me. "Laurie is the proud unschooling Mom to her remarkable 18 year old son, Brycen, who is a performing musician(Not going to college to "LEARN how to learn and cope in a higher level playing field with higher wages and higher standards of living) and chainmaille artisan(Ah... a RENAISSANCE FAIRE "Renfaire" seller!)." Full Disclosure- My 23 yr old son, with 3 yrs of college, tried to do Renfaire selling chainmaile too(very cool- looking). Then he got a job with healthcare and retirement. Now he has a girlfriend and a car, and is buying his own home.

So, her FACTS are: that all our schools are failing, because we're teaching our kids how to think about different things in different ways, and apparently our kids should be free to figure out how to do quadratic formulas BY THEMSELVES or any way they want. They're taught to read stuff they don't want to! How TERRIBLE! (Funny... all I wanted to read as a teen was Playboy, Penthouse, and Oui!) Nothing but WHINERS and whining in this Docudrama. I see them praising a child that hates to get up day after day, over and over... to go to UGGGG...school, and forced to... puke... "learn crap they don't think is important". Wow... I KNEW all that Spanish, math, English, Russian Lit, writing skills, computers, economics, law, and accounting was CRAP! Who needed them? Oh wait... My higher grades got me a 4 yr scholarship for a Business degree for a university, which allowed me to jump from a carpenter's helper on the Railroad,to a Railroad Engineer in 8 months, and to get to fly in, and actually "fly", 8 different aircraft in the USAF. No education no flying, no degree, no engineering where I went from $25,000/yr to $95,000 with all the perks. Sorry, but even railroads want some college education now.

This piece seems to be created by UNEDUCATED people, FOR uneducated people, to create MORE uneducated people, and be PROUD of it, since apparently they must NOT be.

If you want to change the way schools work, then get into the school system and show your kid how to make things better for ALL the kids... not just yours.

Sorry people, but kids are just small animals that NEED TO LEARN CRAP THEY DON'T WANT TO LEARN. ANY "educated" or common sense parent can tell you that. So- Presto! 50% of this story and whining is bunk. Rules? Yep, rules are to teach small animals how to SURVIVE while they are young and older. If you DON'T learn the rules, you LOSE, sometimes your life and sometimes OTHER lives. It's like Monopoly, if you don't know the rules and HOW to win, YOU LOSE... period!

Watching this ..."piece", shows me that anyone can constantly complain about anything and get applauded by someone. Must be why our politics of division works so well still. Uneducated people complaining to uneducated people, about EDUCATION and EDUCATED people... and vice verse.

A one sided depiction of several symptoms of the problem.

[fivenotefanfare · 1/10 · 22 October 2012]

Not my favorite documentary.

I watched half of it and turned it off. I finished it just so I could be informed when I tell you it wasn't worth my time.

The filming is alright, sound is fine, but it just didn't do anything for me. Some of the situations they discuss are shocking, but nothing comes of it. They just fall away. Why did this happen? I dunno... schools are bad. It was over dramatic and blamed everything on... well, who knows who they're blaming. The system? Teachers? Administration? Drug companies? It gets a little unfocused. They definitely don't offer any solutions.

There was no idea presented why the school system is the way it is. They never interviewed anyone that was involved in one of the "zero tolerance" incidents. I would have loved to have heard one of the teachers or administrators explain why they acted the way they did. They never talked to anyone that started "zero tolerance". No mention of "No Child Left Behind" or any other programs that form the system.

Not a single suggestion that parents may be responsible to help form kids minds. I personally remember discussing my history lesson with my father and he would always challenge the book, just so I would develop the ability to decide for myself.

I don't ever remember an instance where a student asked a legitimate question about the lesson or wanted to discuss something related to the course and the teacher shut them down. This must be a new thing or something that happened in other places.

I don't know how I feel about ADHD... and I'm not going to be able to form an opinion based on this movie, but somehow the film even makes it seem like it is a disruptive children should be a blessing. The film doesn't discuss how the other 29 kids in the class feel about the kids interruptions or how it affects the class.

Some how cliques are even attributed to schools, though it would seem segregation, oppression, prejudice and the general mistreatment of others isn't necessarily a new thing.

The film should actually be 6 or 7 films. It complains about something for a little bit, but doesn't go deep enough to actually learn anything... then it moves on to complain about something else.

This director should do a comparison between low level corporate jobs and prison next.