Precious Knowledge

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Through the documentary, there is an in-depth dive into the Mexican-American culture and how the education system has failed them time and time again. However, some teachers strive to support these students and their ethnic background. The documentary touches upon various situations and scenarios where they as a people have been oppressed as a minority. The teachers help to give the students an understanding and a way to confront this oppression. Students have used their pop culture such as music and other methods of expression to be who they are, Mexican-Americans. The white chairmen continue to push oppression on the school because he believes that embracing one's ethnicity and culture is wrong, which is racist. He is ultimately contradicting himself especially when he mentions Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The teachers use the concept of "planting the seed" to see that the next generation does not have to succumb to a disadvantageous situation. As an example, in the documentary, the whites have turned the tables saying that those involved in the ethnic study program are "anti-American" and even racist. It is hard to believe that people who have caused the oppression of others, can feel fear or even threatened by a group of people exploring their own culture and historical background. It is nice to see that although there is always underlying racism in the world. There are communities such as the one in Rutgers-Newark that allows for a huge diversity among its students.

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