The 21st Grader

Today I saw the film "The First Grader".

It was an independent film about an older Kenyan man who wanted to learn how to read.   The joy of his triumph, despite his age and any other adversity was implied to the audience long before the movie began.  He would not fail, the students and teacher would learn from him, and the country and world would embrace his fortitude.  I did not intend this to be a movie "spoiler", but again, we have been so enamored with the Hollywood "Rocky" underdog formula, we can see it from a mile away, so this summary surely is no surprise to most.

'The First Grader' Lead character of Maruge (Actor Oliver Lintondo)

As a caveat, there is the backdrop of British imperialism and brutality to the Kenyans (in concert with other indigenous Afrikans, to be fair), that defines the impetus for the Kenyan's desire to learn to read. Though not surprising, they were terrible, and I will leave those details to your individual viewing of the movie.

But surprising to me was the vivid contrast of the main character's desire to learn versus the apathy of so many of today's students.  And this story was not some ancient tale come to life by movie magic.  The story  of the Kenyan-- who's name is Maruge-- happened in 2003.  The violence he saw during the 1950's in Kenya could easily be compared to the slave conditions of America in the 1800s: separation of families, killing and torture.  That period catapulted slaves, and America, into several tumultuous decades of struggle for equality. One that includes equal access to education, thanks to the US Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954.  Up until then, education for Blacks was in various forms illegal, or separate and unequal.

Yet now, as it is by law and of common knowledge, school is free and available to every student no matter their race,creed or culture. (The quality of that education is the topic for another blog.) But in just a mere 57 years since the Supreme Court decision, school attendance, high school graduation rates, particularly among African-Americans --the survivors of this African Holocaust-- have dropped continuously and precariously.  Somehow, the drive, the desire, the awareness of the struggles to gain access to education, and the power education has to elevate and empower individuals and communities...has been lost.    

And this basic education is only the starting point for entry onto the information superhighway and the knowledge economy.  The 21st century is an age where information travels across the world in seconds, and knowledge is disguised, coveted, hidden and sold.  In a world where more information is created in a day than in any previous century, we desperately need our students to have the dogged determination of Maruge as a "First Grader", but have a passionate desire for learning and continuous education needed as a 21st century student, or a '21st Grader'.

More information concerning the film can be found at: http://www.thefirstgrader-themovie.com/