Independent Lens looks at Black Rock Continuation High School that gives hope to the ‘bad kids’

Black Rock Continuation High School
Black Rock Continuation High School gives hope to kids who would otherwise drop out

This week’s Independent Lens is titled The Bad Kids and looks at students whom the system thinks are lost causes, but that one California school still sees potential in.

Spending a year at Black Rock Continuation High School for kids at risk, this documentary looks at the tricky issues that the students, teachers and the school’s principal have to deal with when trying to navigate high school when life throws some real curve balls.

The educators at the school think that life skills can really give these teens a chance
The educators at the school think that life skills can really give these teens a chance

The wider system might have written these teens off and perhaps even most of society might look on their prospects as pretty grim but this school gives them hope.

A new dad and still studying would a lot for anyone never mind a teen
A new dad and still studying would a lot for anyone never mind a teen

We meet Lee who has just become a father but he has not a clue about the responsibilities involved. Then there is Jennifer who suffered sexual abuse and has struggled to stay on the straight and narrow since.

Poverty, abuse, trouble with the law, drugs, alcohol and just a lack of empathy means the chances of these kids graduating from an ordinary high school are slim
Poverty, abuse, trouble with the law, drugs, alcohol and just a lack of empathy means the chances of these kids graduating from an ordinary high school are slim

They are just a couple of the dozens of kids who have often faced obstacles most of us could never imagine our children going through.

Independent Lens airs Mondays at 10:00 PM on PBS.

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