Movie Review

The story of the Asian immigrant was easily accepted by the white community. The dedicated student had was bridged and bonded by family and community. The mass media had empathy for his plight from the Vietnam War and the community easily accepted his family by contributing to their success in America. The social, economic, and educational war where lower classes want to share the advantages of white upper class america receives no empathy from those who profit from the separation of race and class. Without regard to lack of sustainable jobs, quality education, affordable housing, and access to health care; the segregation in the white community and the mass media have shown though empirical studies that institutional racism is alive and well in America.
Another issue I had was a blogged response indicating a 'racial ravine' did not exist. Not every person of color had access to the school. And I only recall seeing one black male presented as a token for the 250 computers. From this personal observation, it is evident that the racial ravine is part of the digital divide.
Both opinions show how examples of digital, economic, educational, and social divisions placed in emperical studies have no influence on thinking rationally. Of the many I read, three seemed to base their opinion on the fallacy that institutional racism and rural economic class divisions is a fantasy conquered up by quantitative and qualitative studies.

While the movie is only 11 years old, some reviewers felt it was antiquated. While the plot had something to be desired, I believe it is relevant given the criteria we have examined so far. But reviewers could not accept that in 2009 computers, education, housing, and health care is not affordable nor accessible. There is no social capital without a pyramid of paradigms to built upon. Lucia and others like her are working at underpaid underemployed jobs to obtain the basics others take for granted. I believe if business had an actual interest in the success of all the students and their continued contributions to technology, the school and the capitalists should of supplied financial aid, computers and broadband access to qualified students.

The importance of social capital was evident in L. 's maternal instincts to transfer her computer skills. She wanted to secure a practical 'bridge' between her and the children. The information revolution will not be televised. I commend her for achieving her social responsibility. If she would of been exposed to classic literature, she may have learned from Benjamin Franklin that to be true to yourself before you can help other people. I wonder where was the school counselor who could not see change her destructive pattern with offering life skills training. More evidence that these teenage adolescents were training to be industry clones.

I'm surprised that someone as committed as x student could not find employment. He had placed himself on a hierarchal level above his peers that was induced by his superiors at school. While students are only in school a few hours a day, the morals and values gained from supplementing some education in humanities would of helped to mature him towards being an adult. In fact, how else would an immigrant learn about the heritage he is inheriting without structured education. The fact that the school board, school administrators, computer and software salesmen, lobbyists, and politicians benefited, but the students only gained a sense of failure. It is obvious that the 4 c's were not completely metby the disillioned faces of the participants. But we must remember, these were only 4 out of 225 students. Otherwise employment would of been guareteed before these children entered the program. It is hypocritical that promises were made and nothing was delivered. Obviously, the computer industry business representatives and the school career counsler did not reflect upon the skills necessary to be ahead of the curve. While the computer industry changes every 6 months, it is not a quantum leap, and unless you lack the basics of computer programing, employment anywhere in the U.S would of been accessible. In fact, living in Seattle at this time, I know that Microsoft stock doubled and their buildings tripled during this period. I also know that Boeing was making dramatic changes to include computer technicians and programmers. With this in mind, it is obvious that ulterior motives were made by officials involved because these childrens hopes and aspiratons were taken advantage of. Every state has a viable future analysis that specifies in microscobic detail employment trends. Why were these not allocated by the participants?

One of my classmates stated that increased funding for an urban school district produced the same low test scores. He implied that it was genetics that would keep the poor poor and not technology. While I was offended by foreign ignorance of the free market system in America, I can see how he would invalidate the relationship between technology and cognitive thinking. First he is implying that computers are only used for education. Besides, learning software, the internet provides unlimited free access to information from universal websites. As Jefferson stated, a democracy cannot stand alone without the education of its citizenry. The internet provides that resource. Second, let me say I read a similar study, but further research surmised that after kickbacks were paid and equipment was brought there was no money for technicians and teachers. Out of millions of dollars dedicated by the Bush administration for technology upgrades, only a thrid actually reached the dedicated schools and less then that actually benefited from the federal money because of bad planning by greedy capitalists whose priorities were not honorable.