What Would You Do To Leave No Child Behind?

Ms. Mundy has forgotten to make Finn’s lunch for his field trip to the Blue Whale. Finn’s teacher, Ms. Zinch, worries about Finn. He looks like he’s starving and his thin physique makes Ms. Zinch afraid that he’s not getting enough food at home anyway. When she calls Ms. Mundy, Ms. Mundy writes it off.

“He’s a picky eater,” Ms. Mundy replies, “He’ll be fine. I’ll get him Wendys…”

WENDYS? Ms. Zinch feels morally conflicted. Ms. Zinch isn’t sure Wendys is the best choice for Finn. He needs some fruits and veggies, not carbs and more carbs! The mom told her to back off, but Ms. Zinch’s need to help every child can sometimes overtake the judgement of the parents. At the end of the day, who knows what best for their kid, the parents, or their teacher? After seeing a sign from her muse - a fat guy wearing a George Bush 2004 T-shirt, Ms. Zinch throws caution to the wind. She must feed Finn at all costs. It’s for his health, it’s for his well being. There must be NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.

The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions

CARROTS is a short film based on an actual incident between my second-grade teacher and me. There are very few moments in this film that I exaggerated for comedy or drama. Over the years, my attitudes about the attack have changed. Naturally, it started with fear and the unpleasant images, but as the years went on, that fear turned into laughter. The moment seemed so absurd looking back; it became outrageous to any outsiders looking in. It’s a story I always tell because there is nothing else quite like it.

I’ve always wanted to tell this story visually but could never find a way into the story that wouldn’t be unsettling and sad - it is about child abuse, after all. I was able to find my muse in, ironically, my second-grade teacher herself. As I thought about this story, and in turn, this project, I thought about the goals of my teacher. What was she trying to do, and why was she so insistent on me eating that carrot? From my research, my teacher seemed to be upstanding, one that I quite liked before the incident. She took care of others and helped during Katrina. Where did this seemingly ordinary teacher go so wrong? She had the best of intentions. With this film, I want to get the audience into my teacher’s shoes and ask them what they would do. Anyone who has worked with kids or has kids of their own knows how difficult it is to handle them. I want the audience to follow Ms. Zinch and agree with her decisions until the final moment to have the audience ask themselves where the line must’ve been.