By Voice staff

Parents and teachers from Catholic schools in the diocese are invited to attend the Feb. 11 pre-release screening of a groundbreaking documentary “Race to Nowhere: the Dark Side of America’s Achievement Culture.” It will be screened at the Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Ave. in Oakland at 6:45 p.m.

The film, seen as a “wake-up” call for parents, educators and policy makers, focuses on the often overwhelming pressures school children experience when put on an achievement track to college that robs them of the joys of learning and can lead to stress-related illness, depression and even suicide.

Kim Walsh, vice president of the Corpus Christi Parents Group in Piedmont, saw the film at a special screening at Oakland’s Bishop O’Dowd High School where some of the film’s scenes were shot. The film made an immediate impression on the mother of three.

“The first thing I wanted to do was go home and hug my kids,” she said. Then she was moved to action by the real-life stories she saw in the film and took her concerns back to her school community.

“I knew it was a must-see for Corpus Christi’s active, involved teachers, parents and faculty,” she told The Voice.

“It reinforces our belief that we must nurture the whole child, not only academically, but socially, emotionally and spiritually, to ensure our children are well-prepared for the challenges of our ever-changing world.

“It also underscores how important our Catholic community is in building a foundation of faith and values that will guide and motivate our children for years to come.”

The film’s director, Vicky Abeles, a mother and film producer from Lafayette, will lead a discussion following the screening.

Madeline Levine, who wrote “The Price of Privilege,” and Deborah Stipek, dean of education at Stanford University, provided commentary in the documentary.

The special Feb. 11 screening is sponsored by the Corpus Christi Parents’ Group. Tickets are $10 at the door. Due to sensitive content, the film is not recommended for children. For more information, visit www.corpuschristischool.com.

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