Documentary by Cevin (pronounced "Kevin") Soling, goes inside the American public school system to reveal some unsettling truths — that our public schools have become prisons, where kids are medicated against their will, treated like prisoners under strict Zero Tolerance policies, and have most of their civil rights summarily stripped away. While conditions for kids have been worsening over the decades, the film argues that the root of these problems isn't school shootings or budget cuts, but the institution of school itself, which is inherently authoritarian, oppressive, and fails on most levels to fulfill its number one goal: to educate. The tagline of the War On Kids (which was named Best Educational Documentary by the New York International Film & Video Festival) is "School is the Enemy." Kind of says it all.

Soling was kind enough to answer some questions via email about some of the issues raised in the film and why our school system needs to be radically reinvented.

What motivated you to make the War On Kids?

I made the War on Kids to draw attention to a major civil rights issue that is rarely discussed in large part because youth are disenfranchised. The fact that conditions in schools are deteriorating dramatically with the advent of Zero Tolerance certainly prompted the need for some kind of backlash. Security has become the priority at many schools and the prevailing philosophy in America is that basic civil rights are somehow at odds with receiving an education. Another widespread fallacy is the presumption that criticizing schools is the same as criticizing learning. That misleading notion has thwarted reasonable attempts to address the most basic issues.

Public schools are authoritarian institutions. Being told that America is a democracy while in school is a sick joke. Students in many schools are routinely subjected to some conditions which I believe would be deemed a violation of the Third Geneva Convention if prisoners of war were treated in the same manner. This may seem like hyperbole, but read the document. As a society, adults have become accustomed to subjecting kids to atrocious conditions that they themselves would never endure. Most take for granted that it is acceptable to do so.

Ever since I was in public school I altruistically wanted to take some kind of action to save others from the same fate. I was told at that time by parents and friends that I would lose interest in the cause once I attained the "privileged status" of no longer being in school, but that has not been the case. It is possible I was fueled by that kind of dismissive attitude.

What were some of the most surprising things you learned in making this movie?

I had no idea about the nature of the prescription drugs that are fed to kids. There is a prevailing resentment for the cigarette companies that knew their product was dangerous, but did not disclose that information back in the 1950s. I think what the pharmaceutical companies are doing today is much more insidious. I could go on about this, but the experts in my film do a fine job.

You have discussed how the US school system is based on a Prussian model that was more designed to foster obedience than to educate. What do you think are the best (and most realistic) ways to change our school system away from this?

When slavery was abolished there was no system in place to effectively deal with former slaves. In fact, American society today still hasn't resolved the social consequences; however, no rational person would argue that abolition was wrong. Bold, dramatic steps are required that will force society to confront educating children in a way that integrates them into society rather than sending them off to a prison-like environment. The ultimate goal would be not just to educate, but to simultaneously foster communities where people support and care about one another. This concept seems idealistically absurd because schools have successfully undermined those communal bonds by taking children away and indoctrinating them with lessons that their cultures are not important.

What can kids do to improve the state of their schools and education?

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