On These Grounds

Selected as one of 2022's Best Documentaries by Video Librarian

An explosive video from South Carolina goes viral, showing a white school resource officer pull a Black teenager from her desk and throw her across the floor. An intense public debate is sparked as an outraged nation finds itself divided over who is at fault and what role race played in the incident.

Healer-Activist Vivian Anderson uproots her life in NYC to help the girl and dismantle the system behind the "Assault at Spring Valley", including facing the police officer. To contextualize this incident, geographer Janae Davis treks the surrounding swamps to unearth the overgrown and neglected homes of formerly enslaved people of African descent, charting a thorough path from past to present.

Much like the country at large, the arresting officer and the student have starkly different perspectives. Through intimate footage and extensive interviews with both, a hidden truth is unearthed about what actually happened that day. Throughout the film, select scholars, historians, and experts provide further context to the story, as well as an examination of race, school discipline, and police accountability.

Against the backdrop of a racial reckoning and deep historical roots, one incident illuminates how Black girls, with the support of organizers, are creating a more just future for themselves and our entire education system.

FEATURING:

Robin DiAngelo, Author, White Fragility
Catherine Lhamon, Chair, US Commission on Civil Rights
Bobby Donaldson, Professor of History, University of South Carolina
Amanda Ripley, Journalist / Author
Josh Gupta-Kagan, Professor of Law, University of South Carolina
Shawn McDaniels, Master Sergeant, Richland County

Click here for a sample of the 17-page digital discussion guide provided with the film >

FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "We started making this film with the question: What could we learn about society by thoroughly investigating one viral video?

Our mantra was "context". Context meant reporting and exploring all the factors that led up to the incident, from arcane and mysterious laws to personal stories of trauma. Context can encompass centuries and seconds. This approach was especially important in our age of viral videos which might seem like isolated occurrences. Connecting the dots, we reveal a systemic issue.

School policing was rare just 30 years ago. Today, police officers patrol the hallways of over half of American schools with very little vetting or oversight. Many are stationed there in the name of school safety without considering the social, practical, and psychological factors associated with their presence. Students — most often students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students — are referred to officers for normal adolescent behaviors. Hundreds of thousands of young people are pushed out of schools and into the carceral system through police interaction at school.

This classroom incident becomes a microcosm for America today. We hope the film will provide a new perspective to some viewers and reflect a true lived experience for others. We hope audiences will connect what happened at Spring Valley High School to the new world we want to build together."

Preview link available upon request. Contact [email protected] for more information

Documentary Film | Video Project | On These Grounds

A Film by Garrett Zevgetis

101 minutes and 59 minutes

Scene Selection • Closed Captioned

Grades 9 - Adult

Item #: OTG-2016

Contextualizes an explosive viral video of a white school officer yanking a Black teenager from her desk and throwing her across the floor

Starting at $89

Licensing Options

K-12 Classrooms, Public Libraries: DVD - $89 K-12 Classrooms, Public Libraries: DVD + Digital File - $139 Colleges, Institutions, Businesses: DVD - $345 Colleges: DVD with Digital Site License - $495 Community Screenings: Please Complete 'Host a Screening' Form found on top menu bar K-12 School District pricing available. Please inquire at [email protected]

Reviews and Festivals

BROADCAST on STARZ

"On These Grounds uses this trauma-informed perspective to cement the idea that blame is not the same as justice and that a broken system cannot deliver justice in the first place... This superior documentary belongs on library shelves... An excellent resource for those who want to learn about corporal punishment in America and those interested in racial justice."

— Video Librarian

"Gives the viewer plenty to digest and unpack... Engaging, and it is likely to make some people feel uncomfortable. This can be a good thing as it can help educate viewers who are grappling with the concepts of white privilege and racism... Younger students will benefit from viewing it under the conscientious care of an educator or guardian ready to facilitate the conversations that will follow. The subject of the film is multidisciplinary and could support curriculum in Black & African American studies, sociology, history, and criminal justice. This film is highly recommended for library collections largely for the important and timely conversation it delivers."

— Educational Media Reviews Online

"Shocking...Strongest when it contextualizes Shakara's case within the larger movement to decrease police presence in academic institutions (which won some victories last year following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor)."

— The Hollywood Reporter

"An expansive, insightful and infuriating documentary about police brutality in the public education system"

— The Guardian

"Garrett Zevgetis' bracing, essential new documentary digs deeper into the ramifications of the showdown, with testimony from both Shakara and officer Ben Fields adding new details to the nature of the confrontation...should prove eye-opening for any parents of public school children wondering whether the security officers are really looking for them each day."

— Indiewire

"Infuriating and saddening"

— The Boston Globe

"Tough yet necessary viewing on racist, violent policing practices in U.S. schools...shows how both laws and individuals enact violence on Black children and provides examples of resilience, perseverance, and resistance in the face of injustice."

— Common Sense of Media

"Captures the reverberating tension that follows those who were involved in the video...With consistent questioning and storytelling, On These Grounds captures both sides of a narrative while simultaneously holding harmful or untrue rhetoric accountable"

— The Berkeley Beacon

"My students were captivated by the material. You could hear a pin drop...Especially impactful with students of color who are also in special education...These students could see themselves through Shakara's story which was very validating. It would also be valuable for teacher training programs so we can examine all the choices we make in the classroom, and for teachers to have a support system to address the full range of student needs."

— Hasmig Minassian, Ethnic Studies & Social Living Teacher, Berkeley High School

"Timely and important watch, one which should be taken with an open mind"

— Visually Stunning Movie Podcast

"One of the most well-rounded and vital documentaries in recent years"

— College Movie Review

"Shows that even in a post-Trump era, America still has a long way to go to reverse the damage caused by institutional racism."

— Battle Royale with Cheese

"A disarming look at how deeply engrained racial inequality is to the application of laws"

— The Moveable Fest

"Engrossing documentary from Garrett Zevgetis examines the entire case in granular detail utilizing interviews with all the key players."

— Peter Sobczynski, Efilm Critic

"An intriguing look at how opinions can form within cultural bubbles which completely defy a rational analysis of widely available evidence."

— Eye for Film

"Not afraid to showcase the incongruities between progressive-minded people and communities throughout America."
— The Spool

"A transcendent piece of movie-making...a masterclass in human empathy"

— Movies (With Gravy) Podcast

"Exceptional... It is the best documentary I have seen playing at SXSW so far this year"

— Erik Childress, Efilm Critic

WINNER

Woods Hole Film Festival, Best of the Fest

Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature

Providence Children's Film Festival, Audience Choice, Best Feature Documentary Film

IFF Boston, Special Jury Award, Documentary Feature

Anchorage International Film Festival, Award Winner

OFFICIAL SELECTION

SXSW, World Premiere

Sedona International Film Festival

Free State Festival

Wyoming International Film Festival

World House Documentary Film Festival

Giffoni International Film Festival, International Premiere

Morehosue College Human Rights Film Festival

New Haven Documentary Film Festival

International Social Change Film Festival

Woods Hole Film Festival

Atlanta Children's Film Festival

MKE Film Festival

IFF Boston

Providence Children's Film Festival

Skyline Indie Film Fest

Bright Lights Film Series

Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People

Movies That Matter Film Festival

Anchorage International Film Festival

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