I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School

Filmmakers Alan and Susan Raymond have earned Peabody recognition in the past for their innovative use of the new technology of portable video in The Police Tapes (1977). Once again, their talents are on display in this insightful documentary filmed at an inner city school. I Am A Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School reveals the best and worst in our educational system. Surrounded by the reality of urban blight, including deteriorated housing, rampant drug abuse and neglect, Stanton Elementary is a last oasis for our children and, it is hoped, the launching point for a better future. But true to its video verite style, the program offers no simple solutions, nor does it sugarcoat the problems. Instead, the viewer is left with the same mixed messages that characterize urban life. For taking us inside Stanton Elementary School and showing us American urban life from the inside-out, a Peabody to I Am A Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary.