Go Public: A Day in the Life of PUSD will be a two-hour video document of one entire day in the Pasadena Unified School District. Pasadena is a racially and economically diverse community in Southern California with 28 public school campuses. Go Public will tell the story of one full day from sun up to long after sundown.
Public education is a privilege and a right available to everyone in our country and 90% of the nations’ children attend public school. We want to provide a window into the world of one urban school district, the many dedicated people, the myriad of opportunities available and the complexity of effectively serving the needs of all students.
On May 8, 2012, fifty small camera crews followed a wide-ranging group of individuals who participate, attend, support and work in the School District. Our subjects include: teachers, students, parents, custodians, counselors, school board members, librarians, security personnel, coaches, volunteers, PTA members, administrative staff and many others whose unique involvement makes a public school district function. The film will be the story of public school at the moment things are happening. No voice-over narrative and no expert commentaries. By filming over one complete day we had access to the struggles and resolutions that often occur many times in a day. Through personal stories, Go Public will be a film that articulates the experiences of navigating a typical day in public school.