The Education of Shelby Knox

The Education of Shelby Knox

The Education of Shelby Knox (USA, 2005, Directors: Marion Lipschutz and Rose Rosenblatt, 76 minutes): This film follows the life of 15-year-old Shelby Knox, a teen living in conservative Lubbock, Texas. Though from a conservative Christian Republican family, Shelby is a feisty and compassionate campaigner for sex education in the public school system, feeling that their “abstinence-only” policy is ignoring the obvious, including higher than average rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The film follows her over a period of three years, as she begins to question the easy answers offered by her church, her school, and her community. She works with a city-funded group, the Lubbock Youth Commission, but when local politicians force the group to tone down its activism, she quits and begins working with a group of gay teens to help them start a Gay Straight Alliance group at school. Despite the fact that Shelby herself has pledged to remain a virgin until marriage, she recognizes that not everyone in her community wants (or in the case of the gay students, is able) to make the same choice. This film is a balanced and compassionate look at one young woman’s political and spiritual awakening. In light of the currently raging culture wars, it’s a must-see for people on all sides of these issues.

10/10(10/10)

One thought on “The Education of Shelby Knox”

  1. Shelby is a very brave young woman. It must have been difficult to stand up to the closed minded, simpleton christians in the back water of medieval stupidity also known as Lubbock, TX

    Her resolve and open mindedness is what will carry us as a nation through these next few years of rule under the wrong direction of the existing christian taliban.

    Hang in there people. The Dark Ages will be over soon as people realize that these pseudo-christians are self-indulgent posers who represent hate and closed minded stupidity. They are no better than the stone age mullahs who have hijacked Islam into a religion of troglodytes and self-destructive sheep.

    Technology, tolerance and open-mindedness will defeat false religions that espouse hate and lack of enlightenment. Here is a message for most christians – you look ridiculous and your marketing plan/business model are unsustainable.

    In 5 years you will be as irrelevant and silly as an 8-track player is today. Enjoy your short time in the sun. There will be a backlash. We can ony hope that it again involves lions and torches.

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