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Gerard Cases Ms. Gayness Senior Seminar 29 September 2014 Critical Social Justice Analysis In the documentary “Drop Out Nation” produced by Frank Coughing a student named Marcus attending Sharps town High School has fallen into cycle of oppression and other types of societal identities. He has not been successful in school because of his problems at home. Maraca’s father is always drunk and is unemployed and his mom likes to drink daily.
Marcus did not choose to live that life but it is difficult for IM to succeed living in the predicament he is in. His identity is based off of things around him. All he wants to do in high school is play football that is his incentive to stay in school and succeed. In the film he is seen as a nice person who wants to get his family out of that situation. Marcus gets help from the counselor from rides to school to staying at her house. The documentary “Drop out Nation” chose to focus on struggling students attending Sharps town high school, I chose to write about Marcus.
Marcus is a student athlete that is struggling in school. From finding a ride too place to stay because of the situation at home his parents are always drunk and his dad is unemployed. His dad fell into “depression. He began drinking heavily and soon did little else. He wasn’t abusive, but he no longer could contribute to the household, leaving Tent to handle it on her own”(Post film interview). Although Marcus could not control this it still affects him in a lot of ways. His father probably cannot get him a did to school.
On the PBS website it shows what happened to Marcus after the film. They interviewed Maraca’s mom and she said “If I could get all my kids to graduate, then I could have peace within myself” His mom tries to provide for his son as much as possible. The change that needs to happen in Maraca’s life is the opportunity to play college football. If he gets knowledge to play he would do better in school “If I don’t play football I don’t wan go to school” Marcus said in a post interview of the commentary.
Maraca’s family is the variable affecting his education. He has no motivation or push to get to where he needs to be. Being a student athlete myself I know it is hard to keep grades up and do sports. I find basketball as my motivation to get better grades and do better in school. It has been a dream to play collegiate basketball and find that as a stress reliever and a GAP pusher. Marcus has potential, what he needs is to get rid of the cycle of colonization and do what he wants.