 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Education of Shelby Knox
- Review Date: January 23, 2007
- NR
- Genre: Documentary
- 2006
Common Sense Media says
Teen sex docu preps families for a healthy debate.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this documentary looks critically at abstinence-only education and its religious underpinnings. It talks openly about teen sex, abstinence-only education, and contraception use, and is likely to upset most viewers at some point. Depending on the political bent of the viewers, they'll be offended either by the push for comprehensive sex education in the school or the push for abstinence-only education. Shelby hangs out with gay teens.
What's the story?
Fifteen-year-old Shelby Knox is the daughter of two God-fearing Republicans in Lubbock, Texas, where the teen STD rate is twice that of the national average and the teen pregnancy rate is high -- and where they only teach abstinence in the schools. Documentary filmmakers Marion Lipschultz and Rose Rosenblatt set out to explore this seeming paradox, and find a willing star in the charismatic Knox. Knox has taken a pledge to stay abstinent until marriage and attends the local Southern Baptist church regularly. But over the three years of the documentary, Knox also becomes one of the most vocal advocates for comprehensive sex education, and fights a school district and community that believes that sex should be taught by parents and only parents. Can Knox help change their mind? And can she and her parents find a resolution between their two very different beliefs?
Is it any good?
Being a teenager is hard enough without wading into the national battlefield that is sex education. But Shelby in does so enthusiastically and intelligently and leads the viewer on a trip that's both thoroughly thought-provoking and anxiety-producing.
This documentary captures not just Knox's convictions but also her earnest teen angst. After a fight with her parents, she bemoans, "I used to agree with my parents on everything. Then I became… a person. I guess everyone has to become their own person." And she is. She's looking for a boyfriend who won't see other girls, and trying to find the right friends, get into the right college, and keep her parents close. It's this honest portrayal that makes this the perfect documentary for every parent of a teen to watch with their child if they're ready for a healthy debate to follow.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what they believe about teen sex and sex education. Whose side would you agree with if you lived in that community? How would parents deal with a child who opposes everything they believe in? Would they support their child the way Shelby's parents support her? Do you agree with the depiction of religion in the film? Do you agree with Ed Ainsworth's idea that "Christianity is the most intolerant religion in the world"?
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Studio: | Docurama |
| Directors: | Marion Lipschultz, Rose Rosenblatt |
| Cast: | Amanda Noble, Ricky Waite, Shelby Knox |
| Genre: | Documentary |
| Run time: | 76 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 26, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | September 26, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
| MPAA explanation: | mature themes, sexuality and thematic intensity. |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
