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Parents' Guide to

Without a Net

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Docu examines digital inequities in public school education.

Without a Net Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

age 10+

Timely Film For 2020 & Beyond

This documentary examines the inequalities in the United States educational system when it comes to technology. It is a good discussion film with the entire family. It's thought provoking, sobering and an introduction to how you all can work together for the common good and provide education for every child in these great United States of America. You hear it directly from the kids throughout the United States as they encounter technology challenges and what our society is trying to do end up lifting every child to prepare them to be digital citizens now and into the future!

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This informative but dry piece underscores the inequality that exists in America's public education system, and how the system is thus failing to prepare students for a digital future. It notes that students around the country, whether in cities, suburbs, or rural areas, are still unable to adequately access and use technology in schools and at home. It also highlights the devastating long-term impact this will have if it isn't addressed, including continued cycles of poverty and reduced competitiveness of Americans in a global digital economy.

It's not the most exciting of documentaries, but the detail it reveals on how starkly different the access to digital technology and education is among public schools districts is both interesting and frustrating. But some will disagree with some of the ways student needs are being defined, especially when it comes to re-envisioning the role of teachers in the classroom. Nonetheless, Without a Net succeeds at breaking down the digital deficiencies in public education, the reasons they developed, and the reasons the imbalance continues.

TV Details

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