The Education of Shelby Knox

Shelby Knox, a teenage activist from Lubbock, TX, is the decidedly imperfect heroine of Marion Lipschutz and Rose Rosenblatt's documentary, which follows Knox's efforts to persuade the local school board to adopt a sex education program for the city's high schools. After establishing the generally lax mores among youngsters in the conservative Texas town, which have resulted in a high incidence of teen pregnancy and STDs, the film takes a look at Knox's determined involvement in the Lubbock Youth Commission—a city-sponsored group that decides to make the promotion of sex-education classes its main priority—while also detailing her relationship with her Republican but still highly supportive parents. Knox butts heads with Corey Nichols, a far smoother and more accommodating member of the commission who outpolls her, much to Shelby's distress, during an election for leadership of the group and often criticizes her for assuming a high public profile (their simmering animosity is an important factor in Knox's eventual decision to resign from the group to take on a new crusade in favor of the city's gay youth). The Education of Shelby Knox isn't very successful in concealing where its sympathies lie: though it doesn't hide Shelby's tendency to be overdramatic and thin-skinned, the film is more than a bit condescending in its attitude toward both the school superintendent (gleefully reporting on his personal problems toward the close) and a preacher whose vigorous promotion of abstinence among young people pits him against Knox, even though she takes the vow herself. Still, this award-winner offers an interesting take overall on a controversial topic, and is therefore recommended. [Note: The Education of Shelby Knox is also available with PPR ($99: public libraries, $250: colleges & universities) from Incite Pictures (www.incite-pictures.com).] Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)