This docu-series is truly eye-opening and does well to call attention to a disturbing trend that, unsurprising to me, has been going on for some time. I could relate well with this doc because the central story happened in rural Texas, a culture I'm very familiar with. Grooming teenagers sexually in schools is a problem that seems to happen often under our noses. While I believe that the teachers doing this need to be exposed and held accountable, I don't believe that we should gloss over any responsibility the victims might have had in the situations. The filmmaker, Cheryl, doesn't seem to claim any responsibility for her part in the affair with her teacher. He did manipulate her as a teenager but it seems that she, if no one else, should have realized "this isn't right and he's a married man". She allowed this affair to carry on into her early 20s. I realize a young person's brain isn't fully developed until early to mid 20s but it seems that an alarm should have sounded at some point. I'm glad that the girl Heaven in Miami was able to share her story but I think this doc should have been expanded to include other accounts.
I do not believe that Tom Warrick was not sexually involved with any students as he claims. From looking at the photos, there seemed to be at least some boundaries pushed. As someone who works with young people, I would not spend much unnecessary time outside the classroom with them much less be photographed shirtless with them under my arm in bathing suits. The comments (by a white woman) about the toxicity of white men being in charge were inappropriate and irrelevant to the topic at hand. All together, this was a well-meant attempt to uncover a serious matter though I believe more time and scrutiny could have been used in the production.
I do not believe that Tom Warrick was not sexually involved with any students as he claims. From looking at the photos, there seemed to be at least some boundaries pushed. As someone who works with young people, I would not spend much unnecessary time outside the classroom with them much less be photographed shirtless with them under my arm in bathing suits. The comments (by a white woman) about the toxicity of white men being in charge were inappropriate and irrelevant to the topic at hand. All together, this was a well-meant attempt to uncover a serious matter though I believe more time and scrutiny could have been used in the production.