INDExtra

Ind to host ‘The Experiment'

by Walter Pierce

The documentary follows five inner-city New Orleans children through the 2009-2010 school year as they and their families struggle to find educational opportunities in a city whose public school system was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The Independent Weekly will host a free screening of filmmaker Ben Lemoine's documentary, The Experiment, at 6 p.m. Monday, May 16 in the James Moncus Theatre at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

A Baton Rouge native and former TV reporter for WBRZ and WWL in New Orleans, Lemoine follows five inner-city New Orleans children through the 2009-2010 school year as they and their families struggle to find educational opportunities in a city whose public school system was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina - a school system that has become the subject of the most ambitious and controversial experiment in public education in the United States: the RSD, an all-charter school system run by a collection of private for-profit and non-profit organizations.

Lemoine and his company, Fleurish Productions, are currently shopping the documentary to national distributors. Monday's screening, which Lemoine will attend, will be the public debut of the film.

Seating is limited. To reserve a ticket, contact Robin Hebert at 769-8603 or via email at [email protected].

Presenting sponsors for this event are the AcA, Fugro Chance, MidSouth Bank and The Picard Group.