Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival 2008

'Fine Lines' is a short film that looks into what comes after de-segregation and how those decisions are perceived by different parts of the community. This film specifically investigates the recent decision by the City School Board of Tuscaloosa, Alabama to rezone hundreds of minority students from higher performing schools in more affluent areas of the city to low-performing schools in some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of Tuscaloosa. While this move is not illegal, many in the community have voiced concerns about the implications of the rezoning for the students who some believe are being 're-segregated' and on the community at large. The other side argues that this decision works to relieve overcrowding of local schools that have long hindered best learning practices and that re-allocating students based on where they live will allow for more individual attention. 'Fine Lines' features interviews with the Board Superintendent, who supported the plan, and details her recollection of the timeline of events leading up to this decision and her justification for its implementation. Opposing voices include another member of the School Board (one of two black representatives) who relates her experience fighting this decision and what she believes its implications are for the city long-term. While this film highlights the opinions of what's going on in one town, the same arguments are taking place across the country as communities struggle with how to address issues of integration in the twenty-first century.