Spring Break
'Committing Poetry': a powerful look at the strength of words
Brenna Harvey
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Focus
On a normal Monday morning in 2003, Jeff Harrington, a Rio Rancho (N.M.) high school student, pulled into his school parking lot as usual. A band of school security guards on golf carts immediately pulled up next to him, demanding to search his car. They claimed that they had heard rumors that Harrington was selling drugs. One officer confiscated Harrington's cell phone and began dialing numbers at random.
"He was trying to make a deal," said Harrington, who was innocent of the accusations. "In the corniest language possible. 'Hey, you want some of the good stuff? Some reefer?' I guess that's what happens when you read poems about drugs in school."
The week before, Harrington had attended a school poetry slam and read a satirical poem gently mocking students who used marijuana to escape their problems. Harrington's encounter was only one of the administrative responses to controversial student poetry documented in the film "Committing Poetry in Times of War." The movie, which was screened Wednesday afternoon in Konover Auditorium, was the final piece in UConn's 2008-2009 Human Rights Film Series. The film series was organized as a celebration of the anniversary of the United Nations official adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"We chose different films to highlight different aspects of the declaration," said Valerie Love, the curator for the Human Rights Collection at the Dodd Center. "Films have great visual power and can really call people to action and raise awareness."
"Committing Poetry" speaks to article 19 of the Declaration, which states "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." The film chronicles the free speech violations endured by New Mexico students, teachers, and education administrators during the onset of the Iraq War.
"He was trying to make a deal," said Harrington, who was innocent of the accusations. "In the corniest language possible. 'Hey, you want some of the good stuff? Some reefer?' I guess that's what happens when you read poems about drugs in school."
The week before, Harrington had attended a school poetry slam and read a satirical poem gently mocking students who used marijuana to escape their problems. Harrington's encounter was only one of the administrative responses to controversial student poetry documented in the film "Committing Poetry in Times of War." The movie, which was screened Wednesday afternoon in Konover Auditorium, was the final piece in UConn's 2008-2009 Human Rights Film Series. The film series was organized as a celebration of the anniversary of the United Nations official adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"We chose different films to highlight different aspects of the declaration," said Valerie Love, the curator for the Human Rights Collection at the Dodd Center. "Films have great visual power and can really call people to action and raise awareness."
"Committing Poetry" speaks to article 19 of the Declaration, which states "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." The film chronicles the free speech violations endured by New Mexico students, teachers, and education administrators during the onset of the Iraq War.
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