A Saucon Valley School District official told high school parents and students in a letter last week that ABC News is currently in the process of filming a documentary about racial tensions in the area to air on A&E Network.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Susan Mowrer-Benda said in her letter that outgoing superintendent Dr. Monica McHale-Small was approached by Lincoln Square Productions, a division of the media conglomerate, about “possibly featuring Saucon Valley in a documentary series intended to examine the personal stories of people on all sides of the racial tensions in this country.”
Saucon Valley was thrust into the national spotlight–and was even the subject of a Rolling Stone feature story–after a fight authorities say was sparked by racial harassment occurred at a high school pep rally last fall.
The fallout from the fight continues to reverberate in the district nearly a year later, with a civil rights lawsuit that alleges discrimination now pending against various parties and an Equity and Inclusion Committee made up of various district stakeholders recently recommending that symbols such as the Confederate flag and speech including the “N-word” be banned from use in the schools.
“The plan is to focus on communities that have experienced incidents and document what happens after the news cameras go away and capture the stories around moving forward,” Mowrer-Benda wrote. “The Saucon Valley School District community captured the interest of the team because of the proactive steps we have taken as a district.”
She added that in addition to interviewing McHale-Small and members of the school board, “they recently interacted with members of the Equity/Inclusion Committee at a meeting in early August” and “will continue to gather footage on the Saucon Valley campus as we move into the new school year in August.”
Participation in the documentary is voluntary, Mowrer-Benda stated, and no one will appear in it without providing their written consent.
Student-level meetings are also off-limits for the production, she said.
“This is an exciting opportunity for our school community to be celebrated for their positive actions and attitudes regarding equity and excellence,” she wrote.
When contacted for additional information, the show’s producers declined to comment or answer questions about how the Saucon Valley area came to be chosen, what the program will be called or when it will air, citing the fact that it is currently in production and company policy.
Saucon Source has provided producers with some background information about the Saucon Valley area in general and our coverage of race-related issues in the Saucon Valley School District in particular after being contacted by them in July.
A Lincoln Square Productions film crew was at the Aug. 8 school board meeting, which can be viewed online.
The next Saucon Valley School Board meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m in the high school Audion room.
The first day of school for Saucon Valley students is Monday, Aug. 28.
