The Education of Shelby Knox

Shelby Knox is a role model for all teens. She questions the way things are and what's she's told and stands up for her beliefs and for others.

While sex education is the focus of the film, it is more the foundation of the issues Shelby faces. Shelby takes on the battle of sex ed despite the fact she is not sexually active; the fact that sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy are epidemic in her town is the driving force behind her campaign for fact-based sex ed.

THE EDUCATION OF SHELBY KNOX is about more than what Shelby is fighting for, but about young people standing up for themselves and wanting to make a difference. Her strength and integrity is a role model to other teens (and all ages, for that matter).

Saw it at Sundance. Loved Shelby's passion. Was amazed at conservative parents support. I also got to meet Shelby... She is now eighteen and in college she is still fighting for what she believes in.

When Shelby and her parents were introduced they got a standing ovation! You could tell she had grownup she handle the crowds questions and press like a pro.

Hope this movie is seen by many. Honest and Correct education of any kind should not be suppressed. In my career we call it LUCK ...Laboring under correct knowledge !!!

If Shelby runs for president in 2030 I'll vote for her !!!!

Shelby Knox is a brilliant, strong, passionate, inspired, and determined young woman whose fight for truth, liberation and justice has become not only a huge part of her life, but an incredible accomplishment as well. I know this not only from the film, but because she is a personal friend of mine. The struggles and obstacles she has faced over the years were an immense amount to handle for a 15-year-old girl, but have made more of a difference than most people make in a lifetime. The film portrays her situation and strife with perfect accuracy, and I recommend this to anyone interested in watching a fight for what's right in action.

The film definitely takes the side of it's heroine, which is fine, since the documentary is really about her and her views of the issues, rather than the issues themselves. The camera work is truly exceptional, and some of the more candid shots arrive at particularly choice points in the narrative. A fine example of this would Ms. Knox's stand against the startling, and personal statement made by the super-intendant of the board of education toward her. Her defense, though is some how made a little less valid by the only flawed piece of editing (my opinion), in how the epilogue handles the man's guilt concerning an affair he had whilst on the job as a sort of 'told you so' moment. Over-all though a nicely handled documentary of an interesting true-life coming of age story.

Caught this inspiring and entertaining documentary at SXSW 2005 - it's a great film for teens and families to watch together.

The film follows Shelby Knox, a Lubbock, TX teen, as she fights for sex education in her conservative school, and later for gay rights, while trying to stay true to her Christian beliefs and principles. Though far from a "warts-and-all" documentary, Shelby isn't always cast in a sympathetic light, and many of her peers do question her motivations and perceive her as a spotlight-grabber.

What makes this film truly great is the interaction with Shelby and her conservative Christian parents - though they often disagree, their support for her and willingness to let her come to her own conclusions is truly inspiring and shows how important honest communication can be between parents and teenagers.

I can certainly see why some reviewers here felt this film was anti-Christian and made a cartoon villain of the abstinence-preaching pastor. However, the pastor is actually given plenty of screen time and gives several convincing arguments on why "safe sex" can be truly unsafe, and the film doesn't try to disagree with him. In fact, the movie itself doesn't take a hard stance one way or another on the issue of sex ed, it simply follows the internal struggle within Shelby and what it takes to be a liberal Christian in today's world.

Overall, this film was one of the favorites of many people I talked to at the SXSW Film Festival, and deservedly so.