Presented by:

Farrington College of Education & Human Development, SHU Horizons, College of Health Professions and Speech-Language Pathology

Left Behind tells the powerful story of a group of passionate mothers who unite to create the first public dyslexic school in New York City, the largest school district in the country.

Dyslexia impacts one in five children worldwide, yet while 20% of the population has this learning difference, a staggering 48% of incarcerated individuals are dyslexic. Families without financial means often lack access to essential testing and tailored curricula that their children desperately need. In a city like New York, where 70% of students are Black and Brown, around 200,000 children are left without the support they need to thrive. Kareem Weaver, who heads the Education Committee for the NAACP in Oakland, CA, and a key figure in our film, calls this the defining civil rights issue of our time.

Dyslexia is not a barrier to success; many high-profile dyslexics—including 35% of entrepreneurs, filmmakers, musicians, and actors—prove that. Their unique brain wiring can hinder letter recognition but enhance creativity, risk-taking, and innovative thinking. This film emphasizes the loss of potential brilliance and showcases a group of mothers fighting for equality in our education system. We aim to spark outrage, inspire hope, and ignite a desire for action among viewers.

PRESENTERS:

Moderator:

Dr. Maureen Ruby, Isabelle Farrington Endowed Chair of Social, Emotional & Academic Leadership


Panelists:

Dr. Katie Cunningham, Program Director of Teacher Education at Sacred Heart
Ashley Freeman, Executive Director of SHU Horizons
Zoe Dolan, Program Director of Special Education, Fairfield Public Schools
Collete Fearon, Lower School Elementary Principal, New Beginnings Family Academy
Dr. Khary Fletcher, Director of Curriculum for the Old Saybrook Public Schools