Inequality for All enlightens students

Mercedes Chien

Caption: Ariana Shulman (12), Vice President of Deca, introduces Inequality for All to all viewers. The screening was hosted by Deca, JSA, and Economics Club as well as the history, economics, and business and entrepreneurship classes on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Around 50 students attended a screening of Inequality for All, hosted by DECA, Junior Statesmen of America, and Economics Club as well as and attended by the history, economics, and business and entrepreneurship classes during seventh and eighth period today.

The documentary was immediately followed by a live Q&A broadcast with Robert Reich who narrated the film.

Inequality for All discusses trends in America’s income inequality as well as causes, effects, and solutions to those widening gaps. Reich even interviews people of the middle class, highlighting the significant difference in lifestyle between them and the upper class.

Juston Glass, the director of the Business and Entrepreneurship program, described this screening as an opportunity to raise awareness of income inequality to high school students.

“This is to educate us on what is going on in America and maybe to try and find some solutions and inspire us on how we can better the system so that we can have a stronger America for the future,” he said.

Referencing the two political parties, Glass advises viewers to watch the movie with an open mind.

“It doesn’t matter what side you are on, the facts are there and they’re important for you to consider even if there is no perfect answer.”

The documentary stars Reich, who is currently the Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies and served as the Secretary of Labor during the Clinton administration. Reich has written over ten books and has made television appearances in shows including the Colbert Report, Conan O’Brien, and the Daily Show.