On Nov. 9, the City of Angels English class hosted award-winning filmmaker, Pablo Miralles, to lead a discussion on his latest film, “Can We All Get Along: The Segregation of John Muir High.” The film leads audiences through a captivating narrative, tracing the school’s history from its diverse beginnings to controversy surrounding racial politics. It examines post-Spangler v. Pasadena City Board of Education, where it was ruled that no public school would have a majority of any minority students. The film also delves into the time when Pasadena schools embraced diversity and highlights the subsequent challenges faced after the passage of California’s Proposition 13, which partially shifted public school funding from property taxes to state funds.

Miralles’s work has undoubtedly sparked valuable conversations about privilege, disparities and the broader landscape of education.

“The film touched on a variety of topics I think that Poly students in particular are unfamiliar with,” said senior and City of Angels student Irina Alsoufiev. “We are so out of touch with past or present issues that aren’t impacting our specific community. I think everyone here will walk away with a newfound sense of empathy and understanding.”

The film offered thought-provoking questions, prompting individuals to look beyond numbers and standardized test scores to determine what makes an education valuable.

Senior and attendee Oscar De La Hoya noted, “Miralles touched on the idea that the current education system is set up in a way that allows the most privileged of individuals to go to private schools, while public schools are considered worse for no real reason.”

Through challenging audiences to confront and actively address the enduring prejudices in education, Miralles inspires a collective effort towards creating a more equitable educational system for all.