New Documentary Trailer Released: “RIGGED” Examines How Bias Toward Wealth In US Higher Education Betrays the American Dream

Trailer Previews Full-Length Film, Revealing How Historically Accepted Notions of What Makes a University “Best” Deepen the Social and Economic Divide, Undermine Public Trust in Our Institutions, and Threaten Our National Stability

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A trailer for the new full-length documentary film, RIGGED, has been released. The film, which will premiere in April 2020, examines how the long prevailing value system in U.S. higher education — which extols “prestige” and wealth — erodes individual opportunity and undermines U.S. democracy.

RIGGED builds on the premise that throughout history growing economic imbalance ultimately leads to social unrest, political upheaval, and war. Through interviews with authors, historians, educators, and students, RIGGED also shows how U.S. higher education norms constitute a risk factor for triggering these historic consequences. The film includes compelling footage highlighting the efforts of innovative and courageous educators who have been questioning these values and leading the movement toward models that "meet students where they are" — a movement that will ultimately transform colleges and universities into pathways for student engagement and social mobility.

Higher Education — The Most Vital Asset in the Learning Age

The release of RIGGED comes at a time when economic inequality in the U.S. is approaching the proportions of the Belle Epoque in Europe, preceding World War I. The precipitous rise in the cost of higher education in recent years has made the path to social mobility inaccessible for the vast majority of economically disadvantaged Americans.

“Higher Education is the most important asset in the Learning Age,” says the film’s Executive Producer Jim Wolfston. “If we can distribute this vital asset across the economic spectrum, we can optimize our nation’s human capital development, prepare the next generation for citizenship and ensure social and economic opportunity. Most importantly, by rejecting the current trend toward on-campus economic homogeneity, higher education institutions can offer their students the chance to encounter a more challenging mix of people with diverse ideas, perspectives and backgrounds. Collisions with the unexpected and unfamiliar are what best sharpen and prepare innovative minds. Thus, economic inclusion not only promotes social justice and equality of opportunity, it is also an optimizing strategy for educating tomorrow’s innovators.”

RIGGED, which features the work of Emmy Award-winning documentary film makers Matt Zodrow and Tracy MacDonald, will be screened at film festivals and on college campuses across the country in 2020.

Click here to watch the TRAILER