About Us

Directed by Demetrius Antwoin Matthews

Reviewed by Star Dust Films & Screenplays festival

It is said that a great teacher can change the life of a child forever. But some

rare teachers go out of their way to affect and improve several lives at once. The

documentary “Kling” is based on such a teacher whose students are grateful to

have had him as a teacher for 3 years of their lives, 30 years after he taught

them. The film is made by one of these students who is an entrepreneur turned

filmmaker, Demetrius Matthews. As the students come together to pay their

respect and gratitude to their teacher, Thomas Kling in this film, we cannot help

but become emotional along with them.

Thomas Kling came to teach at a Chicago Public School in the West Side of

Chicago during the mid-1980s when racism and the drug and crack epidemic

were rampant in those parts. As a young man laden with the guilt of white

privilege, Kling took it upon himself to truly educate this batch of 35 young

black boys and girls, going far beyond the school curriculum. And for doing that, he

takes all the measures he feels necessary. From buying books for his students

from his pocket to teaching them literary greats and college curriculum at such a

young age, the dedicated teacher did not leave any stone unturned. 30 years

later, as his successful students come together to pay their respects to their

favorite teacher, we see how one person can change the fates of several people

and improve their lives.

Throughout the documentary, we see Demetrius and several of Kling’s other

students mention their career advancements in multiple fields. The interviews of

the director with Mr. Kling elucidate the reasons why all these pupils are

indebted for their success to their Grade School teacher, who did not let them

get lost in the vortex of racism and the drug epidemic. As a result of his long,

hard work of 3 years with these same students, he had helped them become

respected citizens of their country. We see that an intense feeling of anti-racism

pushed him to drive home the significance of real education among his colored

students.

As an aged Thomas Kling talks to a young public educator, Mekita Matthews,

he explains how working conditions of the teachers and the study curriculum

need to change for any improvement to happen in the public education sector.

The dedication and tenacity with which Kling taught his students, and the

respect which he has for his vocation, were evident in this short chat in this

thoughtful and well-made film. This inspiring dedication towards education had

made such a huge impact on his young, black students, who are still indebted to

his teachings, even after decades.