School Zone (2015)

A Primary School in the Western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Two kids sitting in the corridor outside the Principal's office; Jared, an Anglo-Celtic boy of about 12, and Yasmin, a girl from the local Middle Eastern community, same age, wearing a scarf. Inside the Principal's office, the two sets of parents have been called to discuss a matter with the Principal. The boy has been accused of pulling off the girl's scarf in the playground during sports day, while the girl is accused of pulling down the boy's pants in retaliation. The Principal, a woman in her 50s, is trying to mediate. Jared's parents complain that the girl has humiliated him by yanking down his pants in front of the other kids. Yasmin's parents say their daughter was assaulted by the boy ripping her scarf from her head, and this is what started the altercation. The boy's parent's feel the boy has suffered the greater humiliation. The girl's parents disagree and insist there is a double standard at play. As the argument escalates, the principal tries to keep the proceedings civil. But what is the nature of bullying and racism in this instance? Is this tit for tat? The grown ups get further and further mired in their arguments and entrenched positions, while in the corridor, Jared and Yasmin, work towards a resolution without using words at all. 'School Zone' examines issues of bullying, Islamaphobia and gender-based racism, and the alarming statistics of Muslim women and girls becoming increasingly visible targets in Western society.