Call Me Out My Name: The Legacy of DeRolph and the Fight for Educational Equity in Ohio
Call Me Out My Name Documentary: Ohio’s Education Crisis
Call Me Out My Name documentary is a powerful and deeply personal film that exposes the systemic failures of Ohio’s school funding system through the lens of its students. Produced by Creative Deviants, the documentary draws a direct line from the historic DeRolph v. State of Ohio case to the lived experiences of young people still navigating unequal educational opportunities today.
The DeRolph Case: A Turning Point in Ohio’s Education History
In 1991, a group of public school districts came together under the Coalition for Equity and Adequacy to challenge how the state of Ohio funded public education. The result was DeRolph v. State of Ohio, a lawsuit that revealed the devastating impact of funding schools primarily through property taxes.
The Ohio Supreme Court ultimately ruled the system unconstitutional. Schools in wealthier districts thrived while those in economically disadvantaged areas were left with crumbling buildings, outdated materials, and limited resources. Yet, despite this groundbreaking ruling, no permanent solution has been implemented. The funding disparities persist.
The Human Cost of Inequity
While DeRolph focused on the legal fight, the Call Me Out My Name documentary brings us face-to-face with the human toll. Viewers meet students who were forced out of public schools for defending themselves, young women who survived sexual assault but weren’t believed, and teenagers trying to complete high school while managing trauma, poverty, and homelessness.
For example, one student shares how she transferred to FLEX High School after experiencing violence and being dismissed by school staff. Another describes being suspended for standing up to verbal abuse, labeled as “ghetto” rather than supported. These are not isolated stories—they represent a pattern of neglect within an unequal system.
FLEX High: A Model of Support
The documentary highlights FLEX High Schools, a network of alternative education models designed specifically to support at-risk youth. These schools provide one-on-one mentorship, trauma-informed care, flexible schedules, and safe environments—everything traditional public schools often cannot offer due to underfunding or rigid systems.
Students at FLEX aren’t just taught—they’re heard, seen, and respected. As one student explains, “At FLEX, they didn’t throw me away. They sat down with me, helped me, and treated me like family.”
Education Equity Is Still a Work in Progress
Despite improvements since DeRolph, Ohio still lacks a constitutional guarantee for equitable education funding. This gap leaves vulnerable districts behind, creating unequal access to technology, mental health resources, and even basic safety.
The Call Me Out My Name documentary challenges viewers to reconsider what equity really means. It reminds us that education is more than just curriculum—it’s about care, environment, and dignity. Without addressing these deeper issues, reforms will remain surface-level.
A Call to Action
Ohio’s students are innovative, resilient, and full of potential. But they cannot succeed in systems that were never designed to serve them equally. This film is not only a record of injustice—it’s a blueprint for how we move forward.
We invite educators, policymakers, parents, and students to watch this film, reflect, and act. Because every student—regardless of ZIP code, income, or identity—deserves a chance to thrive.
