Invest in Open Secret: The Film

📌 The Hidden Crisis No One Talks About-Sexual Abuse in Schools Across America

Every parent, teacher, student and community leader assumes that schools are safe. The reality? Predators are systematically protected by school districts, lawyers, and administrators.

🚨 Our five year investigation reveals it’s not a few bad apples—where it does exist, it’s a cover-up culture that allows child abuse to continue - in our case, for decades.

Right now, thousands of children are being abused in schools across the country, while the institutions meant to protect them are actively hiding the truth. Too few cases make it to mainstream news and media, if they all did our nation would be outraged.

WE CAN'T KEEP LOOKING AWAY. Predators RELY on this... and CHILDREN suffer.

ABOUT OPEN SECRET:

New Hanover County Schools had a duty to protect and educate children. How then, is it possible that child sexual assaults and discrimination permeated its schools for generations? The answers are almost too shocking to believe. But we'll reveal them with hard evidence in Open Secret.

Our film exposes the corrupt web of enablers, who time after time, chose to protect sexual predators over the children entrusted to their care. In revealing specific incidents, and by revealing their methods our legacy will be to prevent future children the lifelong weight of trauma. If Open Secret protects just one child - it's worth a lifelong fight for change.

Open Secret's theme is not one of victimization and suffering - it is one of COURAGE. The courage of a community rising up to challenge decades of corruption and its cover-up culture.

By investing along side us today, child safety and advocacy will be your legacy.

For us to bring this cautionary tale to the world this year, WE NEED YOU WITH US. COMMITMENT TODAY.

OPEN SECRET - DIRECTOR STATEMENT:

First of all, thank you so much for investing alongside us in Open Secret.

I started filming Open Secret five years ago with a small crew of passionate filmmakers. What we uncovered fundamentally changed the way we view our educational institutions and forced us to reevaluate the implicit trust we place in those who work in them. Especially those charged with protecting children. We believe it will force you to question yours too.

Open Secret reveals how corruption bleeds from one entity to another until the entire system is broken - and how self-preservation and fear keeps EVERYONE quiet while children suffer. But what if there was a road map back to safe learning environments for children?  We can provide one.

What we expose in Open Secret WILL prevent predators from walking the halls of schools and save a child from abuse.

With you on our investment team - we'll be able to bring this film to audiences this year.

FILMING IS NOW COMPLETE. We share below how we plan to utilize your contributions, but time is running out for a nationwide release this summer. If we want to eradicate child sexual abuse and discriminatory practices on school grounds through sharing what we uncovered, we must rally around its prevention and demand better from our institutions.

Our film is a MISSION to spread awareness and educate both children and adults on how to recognize predatory behaviors and act against them. Child abuse thrives on secrecy. Predators, their enablers and even survivors ensure their dark world remains hidden. So it's imperative that WE resist, that we SPEAK UP about ways to end it.

IF we ALSO look away, we become part of the problem. And PREDATORS RELY ON US TO LOOK AWAY.

The theme of Open Secret is not victimization-its COURAGE. The courage to speak up about unspeakable things; the courage to stand up for those who can't. You'll be inspired by the courage of a handful of citizens who unite to successfully challenge generational corruption in our film. Their tenacity and ultimate success is not only inspiring, it demonstrates what's possible on a global scale. Recognizing predatory behaviors, lobbying for laws that protect children over predators, and demanding better from our institutions - to hold those who ENABLE predators accountable. Changing current statutes and laws will be an integral part of our mission.

Open Secret is a teaching tool, AND an inspirational journey of a community rising. You’ll meet experts and innovators, authors, news anchors, journalists, elected officials, parents and former faculty members - all in the service of saving future children-and putting school boards on notice. 

Thank you for making Open Secret a film that ignites a movement for child safety.

Kerry David,

Filmmaker

Do you have questions about the investment? Let's connect: Producer.grl@gmail.com

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET: In the beginning....

Whistleblower: Sherri Yelton. Sherri wrote a detailed report outlining several un-investigated allegations of child abuse and racial discrimination within the New Hanover County school district. As a single mom of two, she felt it was her responsibility to raise the alarm and protect children. The retaliation that followed was devastating. 

UNCW Professor, Clyde Edgerton, met with similar resistance. He noticed alarming discriminatory practices in his son's Spanish Immersion class that led to an exhaustive investigation on his part. Despite being a tenured professor at UNCW, Clyde also met with retaliation that had him banned from all school grounds. Unable to enlist any colleagues to help restore equity, he was at his wit's end when he was introduced to...

Reverend Dante Murphy, a former NAACP leader. Together with Sherri and a handful of courageous citizens they united to boldly challenge the school district's administration, Board of Education, elected officials, law enforcement and their enablers.

The small group slowly grew in size … and a movement began. THIS IS THEIR STORY

Documentaries are having a resurgence and part of that has been linked to the popularity of User Generated Content (UGC), considered the fastest growing sector in the entertainment industry.

Filmmaker, Kerry David's previous feature documentary, "Breaking Their Silence: Women on the Frontline of the Poaching War" was also a social commentary film. BTS had great success in film festivals across the US, was offered a theatrical release upon completion and licensed exclusively by the Great Course's Wondrium platform, becoming a course of lectures.

Kerry was invited by TEDx Charlottesville to speak about the making of Breaking Their Silence: Women on the Frontline of the Poaching War. She titled her TEDx Talk, "The Last Five Minutes" and featured three clips from her highly regarded film.

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET: "Passing the Trash"

We interviewed family members, witnesses, experts, and even attorneys representing survivors of sexual abuse–anyone who was willing to speak to us about the inaction and stonewalling they experienced from New Hanover County School District.

Attorney Faith Fox of the Cochran Law Offices in Charlotte, herself a mother, was staggered by the actions of the district towards one of her clients:

There is a term for when teachers are moved from school to school for inappropriate behavior with children: it's called "Passing the Trash.” This is not a new concept and is not unique to New Hanover. It is widespread and it is rampant. If the adults in the room don't act–what chance do children have?

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET:

How did Open Secret get its name? Because people knew...A LOT of people knew.

Some were complicit in covering up allegations of abuse and others simply looked the other way. As mandated reporters, many had a legal obligation to report suspected child abuse, but instead they allowed it to happen. They actively allowed children to suffer.

RELEASE STRATEGY FOR OPEN SECRET

Our release strategy is to screen Open Secret theatrically across the United States–in community venues, educational settings, special events–and then globally. Partnering with a social impact specialist, we will strategically release from the east coast to the west coast, with targeted panel discussions and Q&A's after select screenings. The main point of discussion with our viewers will be how we can implement safeguards for children in school and how parents can help prevent abuse.

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET: "There were reasons for that fear."

Several families were reluctant to come forward after witnessing retaliation against others in their community. It took Professor Clyde Edgerton and Reverend Dante' Murphy presenting these facts to the School Board of Education (most if not all of whom knew about these allegations having been cc'd on multiple emails and letters from parents and survivors, or cc'd on them).

A CLIP FROM OPEN SECRET:

Journalist to the Chair of the School Board of Education: "Why hold a press conference if you aren't going to answer these questions that everyone in this county wants to know?"

A Powerful Team of Allies And Wide Network:

Open Secret's film crew, growing cast of contributors, experts, investors, podcasters and allies collectively open up a vast marketing network to our team as we release the film.

While this film is very much a passion project for the majority of us, we are incredibly grateful to our investors, without whom, we could not finish and then share this film. This is why we are focused on getting you a return on your investment, while simultaneously sharing information that we believe will SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES ON OPEN SECRET:

We have a wealth of experts speaking up for children in our film, including California trial lawyer Raymond P. Boucher who has successfully settled numerous sexual abuse cases against the Catholic Church, totaling $1.2 billion. Through his work he uncovered how predators operate within the clergy, and their methods are chillingly similar to those within New Hanover County Schools. 

First, they establish trust - within the community, then they groom the families, before targeting the child. Predators often present themselves as mentors, role models or surrogate parents - even earning accolades like “Teacher of the Year,” all carefully crafted to deepen that trust. The deception is so complete, so convincing, that no one could imagine they are capable of such heinous, criminal acts — until it’s too late.

They rely on their carefully crafted relationships to believe them over the child - every time.

Tim Kennedy and Matt Beaudreau, Open Secret contributors and Co-Founders of the successful franchise, Apogee Schools.

CLICK TO PLAY SHORT CLIP - "BEHIND THE SCENES WITH RAY BOUCHER"

Tim Kennedy and Matt Beaudreau, Open Secret contributors and Co-Founders of the successful franchise, Apogee Schools.

Special Forces, Bronze Medal of Courage Recipient, Tim Kennedy and TEDx Speaker, Disruptor and Educator, Matt Beaudreau, Co-Founders of Apogee also support Open Secret.

What's Your Why? Tim Kennedy's "Why"

MMA/UFC fighter, Special Forces, Bronze Medal for Valor, Entrepreneur and Apogee Co-Founder, supports and contributes to our documentary, Open Secret - "What's Your Why?"

Open Secret Director/Producer/Writer interviewed by SuperPowers' Host & Founder, Devin Thorpe:

"It's more than a film, it's a mission."

The clip below is from a recent interview of Open Secret's producer, writer and director, Kerry David and Founder of SuperPowers, Devin Thorpe.

Open Secret's Director, Kerry David, interviewed by Devin Thorpe, host and founder of Super Powers for Good.

"I have the greatest admiration and respect for the survivors and advocates we filmed. They dared greatly against the odds, and challenged the systemic corruption that has traumatized so many children and families in their community.

For me it's simple, their courage and unity deserve to be witnessed." Filmmaker, Kerry David

Child sexual abuse is a global crisis. Our children are under attack, and it demands our attention NOW! Lean in with us. Take this film across the finish line and out into the world where it will raise awareness - and provide tools for prevention against further sexual abuse.

Open Secret: It's more than a film, it's a mission.

Invest with us and follow our journey as we post behind-the-scenes clips and outtakes, links to interviews and podcasts along the way.

Our social media platforms: IG and TikTok (@OpenSecretTheFilm)

SUPER POWERS FOR GOOD CLIP:

Click here for Kerry's Film & TV Credits