This film focuses on the historic 1971 Attica prison rebellion in upstate New York. It targets the conditions that caused prisoners to take drastic steps toward securing their basic rights. The film questions the reactions of prison warden Oswald, New York governor Nelson Rockefeller and President Nixon, as well as the death of 31 inmates and prison guards from bullets fired by the National Guard. Through on-site footage taken during and following the rebellion, and follow-up interviews with inmates, this film relates a powerful message concerning prisoner's rights and provides an important historical document. A Third World Newsreel production.

TEACH OUR CHILDREN was preserved thanks to the efforts of UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, MIAP alumna Pamela Jean Smith and Cinemalab. This preserved version is now available for public screening and educational purchases on DVD and BluRay formats.