Trouble Is My Business (2008)

• 71%
• 2008
• Documentary
• Juliette Veber

Aorere College is situated in the heart of Mangere, a low socio-economic area in South Auckland, New Zealand. The school struggles to cope with the widespread social issues inherent in the local community and has a history of street gangs within the school, high levels of truancy and low academic achievement. In an environment where the morale of both the students and teachers is at an all time low, Mr Peach single-handedly persists in his belief in the kids and their right to an education. He fights to keep them in school through a mixture of tough discipline, street knowledge, negotiation, support and encouragement -whatever it takes. As a life-long inhabitant of the area, Mr Peach has a profound empathy for the kids and an understanding of the complexity of their problems. Armed with this insight and convinced that his students have potential, Mr Peach adopts unconventional methods to reach out to the students and their families. He's a rebel, and not everyone agrees with his approach; but through his dogged compassion and respect for the kids, Mr Peach instills a sense of self-worth in his students that changes many of their lives forever.