Country Boys - Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson

At the beginning of the documentary, Chris lived with his father, Randall (who could not work because of medical problems related to his drinking), his mother, Sheila, his grandmother (who is rarely shown in the documentary until the very end), his younger brother, Daniel, and his younger sister, Amy. Chris received Supplemental Security Income for disability, related to a behavior disorder that played a role in his ending up at The David School. The Supplemental Security Income is a prominent element in the documentary as it is a reliable source of income for Chris and his mother. They both worry that he might lose the benefit if he does well in school, is re-evaluated, and they find that he no longer has a behavior disorder. He does not lose it during the documentary, but the supplement ends when he turns 18.

Later on in the documentary his mother moves out (his parents fought regularly) and eventually moves in with a boyfriend and then moves to Florida. Chris worked at various low wage jobs during the documentary, including jobs at Taco Bell and Little Caesars. Near the end of the documentary he passes the exam to receive his GED and graduates from The David School. He attempts to get into college but does poorly on the ACT.