Waiting for Superman

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http://trueslant.com/pattihartigan/2010/01/25/waiting-for-superman/

Talking heads include college dropout and education philanthropist Bill Gates, the visionary Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Children’s Zone, and controversial DC school chancellor Michelle Rhee. From what I’ve read, the documentary is particularly tough on teacher unions and gonzo on charter schools, both of which are hot points of contention in any discussion of what’s failing education.

I suspect there’s a bent toward getting rid of bad teachers, aka unions, as does Matt Belloni in The Hollywood Reporter.

“In fact, for all its focus on underprivileged, inner-city kids, sections of Superman feel like they could have been cut together by Bill O’Reilly. Slo-mo footage of union leader speeches opposing reform that could help problem schools. Hidden-cam video of a teacher reading a newspaper and checking his watch as his class goofs around. New York educators being paid millions to not teach. A major subject of the film, reform-minded DC schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, runs into a crippling teachers-union road block in her effort to shift pay structures to reward good teachers.”

Agree or disagree, a documentary about public education ought to at least inspire conversation to a wider audience. How many people will see it at their favorite indy cinema and realize that they face the same dilemma that filmmaker Davis does? In the following interview, he notes that he supports the ideal of public education. But when it comes to his own kids? Um, hem, haw. That’s the dilemma.

I'm really tired of anti-public teacher agitprop on film. I wish Michael Moore would tackle education next.



Whitney Tilson, teacher hater, LOVED this film:

http://edreform.blogspot.com/2010/01/waiting-for-superman.html

Monday, January 25, 2010
Waiting for Superman


I had the chance to see the premiere of "Waiting for Superman" today at Sundance -- the new ed reform documentary by the guys who made "An Inconvenient Truth" (Participant Media & Davis Guggenheim). I also had a little chat with the producer. This film was the first one picked up at Sundance (by Paramount) and it is going to be HUGE...possibly monumental for education reform. Here's an inside scoop:



The big, fabulous news is that they (the producers and director) GET IT. I knew they were highlighting charter schools, but didn't know they would also take the teachers' unions (and to lesser extent, bureaucracy) to task in such a big way. The three main points of the film are basically: American kids are doing terribly, tenure's ridiculous, and parents need many more high-quality school options.



The heroes of the film are a handful of parents and kids, almost all trying to get into charter schools, and almost all minority. On the policy side: Geoffrey Canada and Michelle Rhee are the lead stars, and, adding to them, Howard Fuller (which made me very happy, and also made me laugh b/c Howard told me last year that he had been interviewed by "some guy with brown curly hair". You're amazing in it Howard-- and about to be quite famous!), and Eric Hanushek. Also a nice cameo by Steve Barr (the producer mentioned they wanted to include Steve much more but couldn't work it in).



In terms of tenure, they explain "the Lemon Dance," mention "Rubber Rooms," etc., and feature Michelle on her proposal to offer teachers much higher pay for giving up tenure. When they say that the union wouldn't even let that get to a vote, the audience groaned out loud. The filmmakers did a great job of capturing Michelle's passion, commitment...and all the backlash she faces.



In that story and others, the film takes a very tough look at Randi Weingarten (I personally believe the AFT leaders gets way too much acclaim for her words--which do not parallel her actions--and was glad to see these non-education experts getting that.) Best detail: as Weingarten gives her interview, she's got a kente cloth hanging on the wall behind her. Speaks volumes.

I wonder what that kente cloth "spoke volumes" about? If this guy wasn't a hedge fund manager, the media would be rightly calling him what he really is: an education tinfoiler. :tinfoilhat:


Kente cloth. How...sinister??