misseducation

While I am extremely interested in this movie, I can’t help but think it’s going to be a movie that gives movement to charter schools and diverts attention away from public schools that need the money and resources. I don’t think charter schools are the answer (although I do work at one right now that is effective in scores and helping many students learn) and while this movie seems to epitomize what charter schools were meant to be (community led schools where teachers, parents and other stakeholders took care of the needs of the community and school) it could send the wrong message to audiences about what fixes should take place regarding our failing public school system. Charter schools are not the vision of community-led schools that Al Shanker spoke of, and they are NOT the answer to ed reform. We don’t want what’s happening right now in Philadelphia- we can’t have cities as big as New Orleans or Philly where public schools systems are dismantled and taken over by charter schools that run with public money. We can’t relegate our children’s learning to private entities, no matter how noble their intentions- this is irresponsible. In my mind, charters have become a part of the antithesis of a democratic public education system.

Check out the New York Times article about the movie here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/movies/viola-davis-and-maggie-gyllenhaal-in-parent-trigger-film.html Love the last quote: “Still, [Frank Wells, a union spokesman for the California Teachers Association] voiced surprise that the parent trigger laws should become a subject for Hollywood at all. “I can’t wait for ‘Vouchers 3-D: The Movie,’ ” he said.”

P.S. This movie’s by the same backers as “Waiting for Superman.” Anyone who knows my stance on education reform knows how I feel about that movie. *gag* While it was true in every sense it did not interview one public school teacher and did not speak at all about the funding and conditions of the public school system and the government that refuses to fund it and take true and positive accountability.

(Source: bethechangeyouwant)