Waiting for Superman

Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim looks at the US public school system.  He questions why the nations school systems have so many problems when the US is one of the world's superpowers.  Every state has districts that are not sufficient in math or reading.  And DC has one of the worst school districts in the country.  Interesting considering the fact, that DC is where everybody (Politicians) is talking about improving education.  And yet, the politicians don't seem to be looking in their own back yard.

 He talks about the neighborhoods which have "dropout factories".  These are basically schools where a huge number of students will drop out.  And they are usually in the worst neighborhoods.  When these students drop out, they typically end up in jail or dead.  The interesting thing he points out is the fact that it cost more to keep provide for inmates each year than it cost to send students the average private school.  Yet, we don't supply all of our children with education. And then let them end up in jails.

One school district gave some students video cameras and put them in their book bags to record what was going on in the classrooms. There were videos of teachers reading newspapers, students shooting craps in the classroom and teachers harassing kids.  The superintendent of this district said he was going to fire all these teachers.  However, he was not able to fire them because they were part of the union.  It is truly amazing to me that anybody, including the unions, would be ok with keeping teachers in classrooms that do not teach students.  Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are great teachers out there that need the unions, and need help in keeping their jobs.  But when a teacher is sitting in the classroom doing absolutely nothing, they should not be teaching.

In New York, when teachers are facing disciplinary action they go and sit in a room and wait for their hearing.  Typically it takes two or three years for the hearing.  And during that time they are sitting in a room reading, taking naps, playing cards, etc, and getting paid during this time.  I don't know about you, but if I was not doing a good job at my job, I know I would get fired.

This is a great documentary.  It brings up a lot of questions and problems in our nations school systems.  There are people out there who have made a difference.  There are some charter schools out there that are doing great things for students of all different backgrounds and have huge success rates.  The question is will this would for the mainstream?  Who knows.

I know this documentary does not represent all teachers. And I know it is not easy being a teacher and I know not everybody can do it.  But I also know there are amazing teachers out there that do everything they can to help their students.  Those teachers are the ones that will change the world one kid at a time.  So to those teachers, thank you for doing everything you can to help each of your students.