Just saw a depressing yet hopeful, poignant, powerful and emotionally moving Documentary "Waiting For Superman". It hits the nail on the head and exposes the reason for the failure of the public education system.
The film resonated with me personally as I dropped out of Catholic high school at the age of 15 in the South Bronx. I attempted to attend public school but the public high school in my area was Morris High School which was a drop out mill and was overrun with heroin dealers. I chose to work instead of waste my time failing in that environment. I never regret making that decision.
Geoffrey Canada the leader of the Harlem Children Zone also spoke about how he was lucky to not attend Morris High School or he would never have achieved what he did in his life. He went on the graduate from Harvard and create one of the most effective charter school in the country.
I agree with the analysis of what is the main cause of the problem and that is the teacher's unions who are stuck in the past with a 1930's paradigm that places the interest of the union and teachers even incompetent ones above those of the children.
I remember an experience I had many years later when I received a substitute teaches certificate and taught for a few days at a school in the Bronx. The regular teacher greeted me by telling me "Not to waste my time trying to teach anything but just keep order". Well I didn't listen to them and for three days I brought my passion and excitement for writing to these elementary children and i fired them up and they were competing to read their class compositions. Now that's just one personal anecdotal experiences but it confirmed what I saw happening in the public schools in the Bronx.
From the movie and from what I've read about some of the successful charter schools across the country the forces for reforming the school system are growing and there are some real heroes portrayed in the film including the charter school movement represented by Kipp, Green Dot, Harlem Children Zone and individuals like Geoffrey Canada, Bill Strickland, Michelle Rhee and many more
I can't recommend this movie enough. You must see it.......
John Duffy
http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/?gclid=CM7L8_f5taQCFQEBiQodK37rzQ
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