Has anyone seen the movie "Waiting for Superman" yet?

[minniebeth]

Would you please give a review? I really want to see it, I've heard it's enlightening, and discouraging at the same time. Any thoughts?

 

[SideshowBob]

SSB would say very worthwhile ... I was in Toronto where it played as part of International Film Festival. It is considered a favorite to be nominated for Best Documentary Oscar.

 

[gerows]

I have not seen it, but did hear a lengthy interview with the director on NPR a few weeks back. I really would like to see it, but will wait until it comes to Netflix. I live in a town with a poor school system, and have choosen to send my kids to private school so this is certainly something that I'm interested in.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I heard part of that on NPR. I will be interested to see when it comes on DVD.

 

[shortbun]

I have the book and am trying to find time to see the documentary. The previews and pieces I've seen make it look really emotional. I am organizing a parent group at my son's school to demand they make changes and get up to snuff. I wish I had time to advocate on a larger scale. Just what I've read so far has me stirred up.

 

[arminnie]

I hope a whole lot of DISers watch this. When reading through posts here I often think that so many do not have a clue how bad some schools are.

New Orleans schools have been among the worst - no matter how much money got poured in. But it kept getting stolen by the corrupt officials.

The President of the New Orleans School Board has been sentenced to federal prison - along with many others. That's great but there's at least a whole generation out there with no skills because of crap like that.

I always think of that saying "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

Bad teachers are awful, but so are those low-life parents who want their kids out there scoring some drug money to bring home to mama.

 

[powellrj]

I have it on my netflix list because I know it will never come around here. We have an awful school system. Its in danger of being the first school in the state to be taken over by the state. I worked to get a new school board elected in the spring and am still working to improve our local schools, but removed my DD this year and am sending her to a different school district. She is a freshman and I know the changes will come too late for her.

The district we are sending her to is 5 miles east of our home while her old school was 5 miles north of our home. I am amazed at what a difference it is. Its like moving from the twilight zone into wonderland.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I hope they talk about NCLB's dirty little secret: 100% of students will never be proficient in all subjects. And regardless of what the Department of Education thinks, that's actually OK.

 

[Pammyb]

That is the most frustrating part of being a teacher-NCLB sets both students and teachers up to fail rather than to succeed.