Last night, my teens and I watched the first half of a documentary called "Waiting for Superman".
Its purpose is to expose the educational system in America for what it truly is: "a failed system".
I didn't realize it prior to tuning in to the film, but I'd already watched the FIRST documentary the film-maker had made in 1999. They showed clips of it and I immediately recalled it as a fascinating, troubling, revealing, and poignant portrait of what teachers (who truly believe in their calling) go through in their first year of employment.
Of course, when I chose the "movie" for our evening viewing yesterday, my 15 year old son did not looked thrilled. However, I suggested, "Just watch it with me for a while. You might find it interesting. It's important for us to know and understand the current issues of our society; especially when they pertain to education".
I'm happy to say that both of my teens stayed for the whole-showing. We will be watching the last part of the film tonight (only because "Mom" couldn't keep her eyes open any longer to finish it last night, LOL)
As I prepare to start my day today, some very troubling facts are swirling around in my heart; facts that I learned from "Waiting for Superman".
For instance, did you know that only 12% of 8th graders in Washington DC can read at grade level?
IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL!
ONLY 12% !
The numbers aren't much better in many other states across the country.
16%, 22%, 34%...
It was so disturbing to hear that kids in "the drop-out factories"; which is the technical term they give to the schools where they KNOW the system has failed but there is (supposedly) nothing they can do about it...
...that children, who were "B" students in the 5 and 6th grades, end up "D" students by the 7-9th grades.
As the man being interviewed on the topic had to say, "Either kids are getting "stupider" each and every year...OR...something is WRONG with the system!"
A certain school in California will...on average... (ON AVERAGE mind you....meaning, "regularly", "usually", "commonly") have 1200 outgoing eighth graders...but only 300 incoming Sophomores! Between 8th grade and 10th grade, they lose...ON AVERAGE...NINE HUNDRED students per year! This particular school, over the past 40 years (FORTY!) has had more than 40,000 drop-outs! That, of course, is 1,000 per year!
WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?
My own hometown was a "featured" city in the film. Pittsburgh, PA...home of "Oliver" high-school...where
MOST of the students do not finish school and MOST of the students end up in the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution...(i.e. PRISON).
I found the facts drawn from this subject particularly interesting...my brother happens to be a prison guard in a PA State Prison.
Here's what we learned:
It costs the state of PA, on average, more than 33,000 dollars a year to "house" a prisoner.
They need to be fed, clothed, provided medical care, kept secure, etc...and they don't work or pay taxes...
as the man speaking said, "This is one expensive hotel, man...and the money only goes ONE way".
But the interesting part was this:
The average person in that facility is serving a 4 year term. That amounts to $132,000 PER prisoner PER term. (Not sure how many are in the jail, total).
The average private school education in the area is $9,000+ per year. This means that one could be "given" or "provided by the state"...a "quality private school education" for THIRTEEN years...and STILL have monies left over for college; in comparison to the same scale of funds used to house the prisoners.
Astounding, isn't it?
One school in DC outfitted a student, some years ago, with a hidden video camera. The Superintendent of the district was dumbfounded to watch films of students playing "craps" in the classroom, teachers, with feet up on desks, reading the newspaper...and even one teacher, shoving a student's head into a dirty toilet...he fired all of the teachers on-spot...
BUT GUESS WHAT?
Due to the contract clauses of tenure enacted through the teachers' union...
He was forced to hire every single one of them back WITH A YEAR'S BACK-PAY!
WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!
My eldest brother is a retired teacher, who taught more than 40 years at a "Blue Ribbon" school in Pgh.
The students in his school DO graduate...they do get jobs...and many go on to college.
However, as "Waiting for Superman" clearly illustrates...there are many, many, MANY schools in this nation where that is NOT the case.
We were shocked to learn of the "lemon dance", which is a colloquial phrase that explains what they do with the "bad" teachers every year in a district. Because of "tenure"...they are not allow to fire these teachers...their jobs are "secure for LIFE"...Thus, they simply "pass them around" from school to school...trading the other schools in their districts for "lemons"...and hoping that the "lemon" they get isn't as bad as the one they are trading.
Coincidentally...my eldest daughter, whose former landlord teaches in the public school system in our area...was telling me how this woman has to break up fist fights between First Graders on a regular basis...has students shout the "F" word at her during class...and isn't allowed to mark an "X" on their papers...replacing it, with phrases like, "Good Try!" so as not to "squelch" self-esteem.
I was having a difficult time believing that those things were factual...
until I watched this documentary.
WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!
Tonight, we'll watch the second half of this enlightening documentary.
In the meantime, I will be praying for the children of this country...there are SO MANY who WANT to learn...who WANT to like school...who WANT to do something good with their lives...but, given the state of events in their every day life of education...they don't have a chance.
Please understand that I am not "downing" all outside schools because I happen to be a homeschooler.
In fact, my son, as he watched with me, suggested that someone should do a documentary on the GOOD schools and the GOOD teachers of America to "balance the scales" and give them due-credit.
My daughter interjected that the whole point of the documentary we were watching was to sound the "alarm" that the scales are beginning to be more-heavily-tipped in the wrong way in this nation...and that the "good schools" are becoming more difficult to find.
Still, I agreed with my son, for I know that there are GOOD TEACHERS out there...who are just as upset about this as we are. (My brother is one of them).
I am so glad that we are free to teach our children at home.
But...I am also glad that we, as a people, are free to choose which way we will educate our children and I feel that our government and Administration should make sure that parents have GOOD schools where they can trust that their children will be provided a safe, enriching learning environment.
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6 comments:
Judy,
Thanks for posting about this. That film is on my Netflix list but haven't gotten to it yet.
Much of what you discussed I have seen and still see first hand. I've been in education for 25 years. almost half of them were spent in a classroom. After being out of classroom teaching for all these years now, I am not sure I could ever go back. Even here at the learning center, I see the results of our failed system. I have one parent who is so disgusted with her upper middle class school district, she is tempted to home school. She even has begun to believe that what is happening is happening at the hands of our own government, the so called "dumbing down of America"by the New World Order. Sounds a little conspiracy theory-ish, but not all that far fetched.
There are good school districts and still some good teachers out there, but they are becoming very discouraged because their hands are tied in many ways, not to mention that there is more time spent on discipline and paperwork than on teaching.
I am anxious to watch the film, and more people should, because as you said, it is meant to be a wake up call~the question is: will we rise and answer it?
Thanks again and God bless.
WOW! I just reserved it at our library.
Reading this reminds me of a 20/20 episode several years ago that John Stossel did called "Stupid in America".
One thing (of the many he brought up) that really floored me was teachers who had been caught in immoral activities. They couldn't be fired because of their contracts, but they also couldn't be allowed to be around children. The "solution" was to have a building where all these teachers went during the school day. Basically they just lounged around, reading, watching TV, & socializing w/ each other AND still got paid for it!
Kudos to Jake for suggesting a view of the positive schools in America! There are some wonderful teachers & schools out there, but unfortunately it's the bad who get the media attention. UGH! What a great young man you have there, Judy!
I was wondering about that movie. Perhaps we will check it out. Have you seen "Indoctrination?" The bits and pieces that I have seen are very much in line with my experience as a public schooled person. It is my own experience in PS that made me decide to home school. Since then, God has given me many many MANY more reasons to do so and I am so thankful for his Provident Hand in leading us in that direction.
Karinann, thank you so much, as always, for sharing your "insider" view of the topic...I value your opinion; both as a friend and as a professional within the US Education System. I believe that many people would rise to the call, if only they knew how...my heart was aching for the parents in the documentary who truly WANT a better way for their children but simply do not know how to go about finding one...many of them are completely uneducated themselves; therefore they most likely don't feel called to homeschooling (unless, of course, they hit the books, too and learned enough to facilitate the lessons for their kids).
Munchesmom...I saw that 20/20 and remember it well...in "Waiting for Superman", they actually SHOW the room of which you mention here...my daughter Laura's mouth dropped open and she said, in a very disgusted tone of voice, "OH MY GOSH MOM...is that a *time-out* room for grown-ups?" The sight of teachers sleeping on desks, texting and playing cards...ALL day...some, it said, for up to THREE years...while getting paid...was too much; even for my teens to handle.
Mrs. Santos...I am glad that you are able to be home with your children and I have seen in them, the fruits of your labor...for they each SHINE with the love of God and family in their hearts...and are all VERY smart, too!
I wish that our blogging friend Ruth, from Thailand...would see and comment on this post...and I also wish that our nation would have something similar to the work she is doing in her host country...that of "homeschooling" other families' children who are not able to do it themselves...perhaps, if an idea like that would take root here in America, we would start seeing more reform "within the system".
As it is...my own family, according to the funding budget they quote in the documentary...saves the state of PA $72,000 per year by homeschooling...and on top of that, we pay more than $2500 in school tax, annually...it seems to me that the state should be able to take those saved dollars and do something GOOD for the others students with it...know what I mean?
Mrs Juuuuuuuuuuuuudy :) How are you and the family doing?
Hi Renee! Such a surprise to see your visit here...I was just over at YOUR blog last night! Small world:)
Merry Christmas!
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