The Cartel
'The Cartel' Trailer from Bowdon Media on Vimeo.
"The battle to improve public education in America is pitting powerful special interest groups against the interest of children. In one corner we find a powerful coalition of teachers unions, lawmakers, and government officials bent on upholding the status quo while benefiting from the $600 billion education industry. In the other corner await 50 million school children whose lives are directly impacted by the decisions made by the education establishment.
This groundbreaking new documentary by Bob Bowdon investigates the condition of public education in New Jersey—the state that spends more per-pupil on public education than any other state in the country, and a microcosm of the issues plaguing American education. What Bowdon finds should trouble parents, teachers, and taxpayers across the country; it should trouble anyone concerned with the struggle to improve the educational opportunities for American children."
Don't make the mistake of thinking...oh, that's Jersey. It happens here too. Closets stuffed with perfectly good resources but they're last year's fad program. The rare teacher dismissal hearings. A well-paid top heavy administration and no copy paper for classrooms. Bathrooms you wouldn't tolerate in your own home (or the BOE office) but is 'good enough' for public school children. A Council that overwhelming votes in a player and not someone who'll help watchdog the system and advocate for real improvement. Legislators, mayors, Chamber of Commerce types who all have options for their children but limit the number of choices for those without means. Unions who are more concerned about keeping their power at any price. Parents thrilled the football team had a winning season and offended that others think the school isn't good based on test scores. Taxpayers willing to embrace the guilt driven demand for more money while withholding their children from the system because they know what their money buys isn't good enough.
I'll let you know when this movie hits Nashville.
2 comments:
Kay -- if you follow the money that has the most impact on what is taught much of it goes straight to the textbook makers./ Of course the textbooks have to be so PC (heaven forbid the truth of history hurts someone's self-esteem).
The feds now control the chain that yanks the local districts. Odd how they still only provide 10% of the funding. So...when will the districts that say they want to prove a first class education to the kids figure out how to say no to the feds?
Textbooks are going the way of the dodo.
Saying no to the feds could start if someone else (I asked while on the BOE) starts asking how much money it costs to meet that federal guideline and how of it is paid for by the feds. When people begin to see the deficits pile up they may start hollering.
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