Waiting for Superman notes

“My feelings about public education did not matter as much as fearing taking them to a failing school.”

Since 1971 $4300-$9000/student

Since 1971 reading scores have flat lined and math is no better

When asked what they would see walking into school, Francisco’s mother” walking in you will see a desk with a security guard, that’s it you can no farther than that”

Bianca’s mom “I don’t care what I have to do, and don’t care how many jobs I have to obtain, she will go to college.” “You go to college, you get an education, you don’t get a job you get a career and there is a difference.”

No child left behind decided to test all the students in the United States

Math scores

Alabama 18%

Mississippi 14%

English scores were between 20 and 25%

Roosevelt High School

3% students have necessary classes for 4 year university

57% don’t graduate

2000 drop out factories throughout US

Experts tend to blame failing schools on failing neighborhoods… might be failing neighborhoods because of failing schools.

68% PA r high school drop outs

Prison: $33000 X4 years/person

Private school: $8300 X4/person

“lots of districts have certain things wrong with them, DC has everything wrong with it”

Michelle Rhee Chancellor of the district of Columbia Public School “The city government gives central office pile of money, central office screws it up” “ there is a complete and udder lack of accountability for the thing we are supposed to be doing, and that is teaching kids”

She is 7^th Chancellor in 10 years

The things that have been done to help make schools better, are making schools harder to reform

Bad teacher only covers 50% of require curriculum, a good one 150%

Public school teachers automatically received tenure, guaranteeing their jobs for life.

 “There biggest obstacle for reform is a contract with the teachers union, which ties their hands”

“Teachers are great a national treasure, teachers unions are a menace and a challenge to reform”

280-t provision in the contract “the dance of the Lemons”

Chronically bad teachers cannot be fired so the principals get together and does the Lemon dance, red gives jack his lemons, etc.

New York, Tenure teachers who are in trouble are sent to “the rubber room”

1 in 2500 teachers lose their teaching credentials

Geoffrey Canada faced blocks so he started a charter school in Central Harlem, New York. He guarantees success in college, through a public charter school.

Nakia pays $500 tuition for her child to go to private school, just to ensure her daughter Bianca does not go to public school.  “I will just have to find a way”

Michelle Rhee fired ¼ principals and closed down 23 schools. “there is an  unbelievable ability to turning eye from the injustices happening to kids in school in the name of harmony amongst adults.”

If you want a better school for your kid it is all about options.

Up until the 1970s the United states had the best public schools. Public school weren’t an ordeal we had to survive but the sole reason of our lives.

Among 25math 24science in developed countries. US ranks #1 in confidence

Even fine schools in the suburbs are failing.

Tracking is due to test results, neatness and obedience. Lower tracks become harder but less productive and poor teachers.

Tracking fit the demands of the time, 20% college bound, 20% skilled, bottom half unskilled workers.

Bill Gates testified before congress “we cannot sustain an economy…..

120 million high skills, high pay jobs, only 50 million will be able to fill them.

Geoffrey Canada’s charters increased classroom ours, held school on Saturday and during summers.  Top charters are sending 90% of their students to a 4 year college.

~To be honest I have seen "Waiting for Superman" a couple of times already on my own, but this was a good refresher and gave me an opportunity to jot down some notes, a couple statistics and quotes. The first time I had seen this movie it kind of hit me across the face, being in the military I had the chance to meet alot of people around the United States fresh out of high school, so I was aware of the vast differences in people educational experiences. I just could not believe that some places in the United States schools have armed guards, and metal detectors. It is sad to think that a student body has to be protected from themselves, I always tend to see children as still being innocent and naive to the world around them. I did take away this time the comments made by Rhee  about the adults intentions to keep peace with one another is what she believes is holding back the educational system most of all. I have to agree with her. Also need to remind myself to look up Bill Gates testimony to congress, the man is a genius of the time and usually has some pertinent things to say.