Education In The Film 'Waiting For Superman'

We’ve Found Superman

All of the facts point to one prevailing conclusion; America’s school system is failing. No film makes this clearer than “Waiting for Superman,” directed by Davis Guggenheim. In the film, Guggenheim does not hold back in his onslaught of surprising, yet true, facts. Guggenheim points out that Americans are failing compared to the world in major areas of study, such as math and science. However, there is one place American children lead the world; Confidence. Guggenheim says that there is a simple way to fix this prevalent problem, especially for urban youth. The solution, he says, are charter schools. Charter schools are publicly funded, but privately owned schools that do not have to follow curriculum guidelines like public schools do. This allows them more flexibility, and attracts “better teachers.” These schools are hailed as the one size fits all solution for the problem of education today. Many critics disagree with the premise of the film, blaming “Waiting for Superman” for playing on the audience’s emotions rather than really analyzing the problems in America’s school systems; however most critics do not explore an alternative solution to the problem and simply pick apart the one presented by the film.

I agree with critics of the film in one way; Charter schools are not the answer to our current system’s problems. Charter schools are a direct product of an attempt at privatizing education. That is, trying to make public education into a private business where companies can invest and profit. Public education is a basic right provided for us by the government, and paid for by taxpayers. Charter schools take taxpayer money, give it to companies, and put the burden of teaching our children on the compa...

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...lion dollars a year). (Wheeler) This would, according to Wheeler, help equalize the income gap between most Americans. This should then also equalize the gap in schooling and provide a better learning experience for kids who are currently attending underfunded, and often inner city, schools.

The problem of the American public school system is a complex one. In many ways, it is tied directly to the problems with America as a whole. However, the film “Waiting for Superman” brought this problem to light, and now is the time to act. Many critics focus on just the film, and don’t focus on proposing an alternate solution to the one proposed by the film. However, there are many others out there conducting research and trying to get to the bottom of the issue. A solution is coming, whether it is complex or simple, but in one way or another, we have found superman.