A former TV reporter and anchorman created quite a stir when he made a movie documentary about the deteriorating condition of the American educational system. Citing the state of New Jersey as his main example, he is pushing for drastic changes in the way that the schools are being run.
However, there is a growing group of people who argue that there is so much room for improvement in the country's educational system without increasing the budget. A Former TV reporter and current movie director for one, believes that the school system is much to blame for most of its woes. A former school superintendent that he interviewed for his movie believes that the widespread, persistent and institutionalized dishonesty in the preparation and implementation of the educational budget as the foremost problem. He also blames the profoundly deep-rooted, self-serving teacher's union as the one responsible for the country's twisted educational system.
Teachers unions are also being made answerable for thinking only of itself to the detriment of the students. The tenure system is being pointed in particular as the reason why at least 40% of the teachers, according to one estimate, are not good mentors. Union officials are quick to point out that they are only protecting their members from being dismissed by capricious education officials and politicians. They claim there are enough provisions to remove bad and unqualified teachers from their ranks.
The director used his experience as a TV reporter and anchorman to the hilt, by using talking heads, street ambush interviews, special effects, stilted B-roll and finally his factual, albeit one sided condemnation of the voucher program, the tenure system and the secretive nature of schools. He was successful in overcoming deficiencies in style and construction with selective but factual content.
Scenes of a school district president riding in a limousine car or a luxury car packed school parking lot is a little bit over the top, but his skills in making documentaries is manifested by the logic that he used to present his argument on the needed reforms.
The main theme is about reforms in the educational system, depicting it as irreparably corrupt, incompetent, and inefficient in a rational, intellectual, and appealing way. Two alternatives to traditional schools are presented; chartered schools that are free, privately run private schools, and the voucher system, which will provide public funds to partially or fully pay for private school fees.
The governor of New Jersey has already announced some reform measures that the state wants to implement. But most New Jersey school officials are still denying that the Garden State schools have problems that are unique in the state alone. Some school officials claim that the movie used only a few select students belonging to the worst of the spectrum.
The existence of a real problem cannot be denied. The movie has presented much factual information to be dismissed outright. The sad part is, we can never have real reforms until the school officials admit that there really is a problem.
However, there is a growing group of people who argue that there is so much room for improvement in the country's educational system without increasing the budget. A Former TV reporter and current movie director for one, believes that the school system is much to blame for most of its woes. A former school superintendent that he interviewed for his movie believes that the widespread, persistent and institutionalized dishonesty in the preparation and implementation of the educational budget as the foremost problem. He also blames the profoundly deep-rooted, self-serving teacher's union as the one responsible for the country's twisted educational system.
Teachers unions are also being made answerable for thinking only of itself to the detriment of the students. The tenure system is being pointed in particular as the reason why at least 40% of the teachers, according to one estimate, are not good mentors. Union officials are quick to point out that they are only protecting their members from being dismissed by capricious education officials and politicians. They claim there are enough provisions to remove bad and unqualified teachers from their ranks.
The director used his experience as a TV reporter and anchorman to the hilt, by using talking heads, street ambush interviews, special effects, stilted B-roll and finally his factual, albeit one sided condemnation of the voucher program, the tenure system and the secretive nature of schools. He was successful in overcoming deficiencies in style and construction with selective but factual content.
Scenes of a school district president riding in a limousine car or a luxury car packed school parking lot is a little bit over the top, but his skills in making documentaries is manifested by the logic that he used to present his argument on the needed reforms.
The main theme is about reforms in the educational system, depicting it as irreparably corrupt, incompetent, and inefficient in a rational, intellectual, and appealing way. Two alternatives to traditional schools are presented; chartered schools that are free, privately run private schools, and the voucher system, which will provide public funds to partially or fully pay for private school fees.
The governor of New Jersey has already announced some reform measures that the state wants to implement. But most New Jersey school officials are still denying that the Garden State schools have problems that are unique in the state alone. Some school officials claim that the movie used only a few select students belonging to the worst of the spectrum.
The existence of a real problem cannot be denied. The movie has presented much factual information to be dismissed outright. The sad part is, we can never have real reforms until the school officials admit that there really is a problem.
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