Waiting for "Superman"

Starfish - Photo by JoAnn Sturman

Scott Sturman
fliesinyoureyes.com

Davis Guggenheim’s 2010 documentary movie examines the failing public school system and the steps which can be taken to reverse the trend. The road to reestablish American schools as the world's preeminent will be long and filled with obstacles. Two points are certain: good teachers make an enormous difference in student achievement, and the teachers' unions are a primary impediment to progress.

It is unusual to see a Hollywood motion picture which criticizes an organization which unwaveringly supports the Democratic party, but Waiting for “Superman” makes it clear the teachers' unions are no friends of children. Every step toward reform has been savagely contested by the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), who sanctimoniously proclaim their motivations are in the best interests of children.

Impressive improvements in math and reading proficiency have been realized in inner city charter schools. These are schools which receive public money but are able to circumvent the rules and regulations of normal public schools. The movie highlights the plight of students with high expectations who are destined for failure unless they are able to matriculate in these schools. Since these schools are highly desirable, a lottery is necessary to select prospective students. The chance of selection is less than 5%. It brings a tear to one's eye to realize their futures depend on chance alone.

As late as the 1970's American public schools were the best in the world. Since that time, the inflation adjusted amount of money spent per student has doubled, but test scores have plummeted to some of the lowest in the developed world. The money is being squandered on rules, regulations, and protecting poor teachers who have no business teaching children. In some cases teachers are tenured in two years. After that point it is nearly impossible to fire them for incompetence or unsatisfactory teaching performance. This point is made poignantly in the movie when the camera pans the infamous New York City “rubber room” where 550 egregious teachers who cannot be fired are paid full pay to read, sleep, or play cards at an annual cost of $30 million. This amounts to over $54,500 per body per year - enough to send 3000 students to a charter school! The AFT and NEA have resisted every effort to reward excellent teachers even though it is clear student performance is highly dependent on the quality of instruction.

The movie's denouement occurs when Michelle Rhee, the Washington, D.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction, proposes a potential doubling of teachers' salaries if they will accept performance based pay and renounce tenure. It is a much anticipated event, but the union will not even allow the issue to be brought to a vote. The fear of accountability is so great that the union opts for the status quo and sacrifices the future of the children they are supposed to insure.

Charter schools succeed, because of quality teachers and being able to operate independently of union and administration control. Yet the majority of American students do not have this benefit. A day does not go by when we are not reminded of another public school system suffering from cost overruns and poor student performance. The NEA's and AFT's answer is always the same – more money and regulation but no vouchers. Most children's parents do not have the financial means to pay for a private education and are reliant on the public schools. Vouchers allow public schools to be transformed to charter schools, because they shift the power away from unions and toward students and their parents. Competition and choice will force the beleaguered public schools to either change or perish.