Education Film, Dangerous, Makes You Think

http://www.racetonowhere.com/

I caught only about 30 minutes of this film broadcast on Sunday, January 18, 2015 on Boston PBS. It is worth the time and reveals many problems with current education protocols. This reflects much of what John Taylor Gatto says in his book, Dumbing Us Down. You can see excerpts from that book at this link

http://enoughroom.blogspot.com/2013/07/dumbing-us-down-john-taylor-gatto-book.html

One wonders why if so many people support education especially all of those politicians that the schools seldom perform as desired. Do you think that the teachers unions have anything to do with that? How many of those spineless politicians are willing to challenge the teachers unions? None?

Uploaded on Aug 9, 2010
Theatrical Trailer Race to Nowhere: http://www.racetonowhere.com
Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people across the country who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried that students aren't developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what's best for their kids, Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace, students have become disengaged, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.
Race to Nowhere is a call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.
In a grassroots sensation already feeding a groundswell for change, hundreds of theaters, schools and organizations nationwide are hosting community screenings during a six month campaign to screen the film nationwide. Tens of thousands of people are coming together, using the film as the centerpiece for raising awareness, radically changing the national dialogue on education and galvanizing change.



[From article]
The parents are never satisfied, and the child can never relax. Life for these students is nothing but stress and unrealistic expectations. The world the film conjures up is all too familiar: students are expected to perform and produce but aren't given time to play.
In another chilling sequence, a school counselor relates a conversation he says he's had often: After a child has collapsed from stress, the parent says that he doesn't understand because "she's a good kid." No, the counselor replies, She's a good performer; you don't know whether she's a good kid or not.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-merrow/race-to-nowhere-its-no-wa_b_751330.html

John Merrow
Education Correspondent, PBS NewsHour; Author, 'The Influence of Teachers'
'Race to Nowhere:' It's no 'Waiting for 'Superman', ' but it's Honest
Posted: 10/05/2010 3:07 pm EDT Updated: 05/25/2011 5:55 pm EDT