Episode 10 - Live! Viewers React to Waiting for Superman

Today is a reaction to Monday's show; you can read about that show here. The most basic recap if you missed it is to know that Monday's show was about America's failing schools. A large emphasis was placed on the fact that bad teachers get away with doing a horrible job and the suggestion was that the problem is the union rules that protect said "bad apples.

Pretty much everyone is mad--some are mad because of the problem itself. Many mad people, though, are teachers. They think that the message was that we should blame teachers, the end. One woman says that, in her experience, the only angry teachers are the bad ones.

Geoffrey Canada (Founder of Harlem's Children Zone)


Recap
Man, you can't help but want to listen to this guy. He's so charismatic that he's downright effervescent. He's a Harvard graduate who went back to his native Harlem and is revolutionizing education. He basically says that he loves unions, but he hates the problems that have been created. When asked what he'd do if he were in charge, he says that he'd start by asking teachers for one extra hour a day. Imagine, he says, if the fire department came and then your house is still burning down but it's 3 p.m. and they clock out. Soldiers are dying for our country and he's asking teachers for one extra hour.

Oprah makes it clear that the blame is not on teachers. The blame is on bad teachers. She says that the good teachers know there's a crisis and it's time to start fighting one another and time to start fighting to make a difference. Kudos, Oprah. Agreed.


After the break, Geoffrey points out that parents need to stop sending their kids to school and washing their hands of their kids education. He says parents need to step up and teach their kids that it goes beyond just doing their homework--after homework, they need to study. Studying and doing homework are not the same thing. Once again, I agree. It's amazing that college is set up this way but you don't start this habit before college unless you are in a high caliber (usually private) school or AP classes.


Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, comes on. He's the one who says that education is the Civil Rights issue of our generation, and that Waiting for Superman is a Rosa Parks moment. His basic message is that what has happened in our schools is immoral. He says this is a moral issue that requires moral leadership, and Oprah reiterates that this is an American problem. No matter how well your children might be doing, as others are being failed then eventually our country will fail and that will affect you and will affect your children.

Mayor Cory Booker (Mayor of Newark, New Jersey)

Recap
He has almost single-handedly turned Newark from once being labeled the worst city in America. He's passionate about changing Newark's schools. His money quote is: "You cannot have a superior democracy with an inferior education system." His point is that it's time for people to get off their couch, to stop being angry while sitting on their tush, and be a part of making change happen. His goal is to get the teachers, the parents, the unions, everyone, working together to change the schools in his city.

Now it's time for the big announcement; it was leaked a bit ahead of time, but it's still pretty cool. Mayor Cory Booker is a Democrat, Governor Chris Christie is a Republican, and (love him or hate him) Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and crazy rich founder of Facebook, are working together to see Newark's schools succeed. Governor Christie is empowering and leaning on Mayor Booker to be the point man, though they'll choose a superintendent of public schools for Newark together. Pretty cool to see the politics set aside so that the focus can be where it needs to be--the children. Mayor Booker has a great quote: "If we as a nation keep pulling left and right, we will never move forward."

Amazing anecdote from Governor Christie. He met a mother whose son won the lottery... to get into one of Newark's best charter schools. He asked her how it felt that night, a few years ago, when her son's number was picked. Her reply? "When I was waiting in that gym, I knew whether his number got picked out was the difference between him going to college or going to jail." He says no mother in America should have to sit and go through that and I absolutely agree.

The big news? Mark Zuckerberg has started a foundation that is giving $100 million to the Newark public schools as a challenge grant. He says he chose Newark because he believes in what Governor Christie and Mayor Booker are doing. The nation will now be watching to see what happens in Newark because if this goes well then many will want to try and replicate what they do.

There's a blip about Mark Zuckerberg, showing him in the very modest Palo Alto home he rents with his girlfriend. It's hardly furnished, which is kind of amazing considering he's one of the youngest, richest people in the nation. That's largely because he spends most of his time at work. He does make a comment about the movie coming out that puts him in a bad light (it's called The Social Network, for the record). He says, essentially, that it's a movie and he remembers a lot of coding and hard work over the last six years, not all the drama, but basically rolls it off his shoulder.

After the break, there's a bit more of a touch on what's coming in Newark. The thing that stood out to me was Mayor Booker not only committing to high standards and the reminder that everyone has to be in this together, but I appreciate him saying the goal is not to bash teachers but to elevate them. Bad teachers shouldn't get away with doing a horrible job, but neither should good ones keep shouldering the blame for a problem that isn't theirs to own.

After another break, we get to hear a performance of John Legend with The Roots singing Shine, the song Legend wrote as the theme song for Waiting for Superman. It's moving because it's beautiful, but clips of the documentary are interspersed throughout the performance.

And we're done!

Gospel Filter Review

To be honest, I searched for something to say here, but I realized that I was forcing it and anything I say will be redundant. You can read the Gospel Filter Review I wrote for Monday's episode. I will reiterate that all of life is worship. Ask the Holy Spirit what it would look like for you to support making your local school better. Pray that Jesus would put people in charge who love and serve our nation's children well. Ultimately, though, make sure that guilt doesn't  motivate you. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and worship Him according to His will. And if you know a teacher who works hard and does a great job, thank them.

Coming Up Next on Monday's Show
Tony Danza, Serena Williams, Angie Harmon: Celebrities Take on Their Dream Jobs