Saturday, May 19, 2012

GEM Response to Waiting for Superman Available Online Today


Date:  May 19, 2012     

Contact:
Lisa Donlan, Parent and President CEC1:  917-848-5873
Julie Cavanagh, Teacher PS 15, GEM/CAPE: 917-836-6465
Brian Jones, Teacher PS 30, GEM: 646-554-8592

Now online: The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For "Superman"

One year ago, The Grassroots Education Movement premiered a new documentary, written and directed by New York City public school teachers and parents, created in response to Davis Guggenheim’s highly misleading film. Waiting for "Superman" would have audiences believe that free-market competition, standardized tests, destroying teacher unions, and the proliferation of charter schools are just what this country needs to create great public schools.

The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting For "Superman" highlights the real-life experiences of public school parents, students and educators to show how these so-called reforms are actually hurting public education. The film discusses the kinds of real reform – inside schools and in our society as a whole  – that we urgently need to genuinely transform education in this country.

Harlem Premiere Featured Special Guest, Diane Ravitch

The film premiere was held May 19th, 2011 at the Assembly Hall of The Riverside Church in Harlem and featured historian Diane Ravitch as the honored guest. Since then, we have offered the DVD free of charge and encouraged viewers to make their own copies to distribute. Today, an estimated 15,000 copies are in circulation. Requests have come in from all 50 states and 6 continents. Various unions, parent groups, college professors, public libraries and community members have organized screenings all around the country. We’ve also had news of screenings in India, Turkey, England, New Zealand and Australia. Demand has been so great that we are currently working on a Spanish language version of the film.

The full version of the film is now online at vimeo: https://vimeo.com/41994760

Today, on the first anniversary of the premiere, GEM and Real Reform Studios are making the film available online at https://vimeo.com/41994760. We invite everyone to hold screenings, download and burn copies of the movie.

For more information about the film, visit: 
www.waitingforsupermantruth.org

To order an “official” free dvd with the Real Reform Studio logo go to: http://www.waitingforsupermantruth.org/?page_id=343







2 comments:

Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene said...

This is such an important film. I've organized screenings at Union Avenue ES and Micheltorena ES, the former with guest Professor Stephen Krashen. Parents and community members at both showings were transformed watching the film.

I for one realize how much hard work all of you put into the film. You provided a great gift for all of us that still believe in social justice and public education.

Thank you

Robert D. Skeels

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary. It's a wonderful film and I just watched it a 2nd time on Youtube!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLmXV4-CBOQ


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