Waiting For Superman By Davis Guggenheim

The American public education system is in need of reform. One of the most prominent methods of reform being discussed is the implementation of more charter schools. Davis Guggenheim, director of the documentary “Waiting for Superman”, is a firm believer in this approach. In his documentary, Guggenheim presents young and promising students who go to unsuccessful public schools. These students are later shown either elated that they did get into a charter school or dismal that they didn’t. The statistics in the film presented a case where if these students hadn’t gotten into the charter school, they have little to no chance of success in their near future, painting charter schools out to be the only chance for success that underprivileged students have. Though, I believe that charter schools are not the best way to improve the American public education

I believe that all students will have a chance at success if the college curriculum for a teaching degree is changed, and teachers are offered pay bonuses. Charter schools are not the best way to reform the American public education system. Guggenheim misrepresents the American public education system in his documentary. Dana Goldstein, known journalist on the topic of education reform, wrote an article titled ”Grading ‘Waiting for Superman’” in response to “Waiting for Superman”. Significant aspects of the American education system that Goldstein felt Guggenheim left out were that, “four out of five charter schools that are no better, on average, than traditional neighborhood public schools (and are sometimes much worse)…and non-charter neighborhood public schools…that are nationally recognized for successfully educating poor children”(1). Goldstein states here that Guggenheim showed charter schools that were