Once the envy of the world and the workshop of democracy, primary and secondary education in the U.S. fell in steep decline as other developed nations overtook our students in math, science and other fields. As Davis Guggenheim reminds us in Waiting forSuperman, the one area where American students rank highest is self-confidence. Clearly, its a distinction they have not earned.
Waiting for Superman is an unbalanced if earnest and sincere attempt to identify what went wrong with American education and find alternatives. Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) is careful not to castigate the teaching profession, but only the teachers unions. Acknowledging their historical necessity, he hammers on the unions for their ironclad contracts, their misuse of tenor to protect ineffectual or downright bad teachers. Milwaukee takes the stage with video footage shot in the 90s showing a teacher reading the newspaper in class while students shoot craps. Howard Fuller loudly condemns the union for blocking any attempt to chop the deadwood from the system.
Some of this is correct, yet Guggenheim doesn't show that MPS specialty schools have performed well. He supports his argument in favor of charter schools, run with greater creative freedom than their plodding unionized counterparts, by focusing on several highly successful examples staffed by motivated educators. However, he fails to acknowledge that many charter schools are inept, little better than quick-buck schemes for their operators.
Larger social problems are kept at bay. The minority families whose quest for education Guggenheim documents are truly familiescaring micro communities. Many disadvantaged children lack the sort of caring homes he showcases. But Guggenheim points to an interesting fact: lavish suburban schools with expensive arts centers and gyms often turn out mediocre students whose preparation for college is feeble at best. Perhaps the pop psychology that privileges self-confidence over accomplishment is to blame? Although Guggenheim doesnt explore the point he raises, someone should investigate a culture that hands out trophies just for showing up. Maybe thats why the U.S. turns to India and Pakistan for an increasing percentage of its engineers and technicians. Self-confidence by itself isnt enough to make the grade.
