Opportunity or Salvation

It has taken me three nights to get through the documentary, "Waiting for Superman." I watched it to get some ideas about the public education debate, to further the interest of this blog. I wanted to know  (and weigh in with my thoughts) what the creators thought the problems were and the solutions they propose.  But before I get to those pragmatic disccussions, I 'm left with one major question with which I think Americans might disagree: the function of public education.

 I'm left pondering the purpose of public education in our country.  What are we as fellow citizens in society willing to provide? What should we ensure?

The film's salient message is disclosing the gloomy state of a LOT of failing schools across the country. While I was ready to note that the movie exclusively focused on inner city schools, they slipped in tales of the suburbia's lack of sucess as well.  Using both statistics and interviews, you get the message that students are not achieving.  The simple answer is found by placing better teachers in the classroom. The statitistics about the harm poor teachers can do, combined with the seemingly impossible task of getting rid of them is convincing.  Schools with the worst cases are creating success in overwhelming numbers by holding high standards for students who are taught by master teachers. I came away with a lot of fotter for discussion, which is secondary to the battlecry of the film -- "what are we going to do to save these kids?"

Maybe the idea is more particularly: "what are we going to do to save these kids from failing schools?" But, I'm not so sure.

Until tonight, I think I saw education as a vehicle on the highway of opportunity. I want to believe in the American ideal that everyone has the opportunity partly because of education.  But I think these reformers are saying that providing opportunity is bilking our youth.  Disregarding the peril of America's broken education system is jeopardizing our society. Opportunity is not the supreme goal of education.  Rather the higher calling of public education in our country is to save our kids.

And, I ask, save them from what?  A failing school? A lazy, tenured teacher? I think not. It seems the daunting task proposed by these reformers is to rescue the rising generations from failing neighborhoods, to save children from shattered family structure.  To salvage lives from images and futures of violence and crime that are commonplace for inner city children, to deliver the suburbian youth from the facade of mediocrity, to turn the tides of the looming economies of rural areas. To prevent the loss of all future Americans' jobs to higher qualified people on the other side of the globe.  That is a tall order.

Providing opportunity is comparatively easy to saving children from the perils they face today which add up to a lot more than just bad teachers and worn out buildings.

So, tell me.... what is my goal as a public educator?  What is my responsibility as an American taxpayer?

I think about what I want for my own children. Truthfully, I want opportunity. I'm not so sure my daughter needs saving, but her countrymen, and therfor her country, may.