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Old 05-31-2011, 05:26 AM
 
7,005 posts, read 12,420,022 times
Reputation: 5478

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You can order this rebuttal for free.

The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman

The order form is here. I just ordered and I'll let you know how it is after I get it. I like to hear from both sides.

DVD Request Form
https://spreadsheets.google.com/view...NTZ2VFFkVGc6MQ
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Old 05-31-2011, 10:59 AM
 
Location: South Texas
810 posts, read 1,419,533 times
Reputation: 467
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stabart47 View Post
I think those of you who get so offended at the negative impressions of SA from those of us who lived here and chose to move, should realize we HAVE lived in and visited other American cities. Just saying there are worse cities doesn't help your case. I hear about all of this so-called "pride" here, but where is the walk- not just the talk? Clean up the city and stop accepting everythings as "cultural". Go visit Portland, Seattle, Colorado Springs, Nashville, Orlando... do you need more?
Don’t waste your time. That’s why SA is the way it is today.
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Old 05-31-2011, 11:22 AM
 
1,316 posts, read 3,395,046 times
Reputation: 940
Quote:
Originally Posted by L210 View Post
You can order this rebuttal for free.
I ordered a copy as well.

You know, on their site, they list the following:

Real Reform #1: Smaller Class Sizes
Real Reform #2: Excellent Community Public Schools for ALL Children
Real Reform #3: More Teaching – Less Testing
Real Reform #4: Parent and Teacher Empowerment and Leadership
Real Reform #5: Equitable Funding for ALL Schools
Real Reform #6: Anti-Racist Education Policies
Real Reform #7: Culturally Relevant Curriculum
Real Reform #8: Expand Pre Kindergarten and Early Intervention Programs
Real Reform #9: Qualified and Experienced Educators and Educational Leaders
Real Reform #10: Democratic and Social Justice Unionism

First is this really a "rebuttal"? To me it seems more like an "addendum" to "Waiting for Superman" (Part 2).

True, much of that film focused on teacher unions, and how the system is setup and not enough regarding the above, which for the most part I agree with.

But we can't fool ourselves into thinking that if nothing is done to reform change with the unions that, even if we incorporated all of the above, everything will work out just fine.

When you have a system in place where it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to fire a teacher....what does that say about the priorities we place/or don't place on the education of our students in this country? I'm not a teacher "hater" by any means. Most teachers are great. But if teachers are given tenure, there is certainly no reason for them to be a good teacher. Giving them this "free pass for life" is idiotic.

If I do poorly at my job, I get fired. There is no chance in hell for me to ever get "tenure" where I work, trust me, and yet teachers get tenure and we "trust" that they do a good job on the most important and fundamental part of a child's life: their education. That's a bit too much trust that we are putting into them. I won't blindly believe that every teacher is performing their job to an acceptable level or that every person becomes a teacher for the betterment of the students.

I'd be interested in hearing more in this film (if they have it) about "Real Reform #10: Democratic and Social Justice Unionism."

I'd like to see where that "take" that.
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Old 05-31-2011, 01:14 PM
 
7,005 posts, read 12,420,022 times
Reputation: 5478
One teacher's union is considering dropping tenure demands. Unions can go a bit far; but they have, historically, made great strides for workers.
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Old 05-31-2011, 04:18 PM
 
Location: The "original 36" of SA
841 posts, read 1,739,140 times
Reputation: 690
Quote:
Originally Posted by L210 View Post
I like to hear from both sides.
A quality too often lacking in today's world.

Another website which has a point by point critique of the movie:

The Answer Sheet - What ?Superman? got wrong, point by point


I think KIPP does some great things... HOWEVER, comparing them to public schools is like comparing apples to broccoli.

I'll tell you what is most telling - that when Rep. Villarreal proposed letting "high performing" charters (specifically KIPP) take over failing public schools, KIPP was (as far as I know) strangely silent. Perhaps it was because they would be forced to take whatever kids were currently at the failing school?

I agree that unions can go too far, but my wife (a teacher) says that "where there is a will, there is a way." She has seen her district (granted, here in TX) get rid of bad teachers, so it CAN be done.
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Old 05-31-2011, 04:47 PM
 
7,005 posts, read 12,420,022 times
Reputation: 5478
My middle school science teacher was horrible and she was eventually fired 7 years later. I really don't know how long she had been horrible before I had her. There was really no way to tell that she was a bad teacher because...gasp.....there were no standardized tests for science when I was in middle school. I know people think they're evil, but there was really no way to tell that that teacher wasn't really teaching anything and students weren't going to complain to administration or parents about not having to do much in her classes.
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Old 05-31-2011, 07:50 PM
 
2 posts, read 2,719 times
Reputation: 14
@Knittingguy - Can we breathe...Geez...If you don't like why in gods name would you choose to live in a ciy like San Antonio. It seems to me like you're the idiot who comes to San Antonio for someone who you claim to apparently love (Hog Wash)....If you loved her you wouldn't be complaining like a 4th grade girl - Get over it - Woosey :-)
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Old 05-31-2011, 07:52 PM
 
2 posts, read 2,719 times
Reputation: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by knittingguy View Post
I just moved here with my wife from upstate NY. We moved here mainly because of my wife. She is a Texan and she has family members living in San Antonio.

1) Hate the "friendliness".
As far as I am concerned, "being friendly" is just a nicer way to say that someone who is nosy and talks too much. Is it too difficult for people to just mind their own business?
2) Hate the slow turners!!!
I don't understand why people have to take forever to make a turn. Just turn!!! How difficult can it be????!!!!
3) Hate the slow drivers!!!
Just step on the gas pedal!! In my not so humble opinion, the 99% of the so called "traffic jams" will disappear if those slow drivers who are causing the traffic jams would just simply drive faster!!! At least, that's my experience. Whenever I am on 1604 or 410, as soon as the slow moron drivers move away, the traffic jams are gone.
4) Idiot turners!!
Come on, you have your own lane!! Just make your turn. Why do people have to wait till absolutely no cars before they can go?!?! They have their own lane!!!!! Plus, if you have enough space, just go; can people drive a little more aggressively please???!!!!
5) San Antonio is extremely slow-paced!!! To me, San Antonio is like a retirement community, where people are just enjoying their slow-paced lifestyles. I am only in my early 30's. I am at the age where I want to and should be competing with others. When I am at my retiring age, I may think about living in San Antonio; but for now, this is not the place where I want to live in. As fas as I am concerned, those people who tell people to slow down are just people who have no skills to compete with others and just try to come up with excuses to comfort themselves!

I am glad that my wife is loving her life in San Antonio. I want my wife to be happy. But I am going insane every second living in San Antonio. I probably need professional help before I go crazy here, or at least, before I do anything stupid that may harm myself or others. I cannot take it anymore!!!!

@Knittingguy - Can we breathe...Geez...If you don't like why in gods name would you choose to live in a ciy like San Antonio. It seems to me like you're the idiot who comes to San Antonio for someone who you claim to apparently love (Hog Wash)....If you loved her you wouldn't be complaining like a 4th grade girl - Get over it - Woosey :-)
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Old 05-31-2011, 09:52 PM
 
Location: North Central S.A.
1,220 posts, read 2,670,555 times
Reputation: 980
hate the "friendliness"? really??
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Old 06-03-2011, 05:15 PM
 
Location: Schertz, TX
418 posts, read 781,666 times
Reputation: 279
Bad drivers, in particular those drivers who pull out from a side street and cut you off at the last minute... I've never seen anything like this anywhere else.

The normally laid back SA folks seem to morph into big city rat race types once in their vehicles.

Also the nails, screws, bolts and metal pieces that seem to be strewn over the roads. Never seen anything like that anywhere else either... folks at work have all had trouble with their tires.
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