Thoughts on "Waiting for Superman"

I have never been a fan of comics or superhero movies maybe that's why I have not come to believe in superman as a child. For me the only super 'humans' I believed to exist are my parents and grandparents who worked hard in order to give my siblings and I a better future. All my kindergarten and elementary years (grade 1 to 6)  my parents worked hard to get me into a private school. Yearly my parents pay an average 40 000+ pesos to pay for my tuition fees not including other fees (extracurricular activities, transport, etc). In addition there are higher fees for my older brother and sister. Because of this, plus many political unrest happening, my parents, like many filipino families decided to move to New Zealand. Before I didn't understand why we had to leave our friends and family and the comfort of our big house and great school. But now I realise that it is because of their love for us, because of their hope for a better future for their children.

In the Philippines we have a lot of american influence especially in the education system. However I've never heard of a lottery system applied in education, until I saw 'Waiting For Superman' which was a real shock to me. Instead we have the tracking system, which I think in some ways have proven to be successful, but now I see in many ways unfair as it leaves others behind and more disadvantaged.

I remembered going to my school  we pass by 3 public schools. I have not attended a public school and so I have no first hand knowledge of what it's like. Although both my parents went to public schools and were successful in their chosen fields (engineering and architecture), they've chosen to send us to a private school. This choice resembles and echoes Davis Guggenheim's thoughts:

“reality set in… my feelings about public education did not matter too much as my fear of sending them to a failing school. And so every morning betraying the ideals I thought I live by, I drive past three public schools as I take my kids to a private school. But, I’m lucky I have a choice. Other families pin there hopes to a bouncing ball, a hand pulling a card from a box, or a computer that generates random sequence. Because when there’s a great public schools there aren’t enough spaces. And so we do what’s fair … we place our children and their future in the hands of luck”.

None of my filipino friends here went to a public elementary school, but I know a few who went to a public Science high school. This shift from a private elementary to public high school is not uncommon, because Science High Schools are regarded to have high quality education. However, it is very hard to get in. First you need high grades from your final elementary year, then you take enrollment exams that cost a minimum of 100 pesos. Usually those who pass had to go through months of private tutoring, and thus additional expenses. 

In addition, Science High Schools only take top students. "To be eligible for admission, applicants must belong to the top 10% of the graduating class or must have special aptitude in science and math" (PSHS, 2011). Although scholarships are offered usually those from private schools have more advantage. 

High standard? Prestigious? or unfair? Yes.

At first, this system sounds great and so prestigious, however it leaves a large number of students who are being ignored -most are from poor families, that are continually being disadvantaged. Thus, resulting to a large number of students not getting proper education at secondary level. This eventually leads to increased poverty as lack of education leads to unemployment causing a number of social and economic problems. 

....

Looking at the lives and stories of five different students from different backgrounds, their future will be determined by the school they attend (four of which are poor). The film states the extreme importance of education for children and challenges the current unhealthy public education system as seen in America. Despite efforts of reforming education, the system is still left broken because of the strong teacher's unions and bureaucracy having the "mindset that they have the right to the job" which the reformer, Michelle Rhee wanted to change. However she soon realised that in the current system it is nearly impossible to fire a badly performing teacher who has reached their two-year tenure (1 out of 2500 lose their job as a teacher every year). "There's unbelievable truth to turn a blind eye to the injustices of the schools in the name of harmony amongst adults" (Rhee).

For most Americans they pin their hopes in to a ball. Literally, leaving it all up to chance.  From where I came from its a tough competition. I find these two parallels heart breaking. 

For a large number of people, no matter how hard their parents try to get them out of poverty through education, it seems that their efforts are never enough as even public schools are not so free at all.                          

Despite of the sad realities, the film shed some light through people who are committed to their vision to reform education system. An alternative solution they came up with is through charter schools, public schools with public money, but independent from government. These are aimed at the most deprived areas. With its success, they have challenged educational beliefs that poor neighbourhood makes for poor students, are in fact vice versa. It turns out that  students are capable of great things, regardless of socioeconomic background, if they have a great teacher and great school who gives them high expectations and believes in them. However when decision makers and educators view students in poverty as somehow less capable, they're setting them up to fail.  


Everyone will probably agree that quality education for every child is extremely important, not just for the individual's future but for the whole community and society in both developed and developing countries. But do the actual policies back that up? or does it all become "about the adults"?

The film ends with thought-provoking questions which Guggenheim raised:

"What happens if a school fails a kid? What happens over time?  Now that we know its possible to get a every child  a great education, what is our obligation to other people’s children? Sometimes I think its easier to look at the inner schools and look at the problems scratch out heads throw up our hands and give up rather than look at just one. We ask ourselves did we do the right thing? Did we do enough? If we give up, what is the result?" 

As planners and decision makers, I think these questions are relevant especially if we are to remove the barriers to change.