10 Reasons Not to See "Won’t Back Down"

[no_hypocrisy]

-snip-

Won’t Back Down promotes an ALEC model bill. The film promotes the “parent trigger” law, an ALEC-created policy proposal that turns public schools into privately-run charter schools. ALEC also brought you Arizona’s draconian immigration law, Pennsylvania’s disenfranchising voter ID law, and Wisconsin’s union-busting Act 10.

Won’t Back Down is deeply deceptive. The “parent trigger” law promoted by the film has only been used twice in real life. Both instances have created “legal and community disasters,” writes Salon.com’s Alexander Zaitchik

Won’t Back Down promotes horrible (and untrue) stereotypes about teachers. The film shows public school teachers as listless and uncaring. One teacher is even shown locking a girl in a closet. As Randi Weingarten writes in the Washington Post:

I don’t recognize the teachers portrayed in this movie…The teachers I know are women and men who have devoted their lives to helping children learn and grow and reach their full potential. These women and men come in early, stay late to mentor and tutor students, coach sports teams, advise the student council, work through lunch breaks, purchase school supplies using money from their own pockets, and spend their evenings planning lessons, grading papers and talking to parents.

-more-

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/28/1137616/-10-Reasons-Not-to-See-Won-t-Back-Down

[Arugula Latte]

1. Disgusting! I hope that movie sinks like a stone.

When I first saw previews I had hoped it had a good message about fighting for public education. No such luck.

[Voice for Peace]

2. there are many teachers who need care themselves.

I have always noticed that if you nourish a mother,
her child will benefit. If you encourage parents who are
struggling with their children, and give them good tools,
the children benefit directly.

I believe it's the same with teachers. If they are severely
cared about, given ongoing encouragement & opportunities,
and good health care and good benefits overall, it would
show up in their classroom & the kids would directly benefit.

It's absolutely the hardest job on the planet in my opinion,
and crucial to the future of everybody. Teachers deserve the
investment to help them achieve their unique gifts. Not
pressure to perform under absolutely shitty conditions and
irrelevant curriculum. curriculae?

also, When a school nourishes the parents as well as the
children, the children benefit directly. When a school
educates a nourished child, he or she becomes a teacher
at home. (This is what I've witnessed, it's not just
speculation.)