The U.S. Educational System: 3 New Films You Should See

"The lesson is that the most cherished institution we have models a prison." (from The War on Kids)

"Who wants to go to a place where your thoughts and actions are controlled all day?" (from The War on Kids)

The War on Kids (2009, 95 minutes) compares our current educational system to a prison system. The film asserts that the failings of our educational institution are largely due to the broken systems that inhabit it. The focus has become on controlling children, taking away their freedoms due to irrational and inflated fears, and subjecting children to a prison-like atmosphere.

Here's the trailer to the film:






"The problem is a system that protects academic failure." (from The Lottery)

"A child's destiny should not be determined on the pull of a draw." (from The Lottery)


What if it were up to purely random chance as to whether your children got into a good school or a poor one? In the U.S. each year, hundreds of thousands of school children have their academic fates decided by lotteries. The Lottery (2010, 99 minutes) follows four families from Harlem and the Bronx who are striving to achieve a good education for their children. The film explores their lives in the months leading up to the lottery for Harlem Success Academy, one of the most successful schools in New York. It also explores some of the complexities and politicization involved in educational reform.

Here's the trailer to the film:




Why are our students in academic trouble when the U.S. spends more than any other country on education? Why are so many students dropping out? Why have so many children lost their dreams and their passion to learn? Dream With Me (2010) looks at the education crisis in the U.S. and the efforts of educators and others to enact positive change and completely transform the system. The filmmakers visited different schools around the country to learn about the problems and some potential solutions.

Here's the trailer to the film (& a message from the directors):




These are great films for sparking discussion, critical thinking and the creation of positive, restorative, transformative solutions for educating children and creating a better world for all.

~ Marsha

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