Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Now on TheBlaze Radio: ‘The Buck Sexton Show’

Education

Shocker: Teachers unions protest movie about failing public schools

Sep. 25, 2012 11:56am Meredith Jessup

Count me as one of the people excited to see “Won’t Back Down,” a much-anticipated film which tells the story of a parent and a teacher who work together to turn around a failing neighborhood school. Take a look:

The film stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis who were on hand in New York over the weekend for the big premiere. Also on hand for the film’s debut? Teachers unions. Angry union protesters marched and carried signs chanting slogans such as, “Move on over, corporate takeover?” and “Won’t back down, get outta town!”

A local NBC affiliate was on the ground and reported on the demonstration and the reactions from the movie’s cast & crew.

WATCH:

My favorite interview of the bunch was the teacher (?) who derided the film for “sending false hope to parents.” The same protester also complained that America’s public schools shouldn’t be “corporized,” or run by corporations — an argument which seems a) pretty darn illiterate for a teacher to make, and b) out of place at a film highlighting the work of a strong mother and a dedicated teacher.

Further, the news report notes how the film shows how the teachers union obstructs potential progress in schools “every step of the way.” Predictably, unions have a problem with this message — not because it isn’t true, but because they don’t want it to be public knowledge. Take, for instance, the state of Detroit’s public school system. With the city’s graduation rate hovering around 32%, you’d think the city would take all the help it could get — that is, unless the help you’re talking about comes in the form of non-unionized charter schools.

Bob Thompson, a retired entrepreneur, invested some of his fortune to create a successful charter school in Detroit that graduated more than 90% of its students. When he offered the city of Detroit a gift of $500 million to build 15 more like it, teachers unions and Democratic lawmakers turned him away. Why? Because Thompson’s proposed plan was based on measuring student performance — a policy teachers unions complain is unfair. So instead of graduating 90% of students and building new schools for the bargain price of just $1 per year, Detroit’s school system crawls onward, dragging down countless students and their hopes for a better future, a better city.

It’s not the first time the state of Michigan failed to accept a generous offer for better education. Another billionaire entrepreneur, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, offered up $200 million of his own money to build a new campus for Ave Maria University, a Catholic school he founded. But red tape from county and local officials prevented the necessary zoning changes so Monaghan and his $200 million went to Florida.

In the state of Michigan, the public overwhelmingly supports the development of charter schools and African Americans are among their biggest supporters (75%+). But public opinion is of little consequence to unions and their Democratic supporters who are entrenched with an unyielding monopoly on public education.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (10)

castaways
Posted on September 26, 2012 at 9:22pm
If I was a union member I would be embarresed by what has become of this. There are many wonderful teachers out there only to be grouped together with the ones that cant cut it or the ones who committ despicable acts against students. Yet the union protects these teachers and will not get rid of them. Unions used to have a place, but they have become so corrupt and so big that I dont think they can be broken….Who suffers, the kids….Shame on the teachers who stand with their union and do not stand up for what is right, but only the selfish greed!!!!

Report this comment
Truth4SureNuff
Posted on September 26, 2012 at 10:31am
Private school teachers are paid far less then their public education counter parts, they are required to save for their own retirement because they do NOT get a 70+% pension, and yet they provide young minds with the nutrients to grow.

Report this comment
Cosmos102
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 9:23pm
Michigan’s State Legislators are clearly beneficiaries of the dumbed down curriculum of the state’s failed public schools. This article proves teachers unions are failing in every category, including fiscally since they help bankrupt the state with bloated teachers pensions and benefits. Tsk, tsk. What was once a proud and prosperous state has now become a crumbling ruin.

Report this comment
Melvin Spittle
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 2:58pm
Why is it that we do not take our children’s future back from the indoctrinators that pass themselves of as “educators”? Many of us have done exactly that by sending our children to private schools, but there are even more that just can’t afford to do this. Home schooling is another option, but one that is not practical for all.

Remember this “indoctrinator”?

“Harris:Any of you pullin for John McCain? That’s fine, say him as well.

Student: Obama.

[Cathy, the daughter of an American soldier answers McCain.]

Harris:John, oh lord, John McCain.

Oh Jesus, John McCain.

Ok, now I wanna axe you somethin.

Why are you pullin for John McCain? It’s ok, but why are you pullin for John McCain?

Cathy: I thinks it’s because my parents are going for him too.

Harris: Ok, your parents are going for him. Why are you pullin for Ba-RACK. Barack.

……

Harris: So, he’s making good changes for our country. Now can you tell me just a little bit more, like what type of changes?

Like not having big fights between Iraq and having soldiers killed.

So in other words, Barack is going to end that war in Iraq. What do you all know about that war in Iraq?

[Harris addresses Kathy] Talk, cause yo daddy in the military. Talk. It’s a senseless war! And by the way, Cathy, the person that you’re picking for president said that our troops could stay in Iraq for another hundred years if they need to!

Harris: So that means that your daddy could stay

Report this comment
woodyee
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 2:52pm
Maggie Gyllenhaal…

Isn’t that the sister of the really happy “Broke-Back Mountain” guy?

Report this comment
RSHLUVER
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 1:19pm
What is liberal activist Maggie Gyllenhaal doing in an anti teacher union film? Talk about selling out your principles?

Report this comment
- Melvin Spittle
  Posted on September 25, 2012 at 4:48pm
  Even a broke clock……you know the rest.
  
  Report this comment
anothercomment
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 1:05pm
I have not seen the movie, and I may not since the message results in turning this movie school into a “charter school.”
But to inform: home schooling parents have a support system that allows children to meet and have school lessons in a group sessions, including group field trips appropriate for each child’s grade level.
But the message this movie seems initially offers: public schools are as corrupt as the current administration, is a valid argument. The facts remain true: children that graduate high school without working reading skills, without working writing skills, without working critical thinking skills, and without simple skills to work anywhere other than McDonald’s. Some of these graduates manage to have enough common sense to find employment in the oil fields (this is nasty, dangerous and very difficult work, not many will qualify). Sorry to pick on McDonald’s, yet that conclusion can be proven by a personal visit. Look at the tattoos, piercings, lack of dress code (clean clothing) hair control, cooking methods and the point is proven. Note: don’t eat the food, if you must, order a small coffee and pour it out when you leave.
We fail our children when we send them to public schools as they stand now, and many parents do not have the money to send their children to parochial schools, private schools, or even stay at home to school their children. We reap what we sow.

Report this comment
noslave
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 12:50pm
MAY CATCH ON,THATS WHY THE FEAR,if everybody takes the kids future in account,remember you’ll be old and dependant on these kids,imagine incompitants feeding you(pokeing you in the eye?)or doctors(sewing your arm on your azz?)its in your best interest to stop the dumbing down??takeover schools,replace worthless union teachers with non-union qualified graduates at decent pay???? let the bloated union coffers support the worthless FIRED teachers this way they cant burden the taxpayers on unemployment,theres enough regular folks there due to obamas favoring union jobs only??

Report this comment
Gripes
Posted on September 25, 2012 at 12:16pm
You’d figure that the better tactic is to ignore the movie and hope that nobody sees it. I guess the makers of the movie can say to the teachers’ unions: “Thanks for the publicity.”

Report this comment

Comments are closed.

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.

« Back to The Blaze