A cartel, the lottery, and waiting for Superman

Charter schools are gaining popularity -- there are currently 99 in New York City. And while I will avoid any technical data (that's not the point of this post), I will say that I've heard first-hand accounts of the growing trend: I have multiple friends who have decided to teach at such schools.

Recently, producers and directors have decided to bring the story of charter schools to film. Three stick out in my mind.

There's The Cartel which introduces the declining public education problem, and the monopoly of the teachers' unions:

The Lottery follows four families in New York City who enter a charter school lottery to try and solve the problem of failing public education:

And finally, Waiting for Superman -- a film (opening this week) that highlights the national education problem and gives an overview of how charter schools are filling the void left by inadequate public schools. The film has the support and attention of elites such as Bill Gates: