First Post and Waiting for Superman

I have been meaning to create a blog for a while, but I just haven't gotten around to doing it until now.  I figured that as I start my year with AmeriCorps, I will likely have a lot to write about, and this is as good a time as any to begin.

While I will have a lot to write about regarding my year of service, this will also be a place for me to put random thoughts or photos, as I have become a little bit of a photography nerd.

I wanted to use my first post to talk about Waiting for Superman, which I saw for the first time yesterday.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend renting it. (If you have Verizon cable, you can get it onDemand.)

The movie provides a look at our public school system and follows a few students in neighborhoods with less than stellar schools as they seek an education that will give them a chance at successful futures.

Simply put, the movie made me mad.  This country that prides itself on being the world's superpower has an education system that does not give all kids a fair shake.  Something is wrong when a child's chance at success in life is often determined by the neighborhood in which they are born.

Each of the students in the movie applies to a charter school in the hopes of improving their educational opportunities.  These schools are then legally obligated to hold a random public drawing to determine entry when there are more applicants than available spots.  It is heartbreaking to watch the kids and their parents squirm as name after name is called.  A child's future is on the line, and that future is determined by someone drawing a name out of a hat.

Far too much is at stake to leave it to chance.  Every family should be able to send their kids to a local public school with the knowledge that the school employs the best teachers available and that those teachers truly care about the students in their classrooms.  As Waiting for Superman illustrates, that is a luxury many parents and kids in this country simply don't have.

The movie left me feeling a little helpless.  While there are people out there with innovative ideas and proven track records, the system is so entrenched that many of the reform efforts have been blocked and denied.  Let's hope it doesn't take a "Superman" to show those in power how crippling a poor education can be to a child's future.  If it does, we could be waiting a very long time.

See more about the movie and view the trailer at http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/