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Education Erosion //Waiting for Superman// vs. //The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman// media type="youtube" key="o4I8iVGSpmQ" height="155" width="280" media type="youtube" key="yLmXV4-CBOQ" height="155" width="339"

Education. The United States of America has always coveted and touted the belief that all children should, and will receive a free education. For decades, the education system of the U.S. has been in dire need of changes, and Davis Guggenheim, the documentarian of //Waiting for Superman//, argues that the only solution is for a hero to come and save our education system. Guggenheim uses his ethos as a respected documentarian and the pathos of heart-wrenching stories of children who are losing hope as swords that will strike fear and action into the hearts of every American, eliciting a cry for action from all who view his message.

Guggenheim’s documentary and resolution has been met with praise as well as controversy. One specific look into Guggenheim’s message found the message lacking and led a group of parents and educators, Julie Cavanagh, Darren Marelli, Norm Scott, Mollie Bruhn, and Lisa Donlan, to create the documentary //The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman// as a response. These directors argue that Guggenheim failed to include the views and concerns from educators in the classroom as well as the cost of implementing charter schools and how these dollars will cause a drain from public school education funds.

This wiki will explore the films //Waiting for Superman// and //The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman//. Through our exploration, we will examine how the filmmakers use video elements to enhance and shape their stories. We will also explore what the filmmakers intentionally or unintentionally included or left out. Finally, we will examine ways in which these documentaries could be used within a classroom. Please begin your exploration by viewing the Documentary Analysis page. If you are interested in ways to incorporate these documentaries into your classroom, please review the Superintendent, Union , and Lottery Lesson Plans pages.