Oprah Stamps Waiting for "Superman"

Today, Oprah will put her official stamp on the documentary, Waiting for “Superman.”  A film that was made to show the most common gaps and cracks found in the education system of America.

Education, but definitely, urban education is very near and dear to my heart. Not just because I work with inner-city youth, but because—as a single mother—I have been faced with some of the same issues that the families are faced with in the documentary. And trust me when I tell you, there isn’t a textbook that exist, and you can devour as many pages as you want written by educators like Jonathan Kozol to others like Lisa Delpit, nothing can really prepare you to actually see firsthand what “certain” students face on a daily basis. Some of the “pseudo-schools” I’ve seen would not even be considered a safe space, much less a learning institution.  

I’m not naïve enough to believe Oprah can change this very broken system with just one show, however, I do believe her influence—and that infamous “Oprah” effect will at least get the documentary, and its message, into the right hearts and into more theaters before its September 24^th release date.I have not seen the entire film yet, but Geoffrey Canada, (Harlem Children’s Zone), is the muse for some of the work. If you don’t know who that is Paul Tough captured part of his story in Whatever It Takes. (Interesting read).

 The director of Waiting for Superman, David Guggenheim, told the rest of the story through the eyes of five of the children who are directly affected. Personally, I thought this was a brilliant decision because people need to hear from the kids in their own unfiltered words.

From what I have seen, the documentary does not put the responsibility solely on just one source. It divulges a trajectory of blame from the government, administration, teachers’ union, teachers, states and the nation as a whole. Basically, it puts a mirror up to society, and the reflection peering back at you is not all that pretty.

At the end of the day, children should be entitled to a great education no matter where they live or the hue of their skin. It should not be a gamble, (i.e. lottery)—it should be a given.  And if America really does not believe that every child is entitled to an adequate education, then maybe Waiting for Superman can educate them on the consequences of children not having one.

Check out its trailer below: