By Paige Dickerson
Peninsula Daily News
CHIMACUM — “Race to Nowhere,” a film exploring current issues and the future of education will be shown Tuesday, May 10, at Chimacum Middle School — one of only four schools in the state to be chosen for screening.
The film, which was originally released in 2009, will screen at 6 p.m. at 91 West Valley Road.
Teacher Al Gonzalez applied to have the film brought to Chimacum after he heard about it.
“Around the time that ‘Waiting for Superman’ was coming out in theaters, there was a lot of chatter on Twitter about the one-sidedness of that movie,” Gonzalez said.
“Through my personal learning network on Twitter, I heard about another movie that was like the other side of the story.
“So I looked it up. ‘Race to Nowhere’ was not coming out theaters any time soon. It is being screened all over the country in schools so that communities can start discussing what’s most important for their children.
“I wanted that discussion to happen here in Chimacum.
“I think with all the problems facing our state and country and the way education is headed, these types of discussion at the local level are very necessary.”
Different conclusions
Both films look at issues related to children and education but differ in what causes problems.
“The way I see it is that they are pretty much polar opposites,” Gonzalez said.
“‘Waiting for Superman’ puts blame on America’s teachers and figures that getting rid of teacher’s unions is the way to get rid of bad teachers.
“With bad teachers out of the way test scores will rise.
“So in ‘Waiting for Superman’ the standardized test is the method by which we will determine success in our schools. . . . So competition decides which schools get money instead of putting money where it’s needed.”
Gonzalez said he feels that “Race to Nowhere” — which is a play on the words Race to the Top, a federal education program — a more accurate view of standardized testing and the politics of schools is presented.
“‘Race to Nowhere’ shows what, in my humble opinion, is more accurate, that standardized testing leads to teachers being forced to teach students how to master a, most often, multiple choice test because their jobs will come to depend on kids scoring high,” he said.
“[The movie] empowers kids to take ownership of their own learning, which makes sense in the connected, global, interactive world we live in.”
Tickets to see “Race to Nowhere” can be purchased online in advance for $10 at www.racetonowhere.com/epostcard/4935.
Tickets at the door will be $15.
Gonzalez said he invited not only community members but also government officials such as Gov. Chris Gregoire.
The film is rated PG-13 and Gonzalez said it should be appropriate for most students.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
