'Not As Good' Gets More Attention *Updated

Scott Martindale at the Register just posted a piece that the Pacific Research Institute's "Not As Good As You Think," a documentary critical of public schools that devotes a bit of time to Capistrano Unified, will be aired in Washington, D.C.

From Martindale's piece:

WASHINGTON – A libertarian think-tank that prominently features the Capistrano Unified School District in a documentary about how the U.S. public school system is broken will screen its 49-minute film this afternoon on Capitol Hill.

"Not as Good as You Think: The Myth of the Middle Class School" recounts a five-year effort by the CUSD Recall Committee parents group to bring reforms to a school district plagued by scandal, community unrest and allegations of corruption reaching into the highest levels of its administration.

It was released in May by the Pacific Research Institute, a libertarian think-tank in San Francisco.

"We have made a national impact here in Capistrano Unified," said Recall Committee leader and parent Tony Beall, a Rancho Santa Margarita city councilman. "It's nice that our efforts are being recognized at the U.S. Capitol."

The 2:30 p.m. screening will be hosted by two leading GOP lawmakers – U.S. House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee.

Co-hosting the screening will be the film's executive producer, Lance Izumi, and director Nick Tucker. None of the Capistrano parents in the film are scheduled to attend.

Here's Scott's entire piece.

*Update: Well, this is ironic. Today's mail brought a letter from the PRI. I thought maybe it was the announcement about the movie -- Nope. It's a fund-raising solicit letter. Hmm. They boot me out of their movie, then send a letter asking for money? 

Comments

[Afraid for Public Education as We Know It]

Let's hope those in Washington who see this "film" will see through the ridiculous propaganda!!! Don't they have better things to do with their time than watch a biased film that is obviously aimed at achieving Education Alliance's objective of ruining public schools?

[socmom]

Hopefully our leaders in Washington will take the time to look carefully at the information presented in this film. The Oakland charter school highlighted in the film for its high test scores does not serve English language learners or students with disabilities. The Swedish experiment with vouchers has been notable for its failure, since Swedish tests scores have plummeted in recent years. And although the film shows photos of CUSD schools while talking about disappointing test scores at middle class schools, what they don't say is that CUSD schools do very well on these assessments.

[Observer]

Well, this a perfect opportunity to write to DC to every Congressman and to every Senator and tell them what this propaganda film is all about.
Perhaps Beall's rope is long enough now...

[public school supporter]

Just blogging on this site will not do it. The PRI and the 2 congressional representatives need to get an ear full from people who know that the film deals with liars, yes I said liars, and spin. A safe new high school, a safe new education center, multiple schools built in a record period of time, multiple school modernizations in a record period of time, numerous Golden Bell awards, multiple Magna Awards, all high schools ranked in the top 1000 nationally, multiple California Distinguished Schools and National Blue Ribbon Schools, ever- improving test scores on all testing instruments, a salary schedule for teachers and administrators that "was" competitive, nationally acclaimed music programs, outstanding athletic programs, NO EVIDENCE of financial criminal activity or mismanagement no matter how many audits are done or how many superintendents search for wrong doing. Yep, that old guard really drove this school district over the cliff.

Just love our new board and superintendent. They have brought the school community together, "fixed" all the horrible conditions with portables they used to complain about, found and solved the criminal and corruptfiscal problems, sold the new ed. center. They have done nothing about their promises. They are A+ at blowing up what was an excellent school district. Our school district has been taken over by political thugs.

[These trustees are EVIL]

This is further evidence of the pure EVIL behind the throne.....Trustees if you are reading this you need to resign or be recalled.......what you are trying to accomplish is true EVIL and it needs to be dealt with and quickly. This film was shown in San Diego recently and our fearless mental case, Ana Bryson, was in attendance. Mental illness is no excuse for EVIL....

[Observer]

There are some people already organizing a response campaign. As you can see this is a national agenda to bring the theocracy back to this country, to destroy anything that is public including public education, to destroy unions so we can be slaves again. Trustees are just ideological puppets. Just think how this aganda is being implemented by this Board. Now this is all on the table.

[Disgusted!]

This film is a bunch of propaganda. What a complete joke! And then they want money for their cause? Why not use the tax paying dollars their trustees used to settle their case to the Bealls, Russell and Case family. What a complete JOKE!!

[Observer]

Disgusted,

Regardless how we fell about all of this they are marching on spreading their BS. They are getting a lot of mileage from this film. The propaganda machine at its best. The sad part is that we have a lot of stupid people in our country who believe this nonsense.

[truth]

who are "they"?

[Reality Check]

Every PTA should get a (pirated) copy of this movie and screen it for membership -- and then compare it to the reality: high test scores, happy students, dedicated staffs, safe schools, and a new school board that has slashed leadership, personnel, salaries, programs, maintenance, supply budgets, morale, transparency, and our reputation in the community. They can ask each other why the board paid the stars of the movie in a backroom settlement of a bogus lawsuit without a trial. They can ask each other if the district portrayed by our elected officials is the district they see every day in their active involvement on campus. Parents need to see this video, the board and supporters for the cancer they are.