Beyond the Blackboard

Now Even I Can See the PRI Movie...

This just in through an email, my thoughts pick up after the line:

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There will be a FREE showing to all interested members of the CUSD Community of the movie: "Not as Good As You Think - The Myth of The Middle Class School" on Sunday March 7th from 4-6 PM at the Dana Point Community Center at 34052 Del Obispo, Dana Point, CA 92629 This movie has been used by those in support of the current CUSD Board of Trustees to justify their current policy decisions which has resulted in severe harm to our public schools and the public trust in these elected officials.  

This movie incorrectly portrays many aspects of our local public schools and also features Trustee Mike Winsten who is now being recalled.< Coinciding with the showing of this movie will be a audio-visual presentation of "Oh What a Tangled Web They Weave" which will show the connections between members of the CUSD Board of Trustees, The Education Alliance, The Pacific Research Institute, Howard Ahmanson, and other anti-public education organizations now inserting their influence into our local school district

Space is limited. Please RVSP to: [email protected]

Hosted by a concerned citizen and resident of Dana Point.

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Some of you might remember last time the PRI movie was shown publicly, I RSVP'd and got a reservation, then later was told it was full, then found someone with a ticket but was asked to leave anyhow ... Here's the OC Weekly's recount of that experience.

'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?