Discerning the Truth in Documentaries

Waiting For Superman is a documentary set to be released in select theaters on Friday. According to its website, the documentary explores the failures of American public education by following the lives of several students and their families. Waiting For Superman was directed and co-written by David Guggenheim. Guggenheim is best-known for directing the Oscar-winning film version of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. So far, Waiting For Superman has caught the attention of many Americans and the media. News outlets, talk-show hosts, movie critics, and celebrities hail the film as “eye-opening” and “a catalyst for real change” (see note #1). Oprah Winfrey devoted an episode of her talk-show to discussing the film with Guggenheim and strong supporter of the film and public education reform, Bill Gates. The episode also featured other people who are in the documentary.

One has probably heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” However, one should be discerning when considering seeing this documentary (or any other of its nature). It can be exciting to think that someone in Hollywood is finally drawing attention to the decaying condition of education in America. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm may be premature, but one can’t really be sure before viewing the film. However, there are some key questions to answer and thoughts to ponder before and while viewing it.

1. Worldview- Everyone has a worldview whether or not he or she is aware of it; it may be an atheistic worldview, a humanistic worldview, a biblical worldview, or even one of cultural relativism. It is important to understand that the worldviews of those involved in the film-making process will greatly influence the message of the documentary.

2. Educational Philosophy- The educational philosophies of the film-makers will be significant to the over-all message of the film. It’s important to have a deep understanding of one’s own educational philosophy before viewing a film of this nature. The movie-goers understanding of education can easily become convoluted if they are not firm in their beliefs or if their understanding of education is not clear. The educational philosophies of the film-makers will influence what they believe constitutes the failure of the education system. For example, according to movie critics and various reviews, Waiting For Superman places much of the blame on teacher unions and lack of funding. Depending on the viewer’s philosophies, he or she may disagree. Instead, the viewer may believe it’s an issue with the separation of church and state, teaching methodologies, or the educational philosophies of the Department of Education (at the federal, state, or local level). It’s important for an individual to know what he or she believes and why he or she believes it; it’s also important to view other theories or ideas through the looking-glass of one’s own beliefs.

3. Political Motivations- It’s important to consider the political motivations behind the film. Is the film gripping the attention of Americans because of its honest and truthful content? Rather, is it receiving hype because it pushes a hot topic for the upcoming elections? Does it further the political ambitions of a particular person or group? It’s very possible that a documentary may have no political angle; however, it’s still a factor to consider.

4. Results- What do the film-makers hope to see result from their film? What direction do they hope to steer America? It’s important to know the film-makers goals. Are their goals prominently centered on propagandizing education? Rather, do they earnestly care about the conditions of the American public education system and desire to see positive improvements?

Notes
1. Source for the Quotations

2. Waiting For Superman is said to discuss charter schools and their impact on the education. Keep in mind, many charter schools are considered “classical;” however, they do not provide a truly classical education. The Association of Classical and Christian Schools has published an excellent article, "It's Not Classical & Christian," addressing the differences between “classical” charter schools and true classical Christian schools, such as Glencoe Classical Academy. Copy and paste the following URL into your web browser to be redirected to the ACCS article: https://www.accsedu.org/It's_Not_Classical__Christian.ihtml?id=591621