Exposing the Mythology of Education Reform

In this week's program we take some time to explore the dominant narrative shaping so-called liberal education reform - how did this narrative evolve, what kinds of messages are being communicated, how does the on-the-ground experience of many teachers and students expose contradictions, and what does it look like to uncover a counter narrative?

Sut Jhally

We hear from media scholar Sut Jhally, as well as teachers Julie
Cavanagh, Alev Dervish & Brian Jones and parent & community member Lisa Donlan: four of the filmmakers of the Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman, a critical response to the heavily publicized and corporate backed 2010 film Waiting for Superman, a movie that further propagandizes ongoing education reform efforts that are influencing public perceptions and education policy in the U.S. The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman is just one example of grassroots efforts to deconstruct the myths that are upheld in the dominant discourse in the U.S. around public education.

Follow the links below to download this show as a podcast:
Education Radio Program #5 on Internet Archive
Education Radio Program #5 on Audioport

Follow the links to find out more about the Grassroots Education Movement and about The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman.

For further reading on education reform, see Education Radio Producer Tim Scott's paper: A Nation at Risk to Win the Future: The State of Public Education in the U.S.