Films with: Canada, Geoffrey

Lottery

Focuses on the charter school experience for African American families. In a country where 58% of African American 4th graders are functionally illiterate, The Lottery uncovers the failures of the traditional public school system and reveals that hundreds of thousands of parents attempt to flee the system every year. Follows four of these families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered their children in a charter school lottery to attend the Harlem Success Academy, a public charter school founded by Eva Moskowitz, a former New York City councilwoman. Out of thousands of hopefuls, only a small minority will win the chance of a better future. Uncovers a ferocious debate surrounding the education reform movement. Interviews with politicians and educators explain not only the crisis in public education, but also why it is fixable. A call to action to avert a catastrophe in the education of American children, The Lottery makes the case that any child can succeed.

DVD 9359

Waiting for "Superman"

Provided is an engaging and inspiring look at public education in the United States. This documentary has helped launch a movement to achieve a real and lasting change through the compelling stories of five unforgettable students such as Emily, a Silicon Valley eighth-grader who is afraid of being labeled as unfit for college, and Francisco, a Bronx first-grader whose mom will do anything to give him a shot at a better life.

DVD 7959