The buzzy documentary Waiting for Superman seems to be all over the place.  In fact, I just had it referenced in a conversation in the last week.  I haven’t seen it, and probably will.  And yet, its very argument (which seems to be that there are thousands, if not millions of people waiting to be rescued from “failing” schools) seems to miss one of the important lessons of the title’s character: namely that Superman’s virtuousness inspires the people.  For 70 years, the comic has dealt with the trouble of rescuing and what it means to be a savior, but the real message is found in the people that are rescued and the people that witness it.  It isn’t the rescue itself, but the hope and generosity.  It is the potentiality that each of us can help someone else.  That the presence of Superman makes us better.

Ah!  But that is what charter schools do, isn’t it?  They get us all to behave better.  Not really.  Do a basic google search on that one.

As I see it, among those of us that have ever called ourselves comic nerds, there are two kinds of people: those that like Superman and those that like Batman.  If you like Superman, you value virtue, the public good, hope, responsibility, and justice for those that can’t save themselves.  If you like Batman, you value self-sacrifice, pessimism/pragmatism, individualism, vigilantism.  Superman refuses to kill.  Batman seems to find himself in situations in which that is “the only option.”  Superman would watch Smallville (naturally) while Batman would watch 24.  In many ways, they represent day and night.

What Davis Guggenheim, the film’s director should call his film is Waiting for Batman.  The approach is pessimistic and individualistic, not optimistic and virtuous.  Charter schools aren’t a savior, but an excuse to help turn public education into a for-profit venture.

But don’t take my word for it, read this outstanding review by Diane Ravitch.  And when you want to know how to truly improve education, watch Sir Ken Robinson‘s two talks at TED in 2006 and 2010.

Related Articles

• The Myth of Charter Schools (nybooks.com)
• “Playing Devil’s Advocate with “Waiting for Superman” – an interview with Davis Guggenheim” and related posts (blogs.orlandosentinel.com)