by Eric Benzel

I thought about titling this post, “Am I Superman?”. Since I sat through the pre-screening several weeks ago at Teachers College, the film has been blogged to death, featured on Oprah, and mentioned by Obama. At risk of saying what everyone else has already said (where are the teachers, film propaganda, eye-opening glimpse into the achievement gap, anti-union blasphemy, reform wake up call, best documentary of the year, worst documentary ever, etc etc etc), I though that instead, I might offer a voice that hasn’t been heard much. Young teachers, like the ones who have been flocking to organizations like TfA, to new School of Ed prep programs, and to fellowships like mine, have started talking about being on the front lines of the fight for equity. Are we the superheroes this movie is asking for? Or are we just a part of the superhero force?

This is a question I’ve been asking a lot this semester. I am happy and excited about taking responsibility for raising students’ test scores in math, helping students become more interested and motivated in studying math, and even helping improve students’ general disposition towards school, college, and most importantly themselves. This seems like part of the teacher job description, and yeah, we should probably be held accountable (in someway… this is the hard part).

Yet isn’t the ’superman’ of this film in charge of so much more? This superhero seems to be in charge of lifting students out of poverty, ensuring their success in college, and restoring healthy communities. The documentary talks about turning around drop out factories, ending discriminatory tracking practices, and transcending deeply entrenched inequalities. I know that it doesn’t specifically put these responsibilities on the teacher, but remember the whole scene about how good teachers can make a difference? Let’s not forget that Hanushek’s study of top/bottom quartile teachers’ impact on student growth was looking specifically at test scores, not student salvation.

Here’s where I think the movie makes a really amazing (but subtle) point. Charters have provided an amazing and valuable insight into helping students succeed: yes, teachers are superheroes of the charters but they aren’t the only ones. One of the strengths of so many great charter schools is the emphasis on parents, community members, paras, principles, security members, and STUDENTS as equally important and influential superheroes. In a way, charter networks and other school networks (especially KIPP, Harlem Children’s Zone) show us how there are lots of superheroes already out there: we just have to get them all ‘flying’ in the same direction: towards our amazing children.

So, in response to my original title: “Am I superman?” I answer an emphatic “I hope so!” But I also know that it won’t be enough if I rely on my superpowers alone. According to some comic ‘traditions’ (power rangers, fantastic four, x-men, etc) it takes a team of superheros to save a city. We could probably learn from this approach.

My recommendation: Davis Guggenheim, you should have titled your documentary, “Where all my superheroes at?”.

Side note: I’ve had a lot of friends ask me if they should see the film. I think everyone should see the film. I also think everyone should take their emotion and reaction and go do some solid, critical research afterwards. There are lots of people offering thoughts on the film and potential ways ahead. Also, there are already great organizations (charter, public, non-profit, and outside the system) already doing great things. Don’t assume that some of the solutions offered by the film are the only ways forward.