Friends group plans viewing of controversial education documentary

The Friends of the Boca Grande Community Center will be hosting their second of the Film Forum “See Something Worth Talking About” panel discussions on Friday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. in the Boca Grande Community Center auditorium.

The first in the series, “Gasland,” was enthusiastically received by an audience that nearly filled the Community Center auditorium. Six panelists represented a spectrum of views, ranging from an environmental attorney to an energy engineer.

Viewings of “Waiting for Superman” and possibly “American Teacher” will be announced at a later date.

“Waiting for Superman” is a documentary created in 2010 by Davis Guggenheim and Lesley Chilcott. The film explores the failures of American public school systems, the options of charter schools and much more.
The film received awards at the Sundance Film Festival and at the Critic’s Choice Movie Awards.

Some academics have dismissed the film as distorted and relying on half-truths for information, but many scholars have praised it as being truthful and terrifying.

“American Teacher” is a documentary created by the Teacher Salary Project, a non-profit organization that publicizes the working conditions of public school teachers. It was created this year and was shown in a few selected theaters.

The panel discussion will be moderated by island resident Dr. Rosemary Bowler, who has an AB from Wilson College, an MA from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Boston College.

Panelists will include: Carolyn D. Cowen, who earned her Ed.M from Harvard in reading and reading disabilities; Marcia Louden, principal of L.A. Ainger Middle School in Englewood, who received an MA in administration and supervision from Nova University and a BA from the University of Colorado; Mark Pritchett, senior vice president for community investment at Gulf Coast Community Foundation; Chuck Richards, who has been a practitioner in the public sector labor-management arena for nearly 40 years; Emily Steffan, who graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2008 with a degree in history and global studies and a minor in Spanish; and Bayne Stevenson, a businessman and developer who chairs The Island School Foundation.

The cost for the 2 p.m. panel discussion is $10.

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