Film Critiques U.S. Education, Parents Hear Call to Action

Many parents nodded along with the movie “Race to Nowhere” at , while others chuckled as they likely recognized parts of their own child rearing experiences echoed by the documentary.

The film, released in 2009, , including lack of downtime, excessive homework, family overscheduling, cheating and stress. Maine Township High School District 207 and Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 sponsored a screening Monday.

Teenagers shown in the movie had overloaded AP classes on their schedule and couldn’t cope with getting a “bad” grade, even a B. A California AP biology teacher even noted that there’s no way for the class to get through everything in the curriculum, so they “go through it as fast as [they] can.”

The film made the point that the U.S. education system, called “a mile wide and an inch deep”, has created a couple generations with “training wheels,” who don’t know how to think critically and don’t have any free time to play or be bored.

The Elementary Learning Foundation for District 64 organized the event after Chairwoman Carolyn Uhlig saw the movie at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka.

“What spoke to me was taking control of my family and making sure they were healthy and happy,” she said. “It’s a good place to start the discussion. No matter what age your kids are it’s not too late to reclaim your family time.”

Maine South Principal Shawn Messmer moderated a discussion  between District 64 Superintendent Philip Bender, District 207 Superintendent Ken Wallace, Lawrence University admissions counselor Carin Smith, Maine South social worker Mary Angioletti, and Maine South career and college counselor Stephanie Maksymiu following the movie.

Wallace said a major problem is that memorizing material, which many children do in order to earn a good grade on a test, doesn’t “lead to deep learning or understanding.”

Angioletti said parents should try to be aware of what unspoken messages they are sending about college preparation, and Maksymiu said it’s important to “keep your child in mind” when looking at colleges.

Most kids Smith talks to, she said, have no idea what they are passionate about or what they would do if they had free time on any given Saturday. Maksymiu echoed that, saying colleges want students to do what they love, because preparing for college and adulthood shouldn’t be a checklist.

Bender emphasized parents should always feel like they can approach a teacher if their child is having issues, or to discuss homework or social situations. If for some reason they cannot talk to the teacher, they should go to the principal, he said.

“If something is detrimental to your child, it is so important,” Bender said.

In an interactive poll after the film, audience members used their cell phones to text votes to questions. Preliminary results showed that parents were most concerned about lack of family time, finding a balance, the amount of homework and emphasis on standardized tests in their children’s lives.

Maddalena Wessel, a mother of two, said the movie was an eye opener. Her 11-year-old daughter, who goes to school in Park Ridge, has already seen social stressors in middle school, but she was happy that she hasn’t come home with a lot of homework yet.

Whether the movie offered new information for local parents or not, administrators did indicate to parents there is no mold for what makes a “good student.”

“Life is not a multiple-choice test,” Wallace said. “There’s never just one right answer in life.”