Lerone Wilson is a 23 year-old former student teacher and “No Child Left Behind” is his first film. The press releases for the film, which premiers next month in New York, claim “he film explores the triumphs and shortcomings of President Bush’s education reforms, with particular focus on the New York City schools, and Mayor Bloomberg’s education reforms. The filmmaker also returns to the Michigan schools he attended while growing up, to further document the changing landscape of public education.”
“One woman who saw the film’s trailer on my website, even called to berate me about how I was essentially a liberal propagandist.” he recalled. Wilson has since re-edited the film’s trailer, yet complaints concerning its alleged political leanings continue from liberals and conservatives alike. “I’ve seen lots of hurtful, and offensive remarks flung around surrounding this issue. But after producing this film I’ve realized it’s not out of ill will, rather because it’s an issue that so many people have a vested interest in, and care passionately about.”
One of the clips on the film’s website shows kids reading letters they’ve written to NYC Mayor Bloomberg, which clearly communicates the stresses students feel about the high-stakes tests that NCLB demands. While this clip implies that the film will take a critical look on the negative effects of high-stakes tests, the list of interviewees doesn’t bring “liberal propaganda” to mind. The policymakers interviewed for the film include reps from many of the major right-wing think tanks and other test-pushers and public school privatizers including: The Heritage Foundation, Manhattan Institute, and The Education Trust.
Apparrently Wilson thinks these right-wingers are “balanced” by representatives of the NEA and various education administration groups (e.g., American Association of School Administrators), which is unlikely.
Perhaps there are test resisters or other critical voices (e.g., FairTest, Alfie Kohn, Susan Ohanian, Deborah Meier or reps from the New York Performance Standards Consoritium in the film, but the media package doesn’t list anyone who is a major player in the resistance.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see the movie, which premiers September 25 at the Pioneer Theatre in NYC.
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