Good news! Obnoxious TV program –“Bad Teachers”-/slandering an entire profession was canceled. One reader described it as the TV equivalent of “Waiting for Superman.”
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Randi put out this statement, which is how I learned about it.
For Immediate Release
April 29, 2014
AFT’s Weingarten on Discovery’s Decision to Cancel ‘Bad Teacher’
Washington—Statement of AFT President Randi Weingarten on Discovery Communications’ decision to cancel the television show ‘Bad Teacher.’
“I was surprised to learn, through a barrage of tweets Sunday night after “Bad Teachers” aired, that Discovery would use its brand to promote such an offensive program. However, I am heartened that it has taken steps to cancel the show and publicly affirm that Discovery Education’s mission is to celebrate and support educators.
“Every day, educators go into the classroom to make a difference in the lives of our children. Their work should be honored and valued, not bashed, and we hope to work with Discovery to showcase the real work teachers do every day to help kids achieve their dreams.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
YAY!!!!!!!
>________________________________ > From: Diane Ravitch’s blog >To: knollsgerbils@yahoo.com >Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 8:40 PM >Subject: [New post] Offensive TV Program “Bad Teacher” Canceled > > > > WordPress.com >dianeravitch posted: “Good news! Obnoxious TV program –“Bad Teacher”-/slandering an entire profession was canceled. One reader described it as the TV equivalent of “Waiting for Superman.” ******** Randi put out this statement, which is how I learned about it. For Immedi” >
Bad Publicity.
Take notice! We are done with this! Teachers are not taking this bashing and demeaning crap any more!
I am working on a doctoral research project inspired by Diane’s book, Death and Life of the Great American School System (2011). If the public school system–as many of us knew it, at least–is dead or near death, it would stand to reason that public school teachers who remember the system as it was prior to No Child Left Behind (2002) have experienced loss and grief. If you remember what it was like to teach prior to No Child Left Behind, if you feel as if teaching completely changed when No Child Left Behind was implemented, or if you ever felt saddened by some of the changes that resulted from educational reform, then you may be interested in taking my survey.
Professional Loss and Grief in Teachers (a survey)
https://ndstate.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5nCLnPAFadWZX93
Jackie, Your survey is insightful and comprehensive. As I went through it, there were many opportunities to express things that I sometimes believed were mine alone, unwarranted, or “imagination”. It helped me to understand that I was part education history. I had taught for most of my career pre NCLB and ended during the transition. I encourage teachers to connect with your site. They will be able to have an experience to revisit and reflect upon their careers. (My district passed on giving me an exit interview.)
Best wishes to you as you forge ahead, and perhaps I will be one of the lucky ones who you wish to continue working with.
Thanks for your endeavor.
I agree with Elaine after also doing this thoughtfully constructed survey. The “things that I sometimes believed were mine alone” applies especially. For the author of this survey, for all of the wonderful caring people who take the time to dialogue on this blogsite and especially, of course, for Diane Ravitch herself for building this, a big, heartfelt THANK YOU. My guess is that for all of you who do contribute here, there are several other teachers who like myself contribute infrequently or never as we try to stay afloat, but who find this blog a tremendous source of comfort because it confirms and reaffirms that we are not alone in what we are feeling and experiencing. I share Dr. Ravitch’s optimism that eventually some sanity will return to education transformation, but it looks to be a rough ride in the meantime requiring each of us to figure out what each of us in our own special way can live with and offer.
Lots of love.
Too bad there is not some leverage to stop the Brookings Institution from the teacher bashing book they just published,
That’s great news!
The Broad Foundation @BroadFoundation · 3h
“Until we fix the political system, we’re always a nation at risk.” TBF pres Bruce Reed
How does the Broad Foundation want to fix the political system, I wonder?
I think a lot of people would say the political system is captured by monied interests, and that’s why it’s broken, but I’m not sure the Broad Foundation would be the best advisors on how to fix that 🙂
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Is this the movie “Bad Teacher” or a TV show?
TV show — it was about teachers that have affairs with students.
Just a clarification. The show on Discovery that has been cancelled is called Bad Teachers. There is still a show being advertised on CBS called Bad Teacher.
I can’t believe that they even aired it.
Hey, they aired Rahm’s “Chicagoland” hagiography – they will apparently air anything. Shame is dead.
Was Charlotte Danielson a consultant for the show?
@David Di Gregorio… DANIELSON certainly COULD HAVE BEEN the start of the “Bad Teacher Show”. At the recent “Teaching and Learning” Conference in DC, Charlotte Danielson held a session that was basically an advertisement for her updated FFT Book coming out. She defied all the proponents of good teaching.. lectured… read from power point notes verbatim – IMAGINE THAT – reading from a powerpoint she prepared and once in a while adding a few jokey jokes (but not a lot). It was a snoozer. She wondered at the end if there was just enough time for a question or maybe two! So thankfully a NYC teacher asked her if she was aware of how her FFT model was being used to rate and rank (abusively) and fire some teachers? So she is the poster child for this failed Discovery show because she keeps preaching her “gospel” without regard for how it is being used (yes abused) around the nation. Guess she likes all the money rolling in or else she would be loudly protesting! Hoping that RHEE starred in the first show of this “Bad Teacher” program with her taping mouths of children shut and swallowing bees. Was she teaching a science lesson with epi pen in hand demonstrating about anaphylactic shock???
What was Danielson’s response to the teacher’s question?
I’ve done a lot of research on Charlotte Danielson, including the construction of a biographical timeline and request via email re: her time spent as a classroom practitioner. There is no definitive information available online, though one would think that her teaching time would be a well worn feather in her cap, rather than well kept secret. One site states she has taught every grade level from kindergarten through college. A representative responded to my request but of course, the question itself was not answered. No surprise. It is appalling that someone with most likely minimal experience in the classroom has profited from rubrics that denature every aspect of teaching, squeezing the misshapen coagulate into experimental beakers labeled domains. When examined, her evaluative tool (even though she claims that is not the intention of the rubrics), is a patent reflection of her lack of knowledge of pedagogical practice as it is swirled into motion every day in classrooms across the country filled with children and adolescents, real sentient beings, with minds, hearts, souls, fleshed bodies (some hungry, weary, scared), awash with emotions coursing through their interior landscapes. I was excited to read from your post that she allowed time for questions as I am planning to attend for the purpose of querying her on the duration and nature of her classroom teaching experience. In a public forum.
Maybe they’ll replace it with Bad Ass Teacher …
Now that would be a real laff riot …
Bummer, it’s a comedy not meant to be a reflection of teachers.
OK, my two cents as a teacher of 20 years: BAD TEACHER the movie and BAD TEACHER the TV show are entertainment comedies/parodies. They are not meant to be taken seriously. They should not be compared to the propaganda film WAITING FOR SUPERMAN which is meant to directly influence the educational debate/policy in America. You didn’t see a lot of police officers complain when the cop comedy show BARNEY MILLER came out in the 1970’s. In fact, most cops love that show! Teachers have real deals to fight with and BAD TEACHER should not even be on the list.
Actually,, Mr. Joshua, the show aired, docudrama style, actual cases of teacher misconduct in the most salacious and sensationalized manner possible for station.
Mr. Joshua, you are confusing the “Bad Teacher” sit com on network TV (based on the “Bad Teacher” movie) with the “Bad Teacher” pseudo documentary on Discovery.
It is sad that there is so much “Bad Teacher” programming that it becomes hard to keep track of.
“It is sad that there is so much “Bad Teacher” programming that it becomes hard to keep track of.”
That’s because in rheality there are so many bad, very bad teachers! Just ask Arnie or Michelle or Billy or . . . .
If the television show, “Bad Teacher”, is truly about a teacher sleeping with students, although I have found no evidence that this is the case, it should be taken off the air because it is in VERY poor taste to make light of a teacher sleeping with students. However, it is not a “slandering” the entire teaching profession. Shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” portray doctors as people who sleep with subordinates, co-workers, and even patients. Are we to believe then, that ALL doctors behave this way? Of course not! It is not a slandering of the entire medical profession. It is merely for entertainment purposes. In the show “Parenthood”, one of the characters sleeps with her daughter’s teacher, and another character sleeps with the prospective principal of her brother’s private school. Should this show be cancelled then?! Does this quote make ANY sense when applied to “Grey’s Anatomy”? – “Every day, [doctors] go into the [hospital] to make a difference…Their work should be honored and valued, not bashed.” And therefore, we MUST cancel “Grey’s Anatomy”?!? Get over yourselves!!! #alltheeyerolls
Here’s the tale of this abomination of a show: One member of the Badass teacher’s Association posted a link to the show on the Bat page. The admins found it to be inappropriate for the page and deleted it.
This member told the story in another group where I discovered it. I shared it in a 3rd group in which Gail Debonnis Richmond, bulldog NY ed activist, belonged and SHE started the Twitter storm, found a phone number to call, etc. She pummeled Randi with about 20 tweets.
Thank you Gail.
Oh, and that Bat? He was banned for arguing the takedown with the admins.
Wait, are you referring BAT, which exists only on Facebook, touts questionable membership numbers, is NEVER to be seen at actual real-world events defending the public schools and teachers, is about as open to diverse opinions as Fox News and is led by an egomaniacal Dear Leader?
That BAT, or is there another one?
Yes, it would be that BAT. The one in the same.
*gigglesnort*
Correction: Susan DuFresne got the Twitter storm started. Gail tag teamed with her there and started the FB action.
My school district spent probably half a million on “Discovery Education” tech videos and training for our teachers that we are obligated to use in the classroom. I spent two full days in training. Please don’t tell me that this is an arm of the Discovery channel. I can’t imagine that a company would be so corrupt to sell to public school districts while bashing their teachers. Does anyone know how to figure out if they are the same? It doesn’t matter if they took the show off… To do that in the first place is disgusting!!!
Yes, they seem to own this, too.
I just found this info at http://www.ask.com/question/who-owns-the-discovery-channel (I don’t know if this is all correct).
“Discovery Education
Discovery Education is a division which offers “streaming educational video material into schools via the internet.” Discovery Education operates unitedstreaming, a “leading educational broadband streaming service in the United States.” In April 2006, Discovery Education acquired a premier assessment company, ThinkLink Learning, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Now called Discovery Education Assessment, the program is designed to help students improve on state standardized tests[citation needed].
Discovery Education also sells DVD, VHS, CD-ROM, and Multimedia kits with the same content. Other products include COSMEO, an online homework subscription help site, Discovery Health Connection, Discovery Science Connection and they recently purchased other video streaming companies. They have two free services. One is their website, Discovery School and the other is a teacher community, the Discovery Educator Network, commonly referred to as the DEN[citation needed].”
@Diane
Both you and Randi have incorrectly identified “Bad Teacher” as “Bad Teachers.”
“Bad Teacher” is a CBS sitcom, airing on Thursday nights at 9:30 P.M. Eastern, which is somewhat based on the movie of the same title.
In the movie, the “bad teacher” is a teacher.
In the sitcom, the “bad teacher” is an impostor who copies a teacher’s résumé from the Internet and then changes the name and address to match her own.
The cancelled show is Investigation Discovery’s Sunday night miniseries docudrama “Bad Teachers.”
What did they think the TV show was going to be? It was based on an offensive movie.
Timothy, read Florence’s comment above yours. Everyone is confusing CBS’ “Bad Teacher” (indeed based upon the movie) w/Discovery Channel’s “investigative” show (based on true cases-?!)
“Bad TeacherS”–about teachers who purportedly have done things such as abuse students.
I watched the first, and now only, episode of ID’s “Bad Teachers” and I’m actually quite disgusted at the American Federation of Teachers for complaining about it. How many times have we heard about teachers going too far with their students on the news? Read about it in the paper? Watched “Dateline” specials about? There ARE bad teachers out there and the AFT wanting this show pulled doesn’t change that. I didn’t see how this series would “give teachers a bad name” in any shape, way or form. ID has shows that specialize in Southern murderers, women murders and wealthy murderers, among others. Have all Southerners started a campaign to get “Southern Fried Homicide” cancelled because it makes all southerners look bad? Or have the wealthy started Tweeting like mad to get “Behind Mansion Walls” cancelled because it makes all rich folks look bad? I don’t know of any women’s groups fighting to get “Deadly Women” cancelled because it makes all women look bad. The teachers in the AFT need to realize that rational, intelligent human beings can sit down and watch a show such as “Bad Teachers” and know that it is about that one person featured in the story, not the entire profession. If we’re at the point where it’s standard procedure to demonize every profession that has members who overstep their bounds then I don’t think there is a single profession out there that will be getting any respect from anyone at this point.
Steven, when that cable station starts a program called “Bad Doctors” and “Bad Lawyers” and “Rogue Cops,” let me know.
Bad Teach, Bad Teach, Watcha Gonna Do?
Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?
The title of this blog is erroneous and ironically is slandering the wrong show. This Discovery network production is called “Bad Teachers” (plural)… vs “Bad Teacher” (singular) which is a CBS comedy series which premiered by coincidence the same week in April. CBS’ production is OUTSTANDING. You can see the show starts out with a high contrast between where Ari Graynor’s character begins, and where she seems destined to grow. Another interesting aspect is how she affects those around her and vice versa during the journey.
Please correct the title of this harmful blog to something like “Discovery network’s ‘Bad Teachers’ has been canceled”.
JB, I changed the title as you suggested.
Many Thanks, Diane. Make it a Great Day 🙂
I’ve never seen discovery’s version of bad teacher. But the CBS comedy version is hilarious. I did not like the movie tho…it was a guy movie so the humor was a little more crude.