The film “Won’t Back Down,” which publicizes the idea that parents should seize control of their public school and turn it over to a charter operator, has been heavily promoted. The movie was shown at both national political conventions by Michelle Rhee; it had a glamorous opening in New York City and extensive publicity as part of NBC’s Education Nation, and full-page ads in major newspapers, as well as expensive ads on network television.
But opening weekend for WBD was a disaster. According to industry sources, WBD had the worst opening weekend of any film in wide distribution (more than 2,500 screens) in 30 years. That’s quite a record.
Pundits can ponder why. Maybe in the midst of a terrible economy, the prospect of seeing a movie in which the union is the villain isn’t all that appealing. Maybe it is time for a movie about heroic teachers in Chicago who stand up to the powerful elites in their city and fight to make sure that their students get small classes, art teachers, social workers, and textbooks on the first day of school. The leading figure could be a brilliant woman who is a chemistry teacher with 20 years of teaching experience. She is articulate; she is unintimidated by the rich and powerful men who try to silence her.
Do you think?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Get rid of teacher unions! Get rid of teacher seniority! Get rid of teacher tenure! Get rid of the bureaucracy!
They are the weapons of mass destruction in public education that we have only to eliminate to begin to solve the crisis of education in America.
Please tell me you are being sarcastic.
Yes, she is!
Maybe people are taking Samuel L. Jackson’s sage advice. Maybe-just maybe they’re coming to their senses. Maybe spending $12 for a ticket, a few dollars for parking if you live in an urban area and a few dollars for the necessary sedative afterwards wasn’t so appealing.
Tonight’s Young Turks on Current TV covered this:
Conservative message of movie ‘Won’t Back Down’ matches backer Phil Anschutz’s stake in trashing unions
http://current.com/shows/the-young-turks/videos/conservative-message-of-movie-wont-back-down-matches-backer-phil-anschutzs-stake-in-trashing-unions
Julianne Moore as the teacher! Meryl Streep as the mean principal, Rahm in a cameo as himself. Nobody else can look that mean.
Stand for Children is hosting the film for a viewing and panel discussion this week in Indianapolis. The email invitation I received offered a chance to win a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card to anyone who RSVPd and stayed to the end of the panel discussion. Desperate for viewers?
These moneyed organizations (Students First & Stand for Children) love to use some of that money in an attempt to bribe the public into joining their forces. How blatant! They should be using that money to buy books for schools w/o libraries, or for children who have none.
Bring props and make a ruckus like they used to do for the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Then use the gift card to buy classroom supplies.
I think this movie can be safely identified as an example of the “law of unintended consequences”. It made at least two mistakes. One was a decision to fall into the trap of exaggeration and the other was to allow reviewers and critics to make the connection between the Parent Trigger Law, ALEC, producer Anschutz and the privatizing 1% predators.
How could anyone not notice that the film promotes the corporate takeover of public schools, the same idea pushed by ALEC, et al?
Great idea for a real movie script. I’m ready to collaborate if other folks want to get it done. I’ve written scripts and have taught scriptwriting.