To anyone who attended a public school, it is no surprise to them that education in this

country is faulted. This is the result of the public schools in this country being given limited

resources and jammed backed classrooms.

These problems are faced in the 2010 documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman,’” from

director Davis Guggenheim. The film was showed on Oct. 17 in the Nicholson Library viewing

room, courtesy of Linfield’s Teach for America representatives.

The film explores the problems facing many American educators today, such as the fact

that the teachers do not have any money, either for themselves or for their classrooms.

Unfortunately, this is the cause of the United States government caring more for armoring their

tanks than educating their youth. Public schools in poor and minority areas, nowadays, are often

dumping grounds for broken dreams and dirty children.

The film also explores private and charter schools, which children that are lucky or rich

enough attend in order to receive a far better education than children that attend public state

schools.

However, a way that thousands of fragile hearted individuals are trying to curve the

future of America’s youth is joining the ranks of Teach for America, a program which was

discussed after the film.

College graduates can apply to the program if they are willing to teach for two years in

an area of the country that is in need of quality educators. This program saves the United States

government money, as they are not responsible for paying the Teach for America teachers, and

gives children someone who gives a damn about their education at the blackboard.

Lori McEwan, a 2013 graduate, was accepted into the Teach for America program and

was relocated to Memphis, Tennessee. “My high school students, though at many times

frustrating, make my job so enjoyable. What I am doing, I and doing 100% because I love these

kids. I am so privileged to work with them. I know everyone may not see it from the outside as a

privilege, but these kids teach me so much about strength, perseverance and hope. I am so lucky

to be their teacher,” McEwan said in an email about her experience in the program thus far.

So, perhaps there is still hope for America’s education system, after all. Maybe all this

country needs is more dedicated teachers, like McEwan, and maybe films like “Waiting for

Superman” will soon become just a flicker of what this country used to be.

Paige Jurgensen / Columnist

Paige Jurgensen can be reached at [email protected]