Waiting for Superman
2/21/2011
Last week Mary and I checked out the documentary film entitled, "Waiting for Superman" from Red Box at Kroger (Blockbuster had not received the film yet). If you haven't read about the film - Superman is the fictitious character who all await to save the public schools. It is a compelling story of children in urban areas attending failing public schools with high dropout rates, low graduation rates, and an education that rarely leads to college. The film follows five or so families who qualified for the lottery to compete for a boarding Charter school seat. The chances for selection in the lottery are slim, but it is ostensibly the only hope for these children. The film portrays each as the names are called of those who were successful in the lottery. The public schools in this film are a dramatic contrast to the opportunity that Riverside cadets experience. Our cadets need to see the film to help them realize the opportunity they have at RMA, and we will work to schedule the film here on campus for the Corps of Cadets. I hope parents and alumni will view it also.
Dr. Richard H. Hersh, former president of Hobart and William Smith College and Trinity College has written extensively on the nature of today's students and what is delivered at American colleges and universities. He describes the present generation as fragile. He claims that this generation is growing up in a culture of neglect that asks little of them. Many come from a culture of broken homes, mass schooling (Waiting for Superman), media idols subliminally teaching disrespect for authority, and students unwilling to sacrifice the slightest in the fulfillment of their material desires. At Riverside, we offer a culture of responsibility that demands so much more but offers rewards that far exceed the demands. This is a personalized form of education that is human-intensive with expenses that exceed those of public schools per capita. Thus, we must be pro-active fundraisers who can clearly and with conviction explain our needs in order to raise the dollars necessary to deliver what we promise.