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"The Public School Wars," currently in production.
Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, nationwide, standardized tests, charter schools, poverty, opting out, privatization, Teach for America, the future of teaching and democracy. These are the stories.
To date: 32 interviews, 65 hours of footage, locations including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, DC. A great start!
Now you can help us finish strong.
At least 150,000 boycott standardized tests in New York state.
-Syracuse Post-Standard, 4/27/15
Student forced to "sit and stare" after opting out of standardized test.
"On the first exam day, he had to sit in the testing room with his peers but do nothing. He couldn't read, draw or do anything for at least two hours and 40 minutes, double the time of the 80-minute math test."
-Chicago Tribune, 3/24/15
Secretary Arne Duncan: U.S. Dept. of Education has "obligation to step in" if testing opt-out continues.
-Education Writer's Association, 4/27/15
Federal Investigators Probe $20,500,000 no-bid contract; Chicago CEO of Schools Barbara Byrd-Bennett Steps Aside.
-Chicago Tribune, 4/17/15
"Feud Threatens UNO Schools;" Charter chain owes $3 million, could "leave parents scrambling to find a new school..."
-Chicago Sun-Times, 4/30/15
Director-Producer Bill Baykan has worked for Harpo Studios, Big Idea Productions ("Veggietales") and HBO in Los Angeles after graduating from UCLA's Film & TV program. He currently teaches media production at Tribeca-Flashpoint College in Chicago, combining his love of visual storytelling and education.
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Peter Hawley, Documentary Production Consultant.
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Rose Spinelli, Crowdfunding Consultant, Crowdfundamentals.com
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Erik Mauck, Cinematographer and Documentary Production Consultant. Producer and Director, "The Road to Livingston."
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Kayla McCormick (center), Executive Producer & Director, "SelectEd" at the Sarasota Film Festival. Documentary Production Consultant.
Why This Project?
This combines two great passions: visual storytelling and education.
At every educational crossroads, I had good options. Not everyone is so lucky.
And now, the very idea of public education is threatened.
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"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."
- John Dewey
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