A Film with Lots of Class

I’m a documentary dork, so I was intrigued when I read about Waiting for Superman, a documentary that focuses on America’s failing public education system. But what interested me more is that the film is not just entertaining and educating – it’s advocating.

When I visited the film’s homepage, there in bold 32-point type displayed the sad statistic that 42 percent of Florida students will not graduate from high school in four years.

Following these statistics is a link to a social action campaign about what you can do in your area to either support a school or help fix the system. It’s a comprehensive list of action items and informational links. There’s also a pledge to see the film, with Orlando ranking low on the leader board in participation so far.

The film debuts nationwide this September, but it has already opened at Sundance with positive reviews.  I predict the documentary’s loudest praise will come from its awareness about improving public education, which social media will help to drive.

Bill Gates was interviewed for the documentary, and Katie Couric has already voiced her support of the campaign on Twitter. This is going to be big. All of us – especially those in education-based nonprofits and those working in education-related fields – should take note. It is public relations at its best – and one of the reasons I love the profession (and documentaries).

Comments (1) | Trackback this post