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carterdt
Reviews
Whose Children Are They? (2022)
Truly Appalling
Abraham Lincoln, when asked to endorse a dreadful book, supposed replied: "This is the kind of book that will appeal to people who like this kind of book."
Since I've taught courses on documentary film with a special emphasis on explicitly propagandist films, I shelled out my $20 and purchased this.
It was even worse than I anticipated. Oh, it's slickly produced, with lots of heart rending stories by set upon teachers and angry tirades against teacher "unions" (most teachers belong to the NEA) and nonsensical claims about the pervasiveness of "critical race theory" (a boogie man created by right-wing media), sex in the schools, indoctrination, etc.
But when you stop and examine the film carefully (I've seen it three times now), it is filled with breathless anecdotes, but no real information. It is clear, for example, that--when the film complains about "critical race theory"--they're really demanding that teachers ignore some of the more painful aspects of our history, which means turning a blind to history that can help us make choices in the future.
The worst thing about the film -- funded by unknown sources (it's been booked in 700 theaters even though reports show that only a handful of viewers at best at each showing) is its unfair attacks on public education.
Its more than appalling, it's disgusting.