This is a great 30-min documentary the Education Action Group put together on the school reform battle in Chicago. From a friend:

A new documentary by Juan Williams and Kyle Olson features Chicago Mayor and Democrat for education reform, Rahm Emanuel. In a powerful segment, Emanuel discusses that Noble charter schools have 'the secret sauce down, they got the combination to the lock.'" 10 of the 10 highest performing, non-selective schools in Chicago are Noble charter schools and graduation rate is 99% vs. 56% for CPS.

This compact (30-minute) narrative is a true stand-out in the education documentary genre. It clearly explains Noble's operational excellence and misinformation coming from the Chicago Teacher Union (CTU). Footage from a union rally is incriminating and the CTU is scrambling to control fall-out.

This is a must-see short film and up on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmnFQkD0Eg0

Rahm appears at 4:15 criticizing the system as designed to serve adults; at 10:30 and 11:06 praising Noble schools; and 16:50 and 17:32 blasting the union as an obstacle.

Also, at 18:32, don't miss the clip of union boss Karen Lewis – the despicable person who mocked Arne Duncan for supposedly having a lisp (http://edreform.blogspot.com/2011/11/karen-lewis-mocks-arne-duncan.html; also 20:21 in the video), who once sinks into the gutter.

Below is an article about the controversy the film has triggered:

As the Chicago Public Schools begin what are certain to be contentious contract talks with the Chicago Teachers Union, Mayor Rahm Emanuel emerged as the star of a new online video criticizing the union and promoting charter schools, whose teachers mostly are not unionized.

An interview with Mr. Emanuel is a highlight of the 35-minute video, produced by the Michigan-based Education Action Group Foundation and the Fox News political analyst Juan Williams. Mr. Williams narrates the video, saying the union is "radically politicized" and is "repeatedly providing terrible examples for Chicago's schoolchildren."

A spokeswoman for Mr. Emanuel said last week that the mayor did not share those views of the union, and his comments in the video were more measured, but union officials were still upset. The mayor discussed how he faced union opposition to some of his education proposals, such as extending the length of the school day this year.

"Do I think the union leadership has been a problem in resisting? Absolutely," Mr. Emanuel told Mr. Williams in the video interview, which was conducted in October. He also said: "I think the system was never designed to benefit the kids." And he lauds teachers at the Noble Street charter network's schools as being "on a mission" and "not just doing a job."

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