Deep Dive: The Cartel (2009)
Film Lens
The Cartel is a documentary by Bob Bowdon that examines the failures of public education in the United States, with a focus on New Jersey, which has the highest per-student education spending in the country. The film questions how a wealthy society has lost the ability to provide basic education, attributing many issues to teachers' unions, which it refers to as 'the cartel.' The film argues that these unions create barriers to firing ineffective teachers and advocates for school vouchers and charter schools to foster competition and improve educational outcomes.
Bowdon interviews various stakeholders, including State Education Commissioner Lucille Davy and education advocates like Clint Bolick and Gerard Robinson. The film also addresses administrative waste in New Jersey's school system, comparing it to Maryland's more efficient structure. It suggests that simply increasing funding without addressing underlying issues leads to continued inefficiencies and poor educational results.
Why Watch
- •See interviews with education leaders like Lucille Davy.
- •Find out why New Jersey's education system is considered inefficient.
- •Meet advocates for school vouchers and charter schools.
Did You Know
•New Jersey has 15 school districts for every 35,000 students, while Maryland has 1.
•The Cartel premiered at the Hoboken International Film Festival on May 30, 2009.
•Bob Bowdon spent two years making The Cartel after leaving Bloomberg Television.
•Governor Chris Christie stated the film helped shape his education policy ideas.
Perfect For
Education reform advocatesPublic policy enthusiastsParents of school-aged children