As an elementary/high school student, I took the information in our textbooks as fact. Perhaps something would become outdated and then we would get new textbooks, but never once did I think that there was an agenda behind any of it. The Revisionaries pulls back the curtain and gives a glimpse of the terrifying reality of this system.
Once a decade, fifteen people on the Texas Board of Education decide the fate of what is taught to millions of children. Why? Well, because Texas is such a populated state, they buy a majority of the textbooks, therefore the textbook publishers must bend to their will or some other company will swoop in and grab that juicy contract. Money. It all boils down to money. So who decides what goes into the textbooks? Teachers? Professors? Nope, dentists. Well, at least one dentist, Don McLeroy, who is also a Sunday School teacher and young-earth creationist. After election to his local school board, he went on to be elected to the Texas Board and then was named chairman. Director Scott Thurman spotlights the dynamic McLeroy and just when you think he’s said something really outrageous, he tops himself by wanting to take “hip-hop” out of the textbook and replace it with “country-western.”
The film attempts to also profile the other members of the board, but fails to paint a clear picture. As McLeroy tries to get re-elected, the story shifts, centering around him and his campaign. I wanted to hear from other members of the board who had opinions opposing McLeroy, but none exist or chose not to be included. The only represented opposition was from Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, and Ron Wetherington, an anthropology professor from Southern Methodist University in Texas.
Something that I didn’t care for in the film was the soundtrack. It distracted me with a score that used too many notes to tell me how to feel. The dialogue alone was enough to capture me, I didn’t need it highlighted.
The film brings to light a very important issue, but I wanted more details about the impact their decisions have. I wanted numbers. There will be people who agree with the film but are too polite to challenge, or people who think it’s so ludicrous that they’ll laugh it off. Either of these is an unfortunate outcome. Basically, the film highlights a very important lesson about parenting: make sure you know what your kids are learning.
Rating: Fascinating and frightening topic, but lots of holes. 5/10
Tribeca Film Festival – The Revisionaries
Check the Box Office for more details. Download a PDF of the 2012 Film Guide.
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