PBS School Series - Public Broadcasting Service - Brief Article

Instructor, Sept, 2001

From rustic one-room schoolhouses to today's bold experiments with charter schools and vouchers, PBS's new documentary School showcases the ever-changing history of public schools in the U.S. Airing from 9 to 11 p.m. on September 3-4 (check local television listings), the four-part series will take a 200-year nationwide journey through history.

Narrated by Meryl Streep, School will cover the struggles to establish the earliest public schools, the immigration explosions, the fight for race and gender equality in the classroom, and the modern education crisis. Leading education experts, including Jonathan Kozol and Diane Ravitch, share insights on public education's past and its implications for our nation's future. The series will also feature archival footage, on-site school visits, and interviews with many who have played key roles in education's dramatic story. In conjunction with the program, PBS will launch a nationwide public-engagement campaign whose goal is to spark a new dialogue about the role of pub lic schools in American life.