A National Disgrace

{{Infobox television episode | series = Dan Rather Reports | image = | alt = | caption = | season = 6 | episode = 17 | director = Steven Tyler | writer = | presenter = Dan Rather | photographer = Lucian Read | editor = Carla Ruff | production = 617 | airdate = {{Start date|2011|05|10}} | runtime = 105 minutes | guests = | prev = 6.16: The Best of the Best | next = 6.18: The App Bubble | season_article = | episode_list = }} "'''A National Disgrace'''", episode #617 of ''Dan Rather Reports'',<ref name="Transcript">{{Cite web |url = http://www.axs.tv/ui/inc/show_transcripts.php?ami=A7894&t=Dan_Rather_Reports&en=617 |title = Dan Rather Reports - Episode Number: 617 - A National Disgrace |date = 2011 |publisher = AXS TV |format = PDF |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181110/http://www.axs.tv/ui/inc/show_transcripts.php?ami=A7894&t=Dan_Rather_Reports&en=617 |archive-date = September 23, 2015 |access-date = August 11, 2015 }}</ref> is a two-hour television report about the Detroit Public Schools (DPS), in Detroit, Michigan, that aired on HDNet (today AXS TV) on May 10, 2011. Presented by journalist Dan Rather, this episode was part of his investigative documentary series.<ref name="Brush">{{Cite web |url = https://www.michiganradio.org/post/national-disgrace-dan-rathers-report-detroit-public-schools |title = 'A National Disgrace' Dan Rather's report on the Detroit Public Schools |last = Brush |first = Mark |date = April 29, 2011 |publisher = Michigan Radio |language = en-US |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150908174734/http://michiganradio.org/post/national-disgrace-dan-rathers-report-detroit-public-schools |archive-date = September 8, 2015 |url-status = dead |access-date = August 11, 2015 }}</ref> It explores a political struggle between the Detroit Board of Education, the governing body of DPS, and Robert Bobb, the emergency manager appointed by the State of Michigan after the city declared bankruptcy.<ref name="Wayland">{{Cite web |url = https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2011/05/bobb_dan_rather_depicting_detr.html |title = Bobb: Dan Rather two years too late depicting Detroit Public Schools as 'A National Disgrace' |last = Wayland |first = Michael |date = May 11, 2011 |website = MLive |language = en-US |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190905213510/https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2011/05/bobb_dan_rather_depicting_detr.html |archive-date = September 5, 2019 |url-status = dead |access-date = August 11, 2015 }}</ref>

The filming took about 18 months and included interviews with DPS school board members, teachers and administrators, and students and parents.<ref name="Dwyer">{{Cite web |url = https://www.good.is/articles/video-detroit-student-cries-over-disgrace-of-city-s-public-schools |title = Video: Detroit Student Cries Over 'Disgrace' of City's Public Schools |last = Dwyer |first = Liz |date = May 11, 2011 |website = Good |language = en-US |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190905214205/https://www.good.is/articles/video-detroit-student-cries-over-disgrace-of-city-s-public-schools |archive-date = September 5, 2019 |url-status = dead |access-date = August 11, 2015 }}</ref> The production filmed a Detroit Board of Education meeting in which the board announced that superintendent Connie Calloway, who held the position for 18 months, was fired.<ref name="Mrozowski">{{Cite web |url = http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20090227/SCHOOLS/902270391 |title = Calloway says DPS board stood in way |last = Mrozowski |first = Jennifer |date = February 27, 2009 |website = The Detroit News |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923214251/http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20090227/SCHOOLS/902270391 |archive-date = September 23, 2015 |access-date = August 11, 2015 |quote = More than 100 people gathered for the meeting, including a camera crew from 'Dan Rather Reports'. }}</ref>

According to Rather, the failure of DPS is a failure of a top-down educational system.<ref name="Whitman">{{Cite book |url = https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/auditreports/fy2008/a05h0010.pdf |title = The School District of the City of Detroit's Use of Title I, Part A Funds Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 |last = Whitman |first = Gary D. |date = July 18, 2008 |publisher = United States Department of Education |format = PDF |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170612135516/https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/auditreports/fy2008/a05h0010.pdf |archive-date = June 12, 2017 |access-date = September 5, 2019 }}</ref> He argued that the problems are related to public schools in the entire United States and are not limited to Detroit.<ref name="Oosting">{{Cite web |url = https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2011/05/dan_rather_on_national_disgrac.html |title = Dan Rather on 'National Disgrace' of Detroit Public Schools: Time to start listening to kids |last = Oosting |first = Jonathan |date = May 10, 2011 |website = MLive |language = en-US |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190905215250/https://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/2011/05/dan_rather_on_national_disgrac.html |archive-date = September 5, 2019 |url-status = dead |access-date = August 11, 2015 }}</ref>

== Background == At the time of the program, residents of the city of Detroit had a functional illiteracy rate of 50%.<ref name="InghamBarp23">{{Cite magazine |first = Latoya |last = Jackson |url = http://www.inghambar.org/documents/Briefs/June-2012-Briefs-V4.pdf |title = MSU College of Law helps start innovative nonprofit for Detroit youth |magazine = Ingham County Bar Association Briefs |pages = 1, 23 |date = June 2012 |publisher = Ingham County Bar Association |format = PDF |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090038/http://www.inghambar.org/documents/Briefs/June-2012-Briefs-V4.pdf |archive-date = March 4, 2016 |access-date = September 5, 2019 }}</ref> The title originates from a statement made about Detroit public schools by Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education.<ref name="Brush" />

== Content == {{Expand section|date=August 2015}} The report explores the problems associated with the city's struggles with declining economy, poverty of many residents, and how the schools are performing.<ref name="Kellogg">{{Cite news |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124813472753066949 |title = Detroit Schools on the Brink |last = Kellogg |first = Alex P. |date = July 21, 2009 |work = The Wall Street Journal |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190905222728/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124813472753066949 |archive-date = September 5, 2019 |url-status = dead |access-date = September 5, 2019 |language = en-US |issn = 0099-9660 }}</ref> It states that in 2009 the DPS district scored the lowest ever National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test results.<ref name="InghamBarp23" /> Henry Ford High School is featured in the program.<ref name="Transcript" />

== Release and reception == Jonathan Oosting of ''MLive'' said that "Rather's report is sure to upset some residents—and of course local leaders—tired of seeing Detroit in the national media for all the wrong reasons."<ref name="Oosting" /> After the documentary was aired, Bobb accused Rather of ignoring efforts by the Bobb-led administration to reform the district. Bobb argued that it "grossly and completely neglects an entire year or more of transformative efforts to change the system."<ref name="Wayland" /> DPS board president Anthony Adams also criticized the documentary, saying that it "really bashes the city, bashes the district, doesn't really talk about the accomplishments and the great strides that we've made."<ref name="Oosting" />

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{URL|http://www.axs.tv/news-and-docs/dan-rather-reports-a-national-disgrace-2/|AXS TV: Dan Rather Reports: A National Disgrace}} * {{URL|http://www.axs.tv/news-and-docs/national-disgrace-revisited-august-30-2011/|AXS TV: A National Disgrace Revisited}} * {{URL|1=http://www.axs.tv/ui/inc/show_transcripts.php?ami=A7894&t=Dan_Rather_Reports&en=617|2=AXS TV: Dan Rather Reports #617 - Episode Transcript}} * {{IMDb episode|1921521}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Disgrace, A}} Category:2011 American television episodes Category:Detroit Public Schools Community District