The award-winning documentary "American Teach-er" is the next featured film in the Cinema Series at the Fredonia Opera House. It will be screened for one night only on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Immediately after the screening, a panel of area educators will engage in discussion with audience members.
Weaving interviews of policy experts and startling facts with the lives and careers of four teachers, "American Teacher" tells the collective story by and about those closest to the issues in our educational system - the 3.2 million teachers who spend every day in classrooms across the country.
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“American Teacher” is the next featured film in the Cinema Series at the Fredonia Opera House. It will be screened Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Immediately after the screening, a panel of area educators will engage in discussion with audience members.
Narrated by Matt Damon, "American Teacher" is based on the book, "Teachers Have it Easy" by Dave Eggers, Nnive Clements Calegari and Daniel Moulthrop.
Joe Neumaier, of the New York Daily News, says of the film, "this heartbreaking and essential look into the lives of those who put so much into educating other people's children ought to be seen by anyone concerned about the fate of the public school system, and the nation as a whole."
Kenneth Turan, in the Los Angeles Times, says "as we watch the individuals in 'American Teacher' struggle with the burdens the system places on them, it's hard not to feel like crying, both for them specifically and for our national culture."
"American Teacher" is unrated and runs 81 minutes.
Following the screening, Bob Dahlgren, assistant professor of education at SUNY Fredonia, will lead a discussion with audience members and a panel of area educators that includes: Roger Chagnon, of Wes-tfield Academy Central School; Ashley Keiser, of Persell Elementary; Mark Putney, of Fredonia Ele-mentary; Scott Vandette, of Dunkirk Middle School; Todd Crandall, Principal of Fredonia High School; and Charles Leichner, principal of Forestville Middle/High School.
Members of Friends Across Borders, a SUNY Fredonia student group that raises money to support underprivileged schools in Belize each year, will collect school supplies at the event. Anyone interested in contributing is invited to bring notebooks, pencils, chalk, crayons and gently used children's books.
A collection box will be located in the Opera House lobby.
Tickets to the Opera House Cinema Series are available at the door for $7 (adults), $6.50 (seniors & Opera House members) and $5 (students & children) the night of each screening.
For more information, call the Opera House Box Office at 679-1891. The Series continues with "The Iron Lady" on March 24 & 27; and the Oscar winner for Best Picture, "The Artist" on March 31 & April 3.
Chautauqua County's only performing arts center presenting its own programming year-round, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit organization located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia.
For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.
