Dan Rather tells the story of a school system, and a city, in crisis.
In "A National Disgrace", Dan Rather brings you the story of Detroit, a city in crisis. This is a story beyond the struggles of the auto industry, which we hear about regularly. Its a revealing look at an entire urban area suffering like no other community in America, and the school system that could help change things for the next generation, but is not. Imagine a large American city with a 30 percent unemployment rate, the average home selling for just $7,100 and nearly half of its residents functionally illiterate. This is Detroit today. And the hope for a brighter future for Detroits children is bleak -- the Detroit Public Schools send more kids to welfare and prison than to college.
The schools suffer from massive fraud, financial abuse and incompetence. Employees are under criminal investigation. Despite a billion dollar budget, the school district graduates fewer than a third of its students. School employees have bilked the citizens of the city and, many argue, damaged generations of children. The US Secretary of Education has called Detroits schools A National Disgrace.
In this film, Dan Rather will introduce you to some unforgettable Detroiters young and old proud of their once impressive hometown, and still struggling to achieve their dreams.
