Thursday, September 13, 2012

E4E Screens People Out at Screening of WBD

This group wants to select it's audience. Kinda like Charter Schools do. What are they afraid of? Questions that they can't answer? Discussions they can't control and that would mess up the E4E message? --- Teacher banned from screening by E4E
TSA screened attendees at E4E screening
E4E and the producers of Won't Back Down called in the Secret Service at tonight's screening which had tighter security that the national conventions. Phones were confiscated from every member of the audience. There was fear apparently that a gate crasher might get in and toss a pie at Evan or Sydney. Oh what fun it is to make E4E more paranoid than they are. Some infiltrators did get in by signing the pledge and leaving a pint of blood, but remained anonymous for strategic reasons.

Leonie Haimson was banned earlier by E4E (no parents allowed apparently) when her name was recognized.

A teacher who was also notified of being banned shortly before getting on the subway to head over to the film contacted us with this email:
I registered last week to see the film "Won't Back Down" without having to sign their pledge but today, at 5:30, I received a phone call uninviting me from attending the movie. The E4E rep explained that they were "overbooked" and so they were only allowing "members" to attend. He said that he had to make these uncomfortable phone calls all day. Poor baby.

I had received a confusing email yesterday telling me I had to respond to the rsvp I'd made (I did) and earlier today I got a message requesting that I call back. (I did and left a message) Finally, just as I was about to go into the subway, the guy calls me, tells me he's sorry but I can not attend. After a bit of banter, me "what you are doing is not ethical, I planned my day around attending this move, not an example I'd set for my students" and him, repeating" I'm so sorry, we had technical problems with the website, I can let you know about other previews going on, blahhh"", I finally hung up.

This group wants to select it's audience. Kinda like Charter Schools do. What are they afraid of? Questions that they can't answer? Discussions they can't control and that would mess up the E4E message?

At first I was quite angry. But I quickly realized that I was spared having to actually watch this film (for now) and I decided being kicked off the reservation list of E4E was actually an honor.

Here is the email from the slug at E4E:
Thank you for requesting an RSVP for tomorrow's screening. Given that the event is at capacity, please get in touch with me to confirm your RSVP to tomorrow's event as soon as possible. We cannot hold a space for you without discussing your RSVP, so please reach back out well before the screening so we can connect.
Here's a brief report from one of the MORE attendees (yes, we told people to sign the stupid pledge so E4E can brag that there are 10 million people who support them -- yes, even my cats are registered.)
There were open seats in the front, perhaps because everyone didn't show. It was a bunch of 18 year old teachers who had drunk the koolaid mostly. There was no QandA but they had a reception with free drinks and food at some bar nearby after. The movie, it's horribly dishonest and makes the attacks in waiting for superman look like an exchange of pleasantries.

2 comments:

Michael Fiorillo said...

Since the leadership of E$ME is a group of opportunistic fifth columnists, of course they'd be craven and deceptive, since exposure is what they fear most.

Anonymous said...

This screening was reported on Fox's local channel last night. Not sure if the other networks also picked it up. Every single response to the viewing was "scripted". You did not hear one "teacher" say that the teachers in this film were stereotyped and this film is not based on "real events". Instead you heard--"Unions protect me, but this is for the kids" and other BS responses.

I don't know if those from E4E where public school or charter school teachers, but they were certainly all on the same page.