Backpack Full of Cash

Bring people together. Spark conversation. Drive change.

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Consider hosting a screening followed by a structured conversation with educators, parents and community members..

Backpack Full of Cash is a feature-length documentary that explores the growing privatization of public schools and the resulting impact on America’s most vulnerable children. Narrated by Cambridge public school graduate Matt Damon, Backpack puts a human face on complex social, racial and civic issues confronting educators, students, families, and our communities.

The film is an effective tool for bringing people together, raising awareness and driving change.

Why host a community screening?

Increase public and educator awareness of issues related to privatization.
Build stronger ties between educators and community members around these issues.
Identify area educators and community members who may want to work together in the future on issues of local concern.

Everything You Need to Know to Host a Screening

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The Power of the Film

About the Film

Narrated by Matt Damon, Backpack Full of Cash is a feature-length documentary that explores the growing privatization of public schools and the resulting impact on America’s most vulnerable children.

Filmed in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Nashville and other cities, Backpack Full of Cash takes viewers through the tumultuous 2013-14 school year, exposing the world of corporate-driven education “reform” where public education – starved of resources – hangs in the balance. The film also showcases a model for improving schools – a well-resourced public school system in Union City, New Jersey, where poor kids are getting a high quality education without charters or vouchers.

Backpack features genuine heroes like the principals, teachers, activists, parents and most hearteningly, students who are fighting for their education. Education writer David Kirp, former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch, and policy expert Linda Darling Hammond are among the national thought leaders who provide analysis in the film.Backpack builds a case for public education as a basic civil right.

What the Film Can Do

Films such as Backpack Full of Cash reach people on an immediate and emotional level, opening them up to new ideas. They provide a common reference point to start a conversation. They put a human face on complex social, racial, and civic issues.

A film screening can serve as a powerful organizing opportunity, but it’s important that you consider what you want to achieve. Do you want to raise awareness? Encourage collaboration among groups? With this in mind, the most effective screening allows for a facilitated discussion afterward, providing a chance to talk about and act on the film’s ideas.

Contact your MTA organizer or field rep to coordinate a screening.

Goals & Timeline

Event Goals

Turn out educators, parents, elected officials and other residents of the participating communities.
Have a robust conversation with at least ___those who attend for the post-screening conversation.
Through registration information and sign-ins, identify local residents who might want to participate in future conversations about local education issues.

Suggested Timeline

Here's a timeline to help you prepare in advance for your screening.

Six to Eight Weeks or More Out

Review Backpack guidance. Review information on the Backpack website at www.backpackfullofcash.com.
Locate a venue. Can be a school auditorium, church hall, or other kind of community center. Whoever offers space for free could be considered a cosponsor of the event. Determine the seating capacity and what format is needed for screening the film at this venue – DVD or Blu Ray?

Furnace Brook Middle School science teacher Edward Boudreau was among the South Shore educators who attended a screening of the film Backpack Full of Cash in Marshfield. During the event, participants filled a backpack with enlarged “dollar bills” listing ideas for what public schools could do with increased funding.

Five to Six Weeks Out

Identify cosponsors. These could be other local associations if it is a regional screening, local parent groups such as the PTO/PTA, and/or the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance and member groups (such as Citizens for Public Schools) who can help to involve local community residents in the event.
Notify MTA staff. Make sure the MTA staff who serve the locals are informed about it. These include field reps, organizers, Senate District Coordinators and MTA Communications. One staff person or member (e.g., a local president) should be identified as the event planner who will make sure all steps are followed.

Four to Five Weeks Out

Develop plan. Schedule a conference call with all the key participants (e.g., staff, local leaders, MEJA reps, if any) to discuss details. Time screening begins? Who will be on the panel for post-screening discussion? Who will emcee? Will snacks or water be supplied? What materials will be distributed – where and by whom?
Outreach Planning. Develop a plan to reach out to members, community groups, local elected officials and others. This should include social media, direct emails, and notices in local newspapers/new websites.
Create a flier. Easy to do using a template flier. Create a Facebook event and use other social media tools (Links and materials are posted with Event Resources.)
Send/post first notice about event. If you don’t yet have all the details, this can be a “save the date” notice. If you do have details, send and post them.
Ticketing. If the MTA is sponsoring the screening, no ticket fee may be charged. If there is no institutional sponsor, be sure to adhere to the filmmakers' ticketing guidelines.
Reserve Seats. You may want to ask participants to reserve a seat in advance. This way, you will have an email address and can send a reminder notice, and you will also know if you are at risk of running out of space and can eventually note that the event is "sold out."
- For help setting up online ticketing, contact Sarah Nathan, MTA Communications, at snathan@massteacher.org.

Two to Three Weeks Out

Track RSVPs. Make a plan should you risk exceeding the capacity of your screening room. If the response is slow, plan to increase promotion.
Second conference call with participants. Invite key players from parties involved to a call to give them updates, find out what they are doing to recruit and encourage them to turn up recruitment.
Elected leader option: If you want local school committee members, state reps and school leaders at event, reach out to directly via email or phone.
Confirm all logistics, such as:
- Table(s) outside the screening room – what materials will be on it?
- Providing any snacks/drinks – at least water. Who will buy and set up?
- Arrange for sound system for the panel discussion
- Attendance sheets – need volunteers to get participants’ contact info
- MTA outreach. Make sure info is included in Barbara Madeloni’s weekly email to members and on MTA social media sites. MTA will provide screening dates and location to the producers to post on their website and on their Facebook page.

Day of the Event

Ask several participants to arrive early to make sure everything is set.

Resources & Materials

Backpack Full of Cash

MTA Backpack Event Materials

Logistics

MTA will mail the movie to the designated regional office for distribution along with promotional materials from Backpack Full of Cash.

Cambridge Rindge and Latin graduate Matt Damon narrates the film.

Please note MTA is responsible for insuring that the screening hosts fulfill the following terms of the Public Performance License:

You may not copy, download, or otherwise share the copyrighted film or any part of it, except for the express purpose of showing it at your screening.
Allows each host to show the film one time on a date and at a place specified.
On the day following the screening, return the film to your organizer, field rep or regional office.

Questions: Contact your MTA organizer or field rep to coordinate a screening.