Free Public Screening of The Long Game: Texas Public Education documentary—October 20 at UT Austin, 6-8:30 PM

Free Public Screening of The Long Game: Texas Public Education (that centers the story of the takeover of the Houston Independent School District), October 20 at UT Austin

Please join us Tuesday, October 20, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at the University of Texas at Austin for a free public screening of The Long Game: Texas Public Education, followed by a panel discussion on education policy in Texas. The event is free and open to everyone!

At a time when public education in Texas faces extraordinary political and institutional pressures, understanding the larger forces shaping our schools has never been more important.

The Long Game is a powerful and deeply moving documentary that examines the political, economic, and ideological forces working to reshape—and, in many respects, dismantle—public education in Texas. Through the voices of teachers, parents, students, principals, superintendents, and community members, the film reveals what is at stake in the struggle over the future of our public schools.

Importantly, the documentary situates today's education battles within a larger historical and political context, inviting us to consider the connections among racism, capitalism, privatization, and the ongoing struggle for equitable, democratically accountable public education.

As Dr. Amy Grillo, Associate Professor of Practice at Mount Holyoke College, observes:

"This film accomplishes in less than a couple of hours what I spend an entire semester trying to help my students understand about the interconnection between racism, capitalism, and the demise of public education as we know it."

Following the screening, I'll be joining a panel discussion exploring the documentary's implications for education policy in Texas and, importantly, what we can do as educators, parents, and community members to defend and strengthen our public schools. 

I've already seen the film, and I can tell you that it is absolutely riveting—both deeply troubling in what it reveals and enormously important in helping us understand the larger forces shaping the future of public education. It's a film that deserves to be seen, discussed, and shared widely.

Event Details

• Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026

• Time: 6:00–8:30 PM

• Location: SZB 1.510 (Al Kiva), UT Austin, College of Education

• Admission: FREE and open to the public

• Program: Documentary screening followed by a panel discussion on education policy in Texas

This event is presented through the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at UT Austin.

I especially encourage educators, students, parents, researchers, community advocates, policymakers, and everyone concerned about the future of public education to attend.

Public education belongs to the public. Its future should concern all of us. We cannot defend what we do not understand, and documentaries like The Long Game help us recognize the larger structures and political interests influencing decisions about our children's schools and communities—together with their devastating impacts on teachers and children, generally.

Parking is available in the Brazos Garage. When you get out of the garage, the best way to get to the building is to walk on the MLK side, passing the Blanton, and making a right on the sidewalk that hugs the Sanchez Building. The entrance will take you exactly to the Al Kiva auditorium in the College of Education. Note: Don't be discouraged by all the construction going on in front of our building. The innovation will be gorgeous, with outdoor classroom spaces, once completed by sometime next Spring.

Please join us for an evening of learning, reflection, and important conversation. Bring a friend, colleague, or family member. All are welcome!

Learn more and watch the trailer: www.thelonggamedocumentary.com