Look To The Stars News: Richard Dreyfuss

Matt Damon Defends Teachers at Washington Rally

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

On July 30, Matt Damon spoke out for teachers during the Save Our Schools March in Washington, D.C., joining thousands of educators, parents, children and others who care about the state of education in the U.S.

The crowds braved the scorching weather to show their concern over the demoralisation of teachers and the stringent testing process that many feel takes the joy and creativity out of learning.

The grassroots effort is instead looking to manifest equitable funding for public school communities, end high-stakes testing and allow for locally developed curriculums which can be better tailored to fit the children they are aimed at educating.

Richard Dreyfuss Wants Politics Back In School Curriculum

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Worried that the current generation of American children are on the road to passivity, Richard Dreyfuss wants to make sure that they are reminded of the values and methods that helped form America into the country that it is today.

“You can actually learn the constancy of curiosity, and the constancy of outrage,” said Dreyfuss in an interview with Bill Maher. "You can learn that it is ok to keep asking the questions and to be dissenters. If you’re not taught it, then you don’t know it. But we owe ourselves and the United States that we will pass off to our children to relearn the tools of reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility and debate. And those things are the non-partisan basis of democracy and without them you can kiss this thing good-bye.

“The expertise needed to understand western enlightenment and civil liberties is not something you’re born with. You have to learn it. We teach our kids what we want them to know, and we don’t teach our kids what we don’t want them to know. That’s not a conspiracy, that’s human nature…. If you don’t teach it, it will go away, and in the middle of the night when the towers fall we will not say ‘What am I responsible for?’ We will say, ‘Tell us what to do,’ … and we’ll chuck these liberties the moment the next terrorist horror happens.”

Waterston and Madigan Support National Parks

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Sam Waterston and Amy Madigan and are the newest advocates for America’s national parks.

The actors generously donated their time and talent to record radio public service ads for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association. The ads, launched in late August, encourage the public to sign a petition to the next president and Congress, seeking their support for national parks.

In previous years, celebrities Morgan Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Dreyfuss, Walter Cronkite, and Cristina Saralegui have recorded public service announcements for the organization’s efforts to protect national parks.

Affleck Tops Charity Stars in Denver

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Denver saw an outpouring of celebrity love during last week’s DNC, with Ben Affleck leading the philanthropic pack.

On the Tuesday night, Affleck took part in a poker tournament, along with Richard Dreyfuss and Montel Williams, which ultimately raised over $60,000 for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“A lot of important organizations use this environment and the people who are here, celebrities, members of Congress, to try and raise money. This is not a Democratic or Republican group, this is a group serving our veterans,” Affleck said of the charity.