In an event that focused on Philadelphia’s education problems, some reformers focused on schools’ input (the public resources going into a school) and some focused on output (the results schools achieve). Amid conversations about alternative school models, like charter schools, film director M. Night Shyamalan offered his perspective: U.S. students get unequal environments and support. Non-white students especially get shortchanged. Shymalan says that inner-city schools that work tell kids “You’re fierce!” — a reminder that maybe making students feel that they matter is the real purpose of public education.