The movie was very powerful. Olmos's acting was superb. The message that minorities could succeed if only they had a mentor and tried hard was uplifting. And having white bad guys who couldn't believe they could do it so they were accused of cheating just made it a perfect fairytale of political correctness.
Is it just too good a story to tamper with, too inspirational to let go?
The real teacher was exceptional, and his story of real life battles with educational bureaucracy is extremely interesting but in the end depressing because he was shut out and defeated. The actor was so strongly typecast by the part that he, not the teacher, is called upon to speak at educational conferences.
But the reason I started this thread is to ask whether it is reasonable to continue painting the white-faced testing department as racist for accusing those fresh faced latino teens of cheating, of perhaps refusing to believe minorities were capable of achievement.
Because they did cheat, or didn't you know that? A biography was written about the teacher a few years ago and many of the students gave permission to the author to look at the exams, and even admitted to passing around a note for a certain question. The odd part was that the answer on the note was wrong and they would have passed, as later proved with a retest.
Interesting story indeed. But would it have touched such a social nerve without the background of racism given out in the media of the day and in the movie?
Stereotypes. I guess they can be wrong sometimes.
Is it just too good a story to tamper with, too inspirational to let go?
The real teacher was exceptional, and his story of real life battles with educational bureaucracy is extremely interesting but in the end depressing because he was shut out and defeated. The actor was so strongly typecast by the part that he, not the teacher, is called upon to speak at educational conferences.
But the reason I started this thread is to ask whether it is reasonable to continue painting the white-faced testing department as racist for accusing those fresh faced latino teens of cheating, of perhaps refusing to believe minorities were capable of achievement.
Because they did cheat, or didn't you know that? A biography was written about the teacher a few years ago and many of the students gave permission to the author to look at the exams, and even admitted to passing around a note for a certain question. The odd part was that the answer on the note was wrong and they would have passed, as later proved with a retest.
Interesting story indeed. But would it have touched such a social nerve without the background of racism given out in the media of the day and in the movie?
Stereotypes. I guess they can be wrong sometimes.