Stand and Deliver
Ramon Menendez's 1988 film Stand and Deliver portrays one teacher's impact on a class of underachieving high school students. Jaime A. Escalante quits a lucrative job in the tech sector to become an underpaid, underappreciated high school teacher in East Los Angeles. Although he was slated to teach computers to the underprivileged students, Escalante is forced to teach generic math because the district hasn't provided the school with any computers. Initially resistant to their new teacher, the students at Garfield High warm up to and gradually begin to admire and respect their role model. Even the most rebellious kids in the class respond to Escalante's unorthodox yet effective teaching methods. Inspired by the results, Escalante decides to offer advanced placement (A.P.) calculus to the Garfield students on weekends and throughout the summer. Their hard work pays off and the entire class of eighteen students passes the A.P. test and receives college credits. However, the results are so unusual, especially given the demographic of the school, that district officials accuse the class of organized cheating. Angry but undaunted by this setback, Escalante urges his students to retake the test to prove their merit. Again, all eighteen students pass the A.P. exam. Their universal success is matched in successive school years due mainly to Escalante's unwavering efforts. Based on a true story, Stand and Deliver concludes with figures from 1982, the year in which the film was set, through 1987: 18 students passed in 1982; 31 students in 1983; 63 in 1984; 77 in 1985; 78 in 1986; and 87 in 1987.
Jaime Escalante, the film's protagonist, exhibits an incredible amount of patience, wisdom, and humor in his approach to an unruly classroom. Because he can relate to his students linguistically and culturally, Escalante is especially able to affect their self-perception and their views on education....
Besides Escalante, central figures in the film include students like Angel, Pancho, Sophia, Claudia, and Ana. Some of the students like Angel feel torn between the allure of gang life and the promise of a better future though
academic achievement. Others, like Ana and Pancho are pressured not by their peers but by their
family to drop out of school early so they can work. The students'
parents therefore considerably impact the plot and outcome of the movie. Moreover, Drs. Ramirez and Pearson from the Educational Testing Service and Garfield administrative staff like Principle Molina's secretary Estelle affect the course of the film, as they display their biases and prejudices about the students. Set in East Los Angeles, the story specifically addresses ethnic and class conflicts that
plague most American urban neighborhoods and prevent minority students from reaching their highest academic potential. Stand and Deliver motivates all educators and potential educators to approach their jobs with more awareness, effort,
compassion, and respect for
diversity.
One of the early scenes of the movie demonstrates one of the key reasons for Escalante's success. When he first walks into the chaotic classroom, Escalante addresses the class in both English and Spanish, asking that all Spanish-speaking students come to the front of the room. His respect for non-English speaking students is echoed in later scenes of the film as well; in fact, this
theme runs throughout Stand and Deliver as being one of the most effective means by which Escalante gets through to his Hispanic students. Moreover, about twenty minutes into the film, Escalante explains that the mathematical concept of zero was invented by the Mayans: "Your ancestors," he adds with emphasis. This statement engenders ethnic pride, which is sorely lacking in American public schools. Moreover, the word "ganas," repeated throughout the film and related to its title, has more impact on the students because it is a Spanish word. Therefore, as a teacher, Escalante demonstrates an amazing level of
cultural awareness and sensitivity; as a Hispanic male, Escalante becomes an ideal role model for his students.
Besides encouraging pride in the students' backgrounds and cultures through language and cultural references, Escalante treats the individual students with respect. Moreover, he is able to level with them…
