Notes towards a manifesto about education-drama genres

[ritaxis]

Here are two of the ways that education dramas can be done:

"Inexperienced white teacher saves the brown children through sincerity and unconventional methods and in opposition to experienced teachers and thugs." I'm not going to see "Freedom Writers" because I'm sick of these. I want brown teachers, I want experienced teachers, I want cooperating communities of teachers. Okay? Any single one of these white-teacher movies might be very good and well-meaning and affirming, but a huge pile of them accumulates to produce a message that brown children are doomed until the callow white teacher frees them with their innate superiority, that brown teachers are unthinkable, that no teacher ever learns their craft: either they're magical or their burned-out.

"Undisciplined but genius brown child prevails through accepting brown traditional values, especially discipline and teamwork, under the sometimes harsh but loving tutelage of usually brown mentor" ("Drumline," "Akeelah and the Bee," "Stomp the Yard") These are going to fester and shred soon, probably, but for now they're very cool. But -- here's a note for the next "historically Black college" movie -- can we please have enough of the princess-prize young woman whose only function in the movie is to give the young man something to strive for? Could we please have the next one of these center on a young woman and her group? And if we do get this, can she be elevated and saved by something other than percussion, rhythm, and sexy moves? For example, maybe, lab science. You can have that whole individual genius versus discipline and teamwork dialectic in the lab, too. Her cohort could discover a way to cure sickle cell anemia or something.

All that being said, go see "Stomp the Yard." Do not be taken aback by the first ten minutes of intense, violent "dance battle" in the abandoned warehouse district of LA. Hang in there. You will be rewarded.

Comments

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

You'd like the physics student from Turkey I just met who wants a (second) PhD from Oxford University. She did hers at an English-speaking University (Istanbul) while working in a factory and designing two new ovens in her first year; one of which won second place in a European Prize...

Talk about bright and ambitious. She'll take on the world, and the idea that she would need help or patronage to any degree other than *any* young person might want is simply ludicrous.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

I don't have anything to say about these other than: You're right.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

I want brown teachers, I want experienced teachers, I want cooperating communities of teachers.

Yay! This is exactly how I felt from watching the trailer.

Also:

can we please have enough of the princess-prize young woman whose only function in the movie is to give the young man something to strive for? Could we please have the next one of these center on a young woman and her group? And if we do get this, can she be elevated and saved by something other than percussion, rhythm, and sexy moves? For example, maybe, lab science.

Double yay!

Once again, I'm going to link. Since you said last time that you are always flattered, I'm going to stop asking permission and merely provide heads-up in the future (unless you object, of course).

[oracne.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[bettybaker.livejournal.com]

I found this a couple degrees removed from my friends list and I'm really glad I did. This is an awesome entry, and I'd love to mention it in my journal. May I? And may I friend you?

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Of course, and of course. It's totally flattering.