Freedom Writers ~ 1.5.07

[tld221]

Originally Posted by dzfan

I think that's a bit of an overreaction in this particular movie's case - it's based on a true story, and the real teacher was a white woman (she was on the View today).

Personally, I think it looks like a good movie; I like inspirational stories and everything.

i feel like you're missing the point... the fact that the story is based on a true story doesnt change the fact that people are tired of movies like this. it becomes overdone and cliche, and when you look at it racially, it gives this image of white people being the rescuer to the minorities who need rescuing, which leaves a bad taste in some people's mouth.

this movie (the trailer, anyway) doesnt show us anything different than similar movies of the sort. it's kinda cut and dry, fill-in-the-blank-type storyline. you have to wonder why this woman's story (of all the people doing great things in the world) is being told. someone mentioned the real-life woman is now in politics - so i wouldnt be surprised at all if it was a campaign move.

so tell me how that's an overreaction.

[lovelyivy84]

Fully co-sign.

Even my very white boyfriend who HAS been a teacher in an inner city school (along with other white people, black people and even hispanic and asian people, wow!) turned to me when he saw the trailer for this and was like "they're making this movie again?"

My mother is a teacher, I grew up around teachers and have worked in a number of schools. "Great white hope" teachers generally don't last. People who come in knowing it's a job, developing their skills as teachers,with commitment to the kids and the courage to put themselves out there regardless of race do. If you come in with a bullisht save the brown people attitude you are not going to make it.

But it seems like we never see any other teacher stories on the screen (except Lean On Me- LOVED that one).

Originally Posted by tld221

i feel like you're missing the point... the fact that the story is based on a true story doesnt change the fact that people are tired of movies like this. it becomes overdone and cliche, and when you look at it racially, it gives this image of white people being the rescuer to the minorities who need rescuing, which leaves a bad taste in some people's mouth.

this movie (the trailer, anyway) doesnt show us anything different than similar movies of the sort. it's kinda cut and dry, fill-in-the-blank-type storyline. you have to wonder why this woman's story (of all the people doing great things in the world) is being told. someone mentioned the real-life woman is now in politics - so i wouldnt be surprised at all if it was a campaign move.

so tell me how that's an overreaction.

[jojapeach]

I'm generally colorblind when looking at some situations, but this one is glaringly annoying. I like the journaling concept in this movie, but the better movie was "The Ron Clark Story" on TNT. It fell in line with the Great White Hope genre, but the only singing was the Tribute to The Presidents rap. It was a good story for TNT, and I'm wating for "Freedom Writers" to join the TNT lineup.

[dzfan]

Well, I guess I just think this movie can't help the fact that the story it's based on...well, is what it is. That's what happened, and the people that were involved, so I can't see why that's the film's fault. But, I think that the film be more than just a stereotype, it seems to be better than a lot of other movies of the same type.

I read the Variety review of the movie today (it's here: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117...id=1263&cs=1); this is what it said:

Another movie about a well-meaning, white-bread teacher thrust among the savages? No, not by a long shot. Although "Freedom Writers" is the latest in a long line of saint-saves-students stories, it takes the bold approach of being earnest, honest and unafraid to be called naive. As a result, it's extremely affecting. Presided over by a sensitive, open performance by Hilary Swank and blessed by a gifted group of young actors, the drama could win hearts and dollars

That sounds pretty good to me, definitely worth giving it a chance.

[pinkies up]

No need to go and see that movie. As a teacher, I feel as if I should call HBO and allow them to catch some real everyday footage of wannabe gangstas who can't match the gang to the right color, little grown azz girls who don't need to be in school. As a matter of fact, they need to be at someone's job, especially since they ARE grown, and mothers who never come to school at report card time or parent/teacher conferences, but seem to be at the school in 2.3 seconds in order to DEFEND their children's honor, even when the kids are disrespectful to the parent at home. Anyone else interested?

[MeezDiscreet]

ME! ME! ME! Your post speaks the truth!!!!

[redblackdelta]

holla!

[Wonderful1908]

Originally Posted by pinkies up

No need to go and see that movie. As a teacher, I feel as if I should call HBO and allow them to catch some real everyday footage of wannabe gangstas who can't match the gang to the right color, little grown azz girls who don't need to be in school. As a matter of fact, they need to be at someone's job, especially since they ARE grown, and mothers who never come to school at report card time or parent/teacher conferences, but seem to be at the school in 2.3 seconds in order to DEFEND their children's honor, even when the kids are disrespectful to the parent at home. Anyone else interested?

Okay!

[Sistermadly]

Originally Posted by lovelyivy84

Even my very white boyfriend who HAS been a teacher in an inner city school (along with other white people, black people and even hispanic and asian people, wow!) turned to me when he saw the trailer for this and was like "they're making this movie again?"

There was an excellent op-ed in the Guardian (UK) newspaper about the whole "white crusaders/brown savages" theme that runs through Hollywood films. It was written about Blood Diamond, but also touches on films like The Interpreter, The Constant Gardener, Glory, and To Kill a Mockingbird:

http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/...982608,00.html

From the article:
Pioneeringly foolish, To Kill a Mockingbird establishes the basic theme of all Three Cheers for Whitey! movies: Yes, there are many bad white people out there who do some terrible, terrible things to black people. But when the chips are down and black people are poised on the very precipice of disaster, they can always rely on some thoroughly decent white folks to step in and make sure that justice prevails.

The only movie where there was a white teacher (protagonist) who played against a black student that came off feeling somewhat genuine was Half Nelson with Ryan Gosling and Shameeka Epps. If you haven't seen it, rent it.

[Kamryn]

Okay, I'm excited about my little trip down memory lane. Let me tell you why!

I’ve been seeing this movie publicized on billboards and bus stops, and I thought it was interesting… I didn’t really get the storyline until I started seeing commercials. When I learned more, I also connected it with Dangerous Minds, and saw it as a cliché.

When I heard the commercials, I kept hearing the name Erin Gruwell in the clips and previews, and I knew it sounded familiar. But I didn’t know from where. Tonight, one of my best friends from high school asked me if I wanted to see it, and told me that it was about our high school. THAT GOT MY ATTENTION! That’s when her name rang a bell. LOL! Ms. Gruwell was in her last year as an English teacher at Wilson when I was just coming in as a freshman.

[RedBlackDelta, my little sister is currently a freshman at Poly! Ugh, Jackrabbits…lol. j/k, I’m a PROUD BRUIN! LOL! ]

Ms. Gruwell left a lasting impression at Wilson. The movie did an excellent job of telling her story. It was very accurate, as far as the segregation, her teaching strategies, and ignorance of some of the faculty and administration. I’ll never forget that I FOUGHT long and hard to get into Distinguished Scholars, I was the only black student in many of my AP and Honors classes, and yet I still only graduated with honors. They always found a way to create new rules or “alterations” to the curriculum. My friends and I fought the same battle. Some succeeded, some didn’t. Some had parents to take teachers to court, some students protested, some didn't bother to try and just settled for whatever, etc. etc. But that’s another story. I love my alma mater, but I was glad to finally graduate.

The school isn’t as wild as they made it out to be. I didn’t like how they exaggerated the quad scene. Things were not prim and proper, but it wasn’t that extreme. Long Beach is rough, but I think somethings were a little "extra". I guess that's show buisness. The students did have a lot of crazy things going on at home, but a lot of people do.

I’m calling my former English teacher tomorrow! She was one of my most inspirational mentors throughout high school. We met when I was a freshman and she was planning a trip to UCI to see Dr. Maya Angelou, for the JRs and SRs only. I charmed my way into getting added to the list. I had her for AP English Language in my Jr year, and enjoyed her class so much, that I decided that I would make more progress in her Honors Multicultural Literature for my senior year, instead of AP English Lit. with another teacher. She always told us stories of Ms. Gruwell, and used a lot of her teaching styles. We did the journal exercise, played similar games whcih were more like icebreakers into another lesson, and she even took us to meet a Holocaust survivor. That teacher was hard core. We had homework before we even stepped in her class, within the first week of classes, we had a test on the three books we had to read during the summer and the vocabulary words she gave us to study. She would come in on the weekends and have study sessions, she scheduled AP review sessions outside of class time, kept an open door policy, and we named our homework nights after her. LOL! We had so many vocabulary words (I felt a little overwhelmed when I got the list), timed essays for homework, along with reading assignments and projects that went along with them. That was all in addition to the work we had in class! LOL! She gave us the most homework I’ve ever had in my life, and every second in her classroom was productive. She dared anyone to walk into her classroom late. LOL! You had to be one brave soldior to do that. When I completed her class, I was confident with my writing, and felt prepared for college. This movie brought back a lot of memories for me! 

[Kamryn]

Originally Posted by Kamryn

The school isn’t as wild as they made it out to be. I didn’t like how they exaggerated the quad scene. Things were not prim and proper, but it wasn’t that extreme. Long Beach is rough, but I think somethings were a little "extra". I guess that's show buisness. The students did have a lot of crazy things going on at home, but a lot of people do.

I have to retract this statement. I learned that the quad scene was actually a riot (between the blacks and hispanics) that happened two years before I got there. I vaguely remember hearing about the riot. So the movie was accurate.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally Posted by pinkies up

No need to go and see that movie. As a teacher, I feel as if I should call HBO and allow them to catch some real everyday footage of wannabe gangstas who can't match the gang to the right color, little grown azz girls who don't need to be in school. As a matter of fact, they need to be at someone's job, especially since they ARE grown, and mothers who never come to school at report card time or parent/teacher conferences, but seem to be at the school in 2.3 seconds in order to DEFEND their children's honor, even when the kids are disrespectful to the parent at home. Anyone else interested?

*catching the holeegost* (notice the spelling, not trying to disrespect TMU)

PREACH!

[redblackdelta]

[quote=Kamryn;1379179]

[RedBlackDelta, my little sister is currently a freshman at Poly! Ugh, Jackrabbits…lol. jo




Go Jackrabbits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I miss Poly dearly, but again, don't miss the violence. We had a shooting at the '05 graduation and last year I had phone calls and emails up the yahzoo because of the shootings on and near campus (two of the above involving one of my students) last year.

as a matter of fact, if they wanna make the saint-saves-the-sinners movie, they need to do it on Poly. Every year I marvel at how many students they send to college amidst the epicenter of the gang/racial violence in Long Beach. Poly is dead center of Long Beach and catches all heat.

[Kamryn]

Originally Posted by redblackdelta

Go Jackrabbits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I miss Poly dearly, but again, don't miss the violence. We had a shooting at the '05 graduation and last year I had phone calls and emails up the yahzoo because of the shootings on and near campus (two of the above involving one of my students) last year.

as a matter of fact, if they wanna make the saint-saves-the-sinners movie, they need to do it on Poly. Every year I marvel at how many students they send to college amidst the epicenter of the gang/racial violence in Long Beach. Poly is dead center of Long Beach and catches all heat.

LOL, you know it's all about the Bruins!

I can only imagine the amount of phone calls you had! Violence has been increasing a lot in LBUSD these last couple of years. I there was a shooting after a football game at Jordan a couple weeks before Christmas. Two other shootings happened within weeks of eachother while I was on my way home from work.

I know about some of the things that happen at Poly, and many of the other high schools in LBUSD. I was an advocate and worked with the city, PTA, and African American Parent Support Group. So I had a lot of access to information about the district that a lot of people don't have. Personally, I really wanted my sister to go to Wilson, b/c although Wilson had some issues, I felt that (compared to the other schools) it was a better place for her to be. But, she's crazy about her beloved Poly. She's in their CIC Program, and plays soccer and the violin for them. I think she felt that she would be following in my shadows if she went to Wilson, so she made that decision. Both schools are good schools. (Ahem, Wilson's better...lol.) So she should be fine at Poly.

[redblackdelta]

you know i have this theory about both poly and wilson. i think lbpd will wait until the wrong, ahem person gets hurt and then they'll finally do something. notice how nothing happens at cabrillo or jordan??? both poly and wilson have strong alumni who will fight to the death, but you let one of the Bixby Knolls kids, or better yet, the Virginia Country Club PACE or CIC kids get hurt in this mess, and all you know what will break loose.