In AMST 498J today, the discussion will focus on popular culture images of teachers, especially the "magical hero teacher" myth. I plan to start with "Blackboard Jungle" (Mild-mannered English teacher Glenn Ford tames Sidney Poitier and defeats Vic Morrow) and discuss how the heroic teacher stories can shape viewers' attitudes toward teachers, at-risk students and learning. This narrative is so familiar that it is a frequent subject of parody; as in the Family Guy episode "Fast Times at Cianci Jr. High") and, more recently, the "Nice White Lady" sketch on MadTV. So we have the myth, and the humorous opposition; where does that leave the actual at-risk students? Could it be that the "teacher as hero" stories and the parodies both help maintain our unequal educational system?
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