Notes: Stand and Deliver

Based on a true story, this movie begins with scenes of the main character, Jaime Escalante, during his commute to school where is to teach computer science at Garfield High in East Los Angeles.  It gives a sense of the type of environment in which the inner-city students that attend the school live.  Escalante arrives at the school expecting to teach computer science.  The school has been promised funding for computers for a couple years but still do not have the funding to acquire them.  He is instead enlisted to teach basic math.  He is introduced to a classroom full of unruly students.  At the end of the day, he finds that his car is broken into and the radio is stolen. We learn that he worked for a good company and quit his job to teach high school.

Escalante uses apples as visual aids to teach his class fractions.  He also watches them outside of the classroom to gain perspective of the lives of his students.  He tries communicate with his students to show that he means business.  He doesn't let them run all over him. 

He decides that basic math is not enough for his students to learn and decides to teach them algebra.  He uses a visual of a digging and filling hole at the beach as an example of the mathematical equation "-2 +2".

 "Did you know that neither the Greeks nor the Romans were capable of using the concept of zero? It was your ancestors, the Mayans, who first contemplated the zero. The absence of value. True story. You 'burros' have math in your blood... A negative times a negative equals a positive. Why?"

 "Students will rise to the level of expectations..."

"...There will be no free rides, no excuses. You already have two strikes against you: your name and your complexion. Because of those two strikes, there are some people in this world who will assume that you know less than you do. Math is the great equalizer... When you go for a job, the person giving you that job will not want to hear your problems; ergo, neither do I. You're going to work harder here than you've ever worked anywhere else. And the only thing I ask from you is 'ganas'. Desire....If you don't have the 'ganas', I will give it to you because I'm an expert."

Many of the students have responsibilities outside of school such as jobs and helping to take care of family members such as grandparents, parents and siblings.  Sophia sees her parents off to work and takes care of her siblings.  Angel takes care of his sick grandmother.  Ana works as a waitress at her family's business.

"It's not that they're stupid, it's just they don't know anything."

During a meeting between teachers, Escalante announces that he want to teach calculus next school year.  The other teachers laugh and ridicule his idea.  Raquel, a school administrator says, "I'm thinking about those kids.  If they try and don't succeed, you'll shatter what little self confidence they have.  These aren't the types, that a, that bounce back."  Escalante decides to teach summer school in order to prepare his students to take calculus the following school year. 

As the new school year starts, Escalante starts his calculus classes.  "Calculus was not made to be easy. It already is."  He makes his students sign a contract.  They promise to attend calculus an hour before school, 2 hours in class, stay after school until 5 and go to class on Saturday without taking vacations.

"All you can see is the turn, don't see the road ahead."

He teaches ESL at night to adults and has a mild attack during class.  His math class tries to learn without him.  A conversation that turns into a fight.  The AP Calculus exam in two weeks.  His doctor says no stress and job related activity for two months.  After 2 days away in the hospital, he sneaks into the class room to applause. 

The class takes the test and celebrates at the beach afterwards.  Test scores arrive by mail for the advanced placement calculus test.  No other HS has more passing students than Garfield HS.  All 18 took test and passed.  The students present a plaque to the teacher.

Later the students are accused of cheating.  There was an agreement of the incorrect answers; all students made the same mistakes.  They averaged less than four wrong answers.  Doubt ensues that the grades are valid.  The students start sabotaging lives because of anger over situation.

 They are interrogated by officers by Pearson and Ramirez from the Educational Testing Service to see if anyone will "tell the truth".  Escalante anonymously receives a Letter of Resignation in his box.

 Escalante has a conversation with his wife.  He feels that he made a mistake by teaching calculus.  He feels that if you try real hard, nothing changes.  He feels his students lost confidence in the system that they qualify to be part of.  He wants them to make twice the money for less hours and be treated with respect.

 "Students will rise to the level of expectation..."

 Escalante approaches the ETS and says, "Those scores would have never been questioned if my kids did not have Spanish surnames and come from barrio schools. You know that."

Dr. Pearson says, "There is two kinds of racism, Mr. Escalante. Judging a group because they are a minority, and not judging a group because they are a minority."

Escalate tried to see the tests and ask why they think his students have cheated.  There was no proof of wrong doing, only a suspicion of cheating.  Racism...discrimination.

The students decide to take the test again with one day to review.  The test will be harder.  They take the second test while proctored by the people who are investigating.  The tests are scrutinized to make sure that there are no discrepancies.  Everyone passes.  Escalante says, “I want the original scores reinstated."

Each subsequent year, more and more students pass the AP Calculus exam at Garfield High School.