As students run with their parents to the nearest stores for school supplies, a looming issue regarding the education system persists. Recently the federal government came through with $10 billion to revive thousands of teacher positions previously eliminated. Although Democrats are hopeful that the funding will balance the cutbacks made by several states, many are still skeptical.
It truly says something about the state of our country when America can spend more on war than on educating the very youth who hold the future in their hands. Teachers are important and have a great impact on growing minds.
So, for a lighter spin on the subject, we thought about teachers in film who did their jobs despite low educational funding and resistance from “the man.”
Click through to see which characters made the cut:
10. LouAnne Johnson in “Dangerous Minds” (1995)
The character was based on the autobiography “My Posse Don’t Do Homework,” written by the ex-marine who became a high school teacher in Belmont, California. Michelle Pfeiffer portrayed Johnson perfectly, using unique methods to motivate a class of underprivileged teens.
9. Miss Honey in “Matilda” (1996)
What teacher do you know who will encourage you to use your psychokinetic skills and adopt you into a better home? OK…well both scenarios are fairly weird, but Miss Honey was super supportive and kind to Matilda.
8. Mark Thackeray in “To Sir with Love” (1967)
One of Sidney Poitier’s early films, he deals with issues of race head-on in a London high school. A break from the usual roles of the time, Thackeray was a black engineer who encouraged his students to dress formal and speak correct English when in class.
7. Glenn Holland in “Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1995)
The story of a former composer who takes on a teaching job to support his young family moved everyone who saw the film back in the day. Spanning over thirty years, the movie ends on a climatic note of all his former students honoring his life as a teacher.
6. Ms. Rain in “Precious” (2009)
Paula Patton did a phenomenal job playing a teacher in an alternative school that was challenged to teach Precious how to read and love herself.
5. Roberta Guaspari Demetras in “Music of the Heart” (1999)
Different from other teacher-based films, Meryl Streep’s character not only helps the kids, but the kids help her find strength. Inspired by the true story of the Opus 118 Harlem School of Music and the children’s group Small Wonders, the film delves into the issues budget cuts cause for the education system.
4. Kenneth Carter in “Coach Carter” (2005)
Every time we think of this movie the Faith Evans and Twista song “Hope” pops in our minds. Inspirational and true to life, the film deals with the hardships of living in an impoverished Richmond, California. Our favorite line: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”
3. Jaime Escalante in “Stand and Deliver” (1988)
The movies that depict this country at the height of the crack epidemic always touch us the most. Maybe it has to do with the hard choice kids had to make between being in the classroom or being on the corner. Either way, Edward James Olmos plays a math teacher who realizes his students have far more potential than their East Los Angeles peers knew.
2. Melvin B. Tolson in “The Great Debaters” (2007)
The star studded movie was focused on Wiley College’s plight to an intellectual debate eventually leading to Harvard. Denzel Washington’s character not only has to teach his students the skill of debate, but battles the heavy racial tension of Texas during the Great Depression.
1. Joe Louis Clark in “Lean on Me” (1989)
Now don’t lie: when you think of awesome teacher movies, is this not the first one that comes to mind? Never have we ever seen a high school so bad, so dirty, so sad as this one based off the real life Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey. Morgan Freeman’s character helped his students deal with teen pregnancy, abuse, crack, gang violence, jail and educational ineptitude. If anyone wins the award for the best teacher in this list, hands down it’s Clark.
