Jaime Escalante was a pioneering Math teacher who chose to work with inner city students in one of Los Angeles' toughest schools. Escalante did so well, Garfield High eventually had more students studying Advanced Calculus than all other schools in America, save three (it was fourth... with your math skills). Garfield eventually built one of the the largest and most successful Advanced Placement programs in America.
Jaime Escalante's students were largely Hispanic because they were the majority at Garfield High School, but he became an inspiration to students across the country. Escalante's influence was so strong, he became the subject of a 1988 movie entitled Stand and Deliver. Edward James Olmos portrayed the Bolivian immigrant, and the movie was a hit with both audiences and critics alike.
But Escalante did not have many fans amongst his peers or the parents of his students. He was a stickler for the rules, and his manner was brash, confrontational, and often rude. He even became a pariah amongst the Hispanic population when he opposed bilingual education. The fallout from his stance on this controversial issue lead to his leaving Garfield and teaching at another school for several years before he retired.
Escalante was 79. He died in Reno, Nevada, where he was being treated for bladder cancer.
© C Harris Lynn, 2010
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment