Dangerous Minds

Think, Pair, Swear

Anticipatory Set: White teachers who teach students of color are offered advice from an instructional coach at a Title 1 charter school. Basically don’t do what the film version of Luann does in Dangerous Minds.
Getting Schooled: Luann Johnson is probably a lovely woman in real life but this movie version of her is a mess, and not just because Michelle Pfieiffer’s Southern accent comes and goes. It’a a horrific caricature of a white teacher working with students of color. The hosts marvel at the money she spends on full size candy bars, dinners to expensive restaurants, a stolen leather jacket and amusement park tickets for 40 students. The principal speaks like a sociopath. Her best friend Hal is near death. Most of the students look to be in their 20s or early 30s. And it appears that Luann teaches only one class. Even a good Coolio song can’t save this Hollywood high school turd fantasy.
Exit Ticket: The rose and thorn ceremony continues. Roses include getting organized and thorns include a Sunday recording two episodes and things went wrong. Yes this isn’t technically the last episode, but it was the last recorded before the season ended.