Schooling
Although some successful schooling can be seen in Mr. Escalante’s classroom,
the majority present in Garfield High School was detrimental. This film represents
the idea of schooling in many ways. It can be viewed through the actual school itself,
the classroom, the teacher, and the students. The school as a whole is portrayed as a
place where students do not want to be or care about. Several times in the film
students are shown disrespecting school property and officials. The campus is
rundown and covered in graffiti. Students are shown participating in inappropriate
behavior, such as fighting, smoking, and public display of affection. It seems as if the
school is a place the students are forced to attend. The basic mission of the school
seems to be to keep the students under enough control to make through each day
and then the students leave to not be thought about again until the next school day.
The students definitely do not respect the idea of school or learning. The staff
members do not care about the students and have the opinion that none of them can
exceed more the minimal expectations. Some teachers feel that if the students are
challenged they will fail and what little self‐esteem the students have will be
shattered.
The classroom is first portrayed as a wild environment with no authority
figure. Students are yelling across the room, throwing paper, fighting, and do not
show any respect for authority. When Mr. Escalante enters the room for the first
time, the students show him little respect. The students have the attitude that no