Public fascination with Mr Escalante, a balding, middleaged
Bolivian immigrant,
swiftly turned him into one of the most famous teachers in America. Educators
would travel from around the world to learn about the Garfield programme, which
became one of the biggest and most successful in the US.
"Jaime exposed one of the most dangerous myths of our time – that innercity
students can't be expected to perform at the highest levels," said actor Edward James
Olmos, who won an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Escalante in the 1988 film.
"Because of him, that destructive idea has been shattered forever."
Escalante also became a campaigner for school reform. He pushed for high standards
and accountability, and upset the political establishment with maverick takes on
issues such as bilingual education for Hispanic students, which he opposed. More
recently, he was an educational advisor to California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
Mr Escalante was born in Bolivia, and arrived in California at the age of 33 with only
$3,000. Though barely able to speak English, he studied furiously while working a
succession of manual jobs. A decade later, in 1974, he was taken on as a teacher at
Garfield High where he placed heavy demands on students and had a "zero
tolerance" policy for misbehaviour. Pupils called him "Kimo", after Tonto's
nickname for the Lone Ranger, Kemo Sabe.
"Teaching is an art form. There's a lot of practitioners and very few artists. He was a
master artist," said Elsa Bolado, one of the students forced to retake the exam in
1982, who is now a teacher. "To this day, I still think of the example he set ... How
Public fascination with Mr Escalante, a balding, middleagedBolivian immigrant,swiftly turned him into one of the most famous teachers in America. Educatorswould travel from around the world to learn about the Garfield programme, whichbecame one of the biggest and most successful in the US."Jaime exposed one of the most dangerous myths of our time – that innercitystudents can't be expected to perform at the highest levels," said actor Edward JamesOlmos, who won an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Escalante in the 1988 film."Because of him, that destructive idea has been shattered forever."Escalante also became a campaigner for school reform. He pushed for high standardsand accountability, and upset the political establishment with maverick takes onissues such as bilingual education for Hispanic students, which he opposed. Morerecently, he was an educational advisor to California Governor ArnoldSchwarzenegger.Mr Escalante was born in Bolivia, and arrived in California at the age of 33 with only$3,000. Though barely able to speak English, he studied furiously while working asuccession of manual jobs. A decade later, in 1974, he was taken on as a teacher atGarfield High where he placed heavy demands on students and had a "zerotolerance" policy for misbehaviour. Pupils called him "Kimo", after Tonto'snickname for the Lone Ranger, Kemo Sabe."Teaching is an art form. There's a lot of practitioners and very few artists. He was amaster artist," said Elsa Bolado, one of the students forced to retake the exam in1982, who is now a teacher. "To this day, I still think of the example he set ... How
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