Representations of Teachers in 60 Years of Films

Representations of Teachers in 60 Years of Films: A Database promoting Critical Analysis of Teacher Image with regard to Race, Class, and Gender

This data set was developed as a resource for Foundations of Education Courses and Other Courses in which learners will critically examine the representation of teachers and students in popular culture. I viewed 51 films released from 1939 to 1998 and analyzed each with respect to teacher and student representation in terms of race, class, and gender. For each film I described the story line, social context, implicit view of teaching, implicit view of students, and themes. All of the comments recorded (including data on race, class, and gender) reflect my interpretations and are subject to reinterpretation and critique. I hope you find the data tables useful, and please do share suggestions for revision/addition with me at beyerbac@oswego.edu. Please also write if you would like a searchable, Access file of the original database from which these tables were produced.

Film Title		Date	Teacher Race		Teacher Class		Teacber Gender		Student Race		Student Class		Student Gender
Goodbye, Mr. Chips	1939			White		upper		male		White		upper		male
The Corn Is Green		1945	White		middle		female		White		working		both
Blackboard Jungle		1955	White		middle		male		mostly White		Urban poor		both
Our Miss Brooks		1956	White		middle		female		White		middle		both
The Miracle Worker		1962	White		middle		female		White		middle		female
A Child Is Waiting		1963	White		middle		female		White		middle		both
To Sir With Love		1966	Black		middle		male		White		working		both
Up the Down Staircase		1967	White		middle		female		multiracial		working		both
Rachel Rachel		1968	White		middle		female		White		middle		both
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie		1969	White		upper		female		White		upper		female
Conrack		1974	White		working		male		Black		working		both
Looking for Mr. Goodbar		1977	White		middle		female		multiracial		middle		both
Grease		1978	White		middle		both		White		middle		both
Fame		1980	multiracial		middle		both		multiracial		middle		both
Amy		1981	White		middle		female		White		middle		both
Educating Rita		1982	White		middle		male		White		working		female
Fast Times at Ridgemont High		1982	White		middle		male		White		middle		both
Porkys II		1983	White		middle		female		White		middle		male
Sixteen Candles		1984	unknown		unknown		unknown		White		middle		both
Helen Keller		1984	White		working		female		White		upper		female
Teachers		1984	White		middle		male		White, one Black		working		both
The Breakfast Club		1985	White		upper middle		male		White		working		both
Dead Poet Society		1986	White		middle		male		White		upper		male
Ferris Buehler's Day Off		1986	White		middle		male		White		middle		both
Children of a Lesser God		1986	White		middle		male		White		middle		female
Stand and Deliver		1987	Hispanic		middle		male		Hispanic		working		both
The Principal		1987	White		working		male		multiracial		working		both
Summer School		1987	White		middle		male		White		middle		both
Madame Soustaka		1988	White		upper		female		Indian		middle		male
Jacknife		1989	White		middle		female		White		middle		both
Lean on Me		1989	Black		middle		male		Black		working		both
Heathers		1989	White		middle		both		White		upper		both
Kindergarten Cop		1990	White		middle		male		White, a few token Blacks		middle		both
Class of 1999		1methas98.htm990	Multiracial		middle		both		multiracial		working		both
Separate but Equal		1991	Black		working		both		Black		working		both
Boyz N the Hood		1991	White		middle		female		Black		working		both
Just Another Girl on the IRT		1992	White		middle		male		Black		working		both
Juice		1992	unknown		middle		unknown		Black		working		both
School Ties		1992	White		middle		male		White		upper		male
Daughters of the Dust		1992	Black		working		female		Black		working		both
Renaissance Man		1994	White		middle		male		White		working		male
The Browning Version		1994	White		upper		male		White		upper		male
Dangerous Minds		1995	White		middle		female		multiracial		working		both
Mr. Holland's Opus		1995	White		middle		male		White		middle		both
Billy Madison		1995	White		middle		female		White		upper		both
Higher Learning		1995	Black		middle		male		multiracial		middle		both
The Substitute		1996	White		middle		female		Black		working		both
High School High		1996	White		Upper		Male		multiracial		working		both
In and Out		1997	White		middle		male		White		middle		both
187		1997	Black		middle		male		multiracial		working		both
Disturbing Behavior		1998	White		middle		male		White		middle		both

Table 1. Films Representing Teachers by Year Released, and Race, Class, Gender Data on Teachers and Students

Film title	Storyline	Themes
Goodbye, Mr. Chips	Love of a woman turns a cold man into a good teacher. She says, "You can do anything you set your mind to, if you want to... You can be headmaster if you want". Students run wild at first, and are caned by the headmaster for it.	Fast times-- "in these times" refers to moral decay. Housekeeper-- "things are different now". Women are props-- sacrifice is essential. Wife sacrifices life in childbirth, all talk is about moving to headmasters house, supporting husband-- and she was a liberal, independent woman by her own definition. "A strong minded female who rides a bicycle and wants to vote". They meet on a mountainside in a mist where he foolishly goes up to rescue her. She kissed him-- "You'll have to marry me now" she says. She charms his friends and students. Years later, as he is about to retire, he is described as old-fashioned and into Latin, not modern languages. Five years later the headmaster regrets this view, and toasts him at his retirement.
The Corn Is Green	Miss Moffit, a strong, independent woman, inherits a house and decides to start a school in a poor mining town. With a houseful of books, she elicits the help of an upper middle class gentleman and transforms the conventional views of the town’s people. She develops a protégé-- a male student, who is tempted by Besse, who becomes pregnant. Miss Moffit convinces him to be a scholar, and takes the child to raise as her own.	Miss Moffit is represented as strong, but in general gender roles are reinforced. Town resists school at first. Miss Moffit is controlling, sending Bessie away to have the baby-- Women are either cerebral or carnal (Miss Moffit is has no love interest, Bessie is pure carnal temptation). Girls are absent in first half of film. Miss Moffit says to her scholar student, "You have a duty, but not to that loose little lady". He has a "duty to the world". She pushes him over the wall and tells him to become a great man, and not come back. She accepts his baby as hers. Bias against Welsh culture.
Blackboard Jungle	White male hero establishes control in urban school, protects woman in his life; overpowers bad student by using force.	Tokenism re Black student; women portrayed as bodies; males tough and protective. Women are represented as delicate and needing protection. Teacher’s wife says about teacher who was nearly raped, "Maybe she provoked the boy, teachers oughtn't dress sexy". Teacher uses violence against a student who was trying to rape a female teacher. Teacher confronts racism by confronting name calling of a Hispanic student. There is a homophobic comment that goes unchallenged.
Our Miss Brooks	Miss Brooks falls for the shy biology teacher and conspires to win him. She challenges a rich father who challenged her teaching, and urges him to be a better parent. She uses him to bait her husband.	Miss Brooks admires the picket fence/house across the street. "What a perfect place to wait for a man". Jealousy motivates the shy biologist to make his move. Women portrayed as bodies, plotters. A meddling old woman and his mother plot to bring the couple together.
The Miracle Worker	Ann Sullivan teaches Helen the concept of "word," and to communicate.	Empathy-- Ann can teacher her because she was blind. Mother believes she is bright and will not give up.
A Child Is Waiting	Filmed at Pacific State Hospital in California, a woman takes a position as teacher, and develops a strong relationship with a male student, calling his mother in who he hasn’t seen in years. Male psychologist challenges and guides her, promotes institutionalization and independence of students.	Promotes institutionalization as the answer. "Your boy knows what its like to be different. He won't be different here". Represents parents as out of touch with their kids’ lives, and the psychologist as the one with answers. Shows retardation as a devastating blow to a family, causing divorce and heartache. Mother doesn't see son because she loves him too much. Clark-- "I haven't helped Rubin at all, but I’d rather fail with him than have him denatured by your love". He thinks Rubin needs structure and discipline, not love and suckling. He wants kids to learn to help themselves, and that they should be loved as they are-- they have meaning and purpose.
To Sir With Love	A first year Black teacher with no degree in teaching struggles to discipline/control urban students. They get the better of him; he tries treating them as adults and teaching to their interests, and succeeds. Thinks of leaving teaching but stays.	Tokenism, one Black male teacher, all White students. Gender stereotyping. "Most of you girls help your mother with the shopping-- girls soon you will concern yourself with marriage, and no man likes a slut" More flexible gender roles-- e.g. alternatives to physical fighting to resolve disputes, a boy is seen crying. Rugged individualism is reflected. Poitier says, "If you work hard you can do anything you want." Social injustice is not considered, the message to urban poor is that they are responsible for the conditions in which they live. Less rigid gender roles than in earlier films, e.g. alternatives to physical violence are presented as a way of disciplining students; a boy is seen crying.
Up the Down Staircase	Idealistic new teacher in a bureaucratic mess, builds relationships with students and parents, upholds standards. Male student thinks she is nice to him because she wants sex. She thinks of resigning but stays.	Explores ironies of schools "Why are you late?" Black male responds, "I was in the late room, that’s where you go to make up for your lateness. Otherwise I would have been on time." Stereotypic violent urban context.
Rachel	Rachel leads an ordinary life but imagines an extraordinary one (e.g. passing out on the street and being taken away on a stretcher}. She spends too much time with internal talk, calling herself a coward for not leaving the school. She ventures out to date, thinks she is pregnant, and eventually leaves her over-attached mother to start a new life in Oregon.	Depressed introvert is afraid, but takes some measure of control in her life. "I will be afraid always. I might be lonely always. What will happen?"
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie	Teacher shapes "her girls" into cultivated women, while having an affair with a married man. She is fired but not dispirited.	A woman can either teach or marry; explicit gender stereotyping; man forcefully kissing her as she plays hard to get (violence accepted). Miss Brodie begins to challenge stereotypes as she suggests her girls might have to march in war if called to serve. Her student, Mary, dies enroute to fight for Franco and Miss Brodie tells her students she would have been a heroine if she had lived. Miss Brodie is a curious mix of traditional and progressive, daring and conventional, challenging and conforming. She has affairs but refuses to marry. Ultimately a student turns on her, betraying her confidence. She tries to rally her students in support, acknowledging she is past her prime.
Conrack	White male hero works to teach rural poor Black kids to rid self of stench of racism. He is seen as too radical for his times and is fired.	Sexist, racist, cannon unquestioned.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar	She writes an essay on temptation, comes on to her married teacher, and has sex. Has had back surgery. Friend is pregnant by one of two boyfriends. She imagines a more glamorous life. Teacher is abusive to her. Aimless existence, she teaches by day and has sex and cocaine by night. Meaningless. Pushes away the one guy who loves her.	She subjects herself to an affair with an abusive man, seducing him. "I just can't stand a woman's company right after I fuck her". "Its not very sporting for a mistress of married men to be jealous". Film portrays gay guys kissing in a bar. She claims, "I'm my own girl". She is beat up and eventually stabbed to death by a homophobic gay guy who can't perform sex with her. Racist slur in film.
Grease	Summer love thwarted by peer pressure.	Appearance is important; constrained career choices, guys tough.
Fame	Students audition for the school, teachers observe. The film follows the lives of 8 talented teens as they follow their dream of fame.	Set high expectations. English teacher (White female) tells Black male student his work is garbage. She orders him to read. "No you f. . . Bitch." He goes in the hall and has a tantrum, knocking out windows. She shuts the door and keeps teaching.
Amy	Amy, an oralist, teaches speech at a school for the deaf. She doesn't sign. Most of the teachers don't believe deaf can lip read or speak. Amy ran away from her husband after their deaf son died.	"You know how people around here feel about the deaf- You can't mix 'em." Amy encourages integration.
Educating Rita	Rita is under pressure from her husband to start a family. A working class hairdresser, she takes a British literature class, and embarks on a path of self-discovery. Her alcoholic professor falls in love with her.	He thinks Rita might be too good to be tarnished by the cannon. But he teaches her and it gives her power to choose a different life.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High	High school kids experience sex, talk about it, how to get a guy, girl gets pregnant, abortion, and aimlessness.