Evil "Educators" and Pulled Heartstrings

I'm watching Freedom Writers on Netflix. It's an incredibly powerful story well worth watching-- again, in my case.

I decided to write this because I saw evil monsters, and they were educators-- a teacher, an English Department head, a principal and the main character's husband (well, the husband may just be an a**hole. . And the damn movie is one of the touching, heartwarming movies I've ever watched.

When I see them manifesting their evil, my lips purse, my brows furrow, and my teeth clench.

They are perpetrating their evil upon children and their families, dwarfing their hopes, poisoning their spirits and salting the earth of their future.

They believe that "they can't learn or will steal the books, so we can't waste resources." The believe that it is a waste of time teaching the kids from the projects."

These are kids from the projects, kids who are in gangs because they they fear they can't survive without being in gangs.

When the main character in the story, a first time teacher starts with the class, she is treated with contempt. "Why should we treat YOU with respect. You have to earn it," they inform her.

She earns it by learning about their lives, and is inspired to buy notebooks for them to write in as diaries or whatever they want to use them for.

So, I described how viscerally respond to the evil villains in the movie. But for every scene with one of the evil characters which evokes visceral reaction , there are five scenes that evoke heartwarming visceral responses-- particular tears and feeling touched and smiling. Matter of fact, I have cried over more scenes in this movie than, I think, than any other movie.

This is a feel-good movie with a strong message. It raised the issue of white police having a blank check to do whatever they want with kids of color, 23 years before George Floyd's murder and Black Lives Matter.

The movie shows that a teacher who cares-- about doing her job, about her students-- really can make a difference. It shows that even the kids that most educators would write off can be reached, can be inspired can be made to want education, to LOVE education.

Stuck at home with a lot of time on your hands, watching streaming content? This one is worth your time.

Here's are some details about the movie from Wikipedia.

Freedom Writers is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey and Mario.

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