The seeds of a dumbed down Generation X?

I was surprised at how accurately all of it seems to mirror what's going on today in our schools. Certain scenes and characters reminded me of documentaries and news programs I've seen in recent years about our failing school systems. Watching it again today, the movie felt like it was 20 years ahead of its time, because I remember thinking when I originally saw the film that my school wasn't anything like the school in "Teachers". But my old school might be like that now! At least, alot of them seem to be.

You can't make a sweeping indictment of an entire group of people. My kids, class of '08, '09 and '14 are doing quite well. Last semester one made Dean's List (he's studying to be a teacher), the other made A-/B+ grades and the third made Honor Roll while lettering on the diving team.

You can take your prejudiced views and place them in a moist, dark place that resides below your belt.


This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

Wow. Now that was something worth reading.

Oh Please...have you seen "Rebel Without a Cause", "The Wanderers", "Lords of Flatbush" or even "American Graffiti"????

None of the teenagers featured in that film came across as enlightened by products of their public education yet the era in which those teenagers came from is lauded as a "golden age" of American education.

Our public schools are crumbling due to a lack of support caused by white flight, parochial schools and all the other varying reasons we isolate ourselves into small groups these days. It seems like the only kids who attend public schools are those with no options to go elsewhere.

I don't know if any generation is to blame, but from the argument made by the OP, I would point to Baby Boomers. That's the generation in control when this movie was made and while I was attending a bullet-ridden, inner-city public high school, which wasn't anywhere as bad as those found in these movies. I don't know what my old school is like today, but from what I've gathered, it's much, much worse and I suspect that to be true. But it seems true everywhere, because our public schools are no longer supported by the public; at least no more then they're required to do by law.

I think the film reflects what happens in underfunded schools, with an apathetic community. This is hardly a depiction of all schools; but it is a fairly realistic depiction of many overburdened urban schools, especially in that era. Resources and commitment are the keys to successful educational systems.

The educators are archetypes: the once passionate teacher who inspired his students; but has lost that passion in a system that has turned into an assembly line (Nolte.

The near-retirement teacher who has given up on actively teaching anything and is just marking time until they can retire. (Royal Dano)

The teacher who tries, but lacks the skills to reach his students. (the math teacher)

Mulligan is there as comic relief; but, his students are engaged by acting out real history. he brings it to life for them, getting them interested in it. It has as much depth as most history text books. The difference is that his students are enjoying the process of learning and may now go out and research the subject on their own. That is the real purpose of teaching: to stimulate the young minds and guide their natural curiosity, to explore their world and develop necessary life skills.

The rest reflects administrations that are more concerned with bureaucracy and image than education. It reflects parents who have divorced themselves from any responsibility in educating their children, as well as communities who have abandoned their schools, either because they don't have kids or they just can't be bothered.

It doesn't reflect anything to do with Generation X. I am supposedly part of that generation and was graduating high school when the film came out. It didn't reflect my education; but, then, I lived in a rural community with two educator parents. I turned out fine. I always found it odd that I was lumped in with people who were reaching adulthood in the 90s, who never experienced the same things I did, like the moonwalks, the Watergate scandal or were old enough to understand the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Labels like Generation X are just lazy shorthand used by the media and others to group people into categories to simplify discussion or presentation.

The media is constantly asking, "What is wrong with kids today?" They usually move on to different kids after their target is old enough to be desired demographics, with higher earnings and are moving into executive positions in those media and marketing companies. Every generation had it tougher than the one that followed. They can't communicate until they find common ground. So on and so on...



Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!