The White Savior Educator:
Definition: The white savior comes into a ghetto school full of underachieving poor black and brown students and saves them, despite the ignorance and resistance of the callous black administrators (who inevitably come around at the end because the white savior has proved that his/her methods are so much better and these kids are now worth something). The white savior is then carried out on the shoulders of the black and brown student.
It is Kipling's white man's burden personafied in film. It's also Hilary Swank in the new movie: Freedom Writers.
My objection is not that there are extraordinary white teachers teaching inner city youth. My objection is that they're overrepresented in film. I can only think of two films: Stand and Deliver and Lean on Me, that contained minority teachers as the hero. Other than that, white folks saving black and brown folks. I'll pass, in honor of the extraordinary black teachers who taught me.
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4 comments:
When I first saw this trailer I, much like Christine Taylor in Dodgeball, just threw up in my own mouth .. sorry for the visual, but this flick and its ilk are just crap on toast
You ain't never lied. I feel like Florida, "I'm tired, tired, tired" of watching these movies. BTW, I'm linking your site to mine.
That's funny, Lawrence. I had the exact same thoughts as you when I saw the TV spot. As a white guy, I just found myself shaking my head and feeling embarrassed. We need another one of these movies like we need another inspirational football movie.
I think a LOT of people are having these thought because I'm seeing a reaction on Facebook. My posts get forwarded to my site on Facebook, and folks have been commenting left and right about being tired of this depiction.
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