Stand And Deliver parents guide

Stand And Deliver Parent Guide

A high school teacher stands up to stereotypes and delivers a higher level of eduction to disadvantaged students.

Overall A

Edward James Olmos stands and delivers a commanding performance as real life teacher Jamie Escalante, a man who gave up a lucrative career to teach high school to underprivileged kids. Daring to do what no one had ever tried before, he challenges his students to learn complex math and compete for university entrance by writing the Advanced Placement Calculus exam.

Release date March 10, 1988

Violence B
Sexual Content B+
Profanity B-
Substance Use B+

Why is Stand And Deliver rated PG? The MPAA rated Stand And Deliver PG

Run Time: 103 minutes

Parent Movie Review

If you’re a teacher, chances are Jaime Escalante is a name you’re familiar with. A modern hero of public education, Escalante did what many thought impossible when turned inner-city students at Garfield High in East LA into calculus experts.

Stand and Deliver stars Edward James Olmos playing the part of the famed math teacher who first arrives at Garfield in 1982, expecting to teach computer science. Instead, he finds himself in a classroom where questions like “negative-two plus two equals?” are stumpers. That’s why fellow faculty members are astonished when Escalante announces his plans to teach AP Calculus—an advanced course designed to offer college credit to high school seniors.

The eighteen students in Escalante’s class also find their enthusiasm waning as they come to realize the amount of work it will take. But even more than his mathematics prowess, Escalante’s greatest trait is his ability to relate to any type of student and motivate them by raising their self-expectations. Incredibly, these teens forego Saturdays, evenings, and even summer holidays so they can build their mathematic abilities and prepare to take the AP Calculus exam.

Unlike so many movies supposedly based upon a true story, research verifies that not only are the events portrayed in this film factual, but many students in subsequent years followed in the footsteps of these first eighteen. For dramatic accuracy, Olmos took a year of his life to study Escalante’s behavior and techniques. While this authenticity comes at the cost of a few moderate profanities and mild violence, considering the nature of the students being portrayed the language and rebellion are not over emphasized.

With Olmos’ love of education and determination to help under-privileged people, especially Hispanics, it’s no wonder he delivered an Academy Award nominated performance in this movie. A deserving tribute to Escalante, a man who could have had a lucrative computer career but instead chose to teach disadvantaged students (and also willingly gave his amazing story to Olmos for a dollar), Stand and Deliver is an education and an inspiration to all who view this film.

Directed by Ramón Menéndez . Starring Edward James Olmos, Estelle Harris, Mark Phelan . Running time: 103 minutes. Theatrical release March 10, 1988. Updated

Watch the trailer for Stand And Deliver

Stand And Deliver
Rating & Content Info

Why is Stand And Deliver rated PG? Stand And Deliver is rated PG by the MPAA

Page last updated

Stand And Deliver Parents' Guide

Jaime Escalante (the real teacher on whom this movie is based) once said, “The day someone quits school he is condemning himself to a future of poverty.” If you are interested in reading more about this remarkable teacher who has motivated many students to live up to their potential, then check the following links:

A brief biography of Escalante.

His success at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles is featured on another page from PCC.

A 1999 article about his plans for retirement.

Edward James Olmos (the actor) is another motivated man. Read about his passions in this article from The Tech, the newspaper from MIT.

Video alternatives…

Loved this movie? Try these books…

"The Freedom Writers Diary", compiled by Erin Gruwell, is a collection of diary entries written by her students as they struggle to deal with their difficult lives in gang-riddled Long Beach. It has since been adapted into a film starring Hillary Swank. Roald Dahl's "Matilda" tells the story of an unusually bright girl, and her unusually dim parents. As she starts school, she soon learns that her teacher, Miss Honey, may be the only chance she has...

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Stand And Deliver movie is November 9, 1998. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

For some other movies featuring teachers and their impact on their students’ lives, try Mr. Holland’s Opus , October Sky, and Music of the Heart. To enjoy another inspirational performance by Edward James Olmos, watch Selena.

 

Related news about Stand And Deliver

10 Best Teacher Movies for Back-to-school Time

10 Best Teacher Movies for Back-to-school Time

{parents:pull_quote}

10 Inspiring Teacher Movies to Watch as Your Kids Head Back to School

10 Inspiring Teacher Movies to Watch as Your Kids Head Back to School

{parents:pull_quote}