Stand and Deliver

Stand and Deliver is a 1988 American drama film based on the true life story of math teacher Jaime Escalante, who inspired students to succeed, and the controversy surrounding their Advance Placement (AP) Calculus test results in 1982. Directed by Ramón Menéndez, Stand and Deliver was produced by Tom Musca, written by Menéndez and Musca, and distributed by Warner Bros.

Stand and Deliver takes place in 1982 at James A. Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, a primarily Mexican neighborhood. Jaime Escalante was assigned to teach mathematics to low-income, low-achieving students. Escalante sets standards high and challenges their ganas, or desire, to succeed, while also teaching them discipline. He develops a rapport with students with jokes and teaches basic math and algebra with practical applications to real-life scenarios. Soon after, Escalante announces he will teach Advanced Placement Calculus. The mathematics chair, who represents the voice of doubt and dissent throughout the film, states that if Escalante's AP Calculus students try and do not succeed, not only will they be shattered, but their fragile self-esteem will not bounce back. This comment hints at the undercurrent of discrimination and racism Escalante's students will face in life, as he reminds them, because of their last names and complexion, and resurfaces again later with the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

The students featured in the film are composites, including Angel, a smart student with a tough gangster facade, and Lupe, a student who runs the household in the absence of working-class parents. In preparation for the AP exam, “Kimo,” as Escalante is affectionately referred to by his students, makes students and parents sign a contract committing to classes during summer school, before and after school during the year, and on Saturdays. After all 18 students celebrated passing the AP exam, the ETS put Garfield on notice, suspecting all students of cheating because similar mistakes were found on the exams.

The earlier issues of discrimination and racism come to the foreground when Escalante confronts ETS officials, stating that his students’ scores and achievement are in question because of their Spanish surnames and the barrio school they are from. After much conflict with ETS officials, Escalante's students decide to retake the exam and prove the ETS accusations false. As a result, all 18 students pass the AP Calculus exams with scores of 3s, 4s, and 5s (the highest ranges), reinforcing the assertion that despite the dark realities of discrimination and racism, Escalante's students have achieved success yet again, and will carry their success with them in their bright futures.