Grading TV’s Greatest Teachers with the Hosts of BustED Pencils 

Students are back in class, but this time the featured teachers are coming from the small screen. It’s a mix of nostalgia, inspiration, and a few unexpected but fun choices during a special BustED Pencils “Producer’s Choice.” Jakob, the producer and host of this episode, leads Dr. Tim Slekar and Dr. Johnny Lupinacci through a discussion to rank the top three television teachers of all time. 

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Read more below or listen to the entire episode here:

Slekar kicks off the countdown with Gabe Kotter (played by Gabe Kaplan) from the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. Kotter returns to his old school as a teacher where he ends up in charge of a classroom full of rowdy, unruly students. 

“He treated the ‘sweathogs’ like real people,” Slekar explains. “He’d been one of them himself, and that authenticity mattered.” 

His second pick is Mr. Charlie Moore (played by Howard Hesseman) from Head of the Class. Moore is easygoing and offers a reminder that teachers don’t have to be “compliance officers” to be effective. 

But Slekar’s final choice takes him boldly where no teacher has gone before – naming Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation as his number one. The android, he explains, has superior mental skills and taught philosophy by endlessly asking, “What does it mean to be human?”

Lupinacci’s list leans toward urban schools and second chances. His bronze medal goes to Mark Cooper (played by Mark Curry) of Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. He’s a cool former basketball player turned teacher and coach. 

The silver goes to Roland “Prez” Pryzbylewski (played by Jim True-Frost) from The Wire. Lupinacci like this teacher who found his true calling in the classroom  after leaving the Baltimore Police Department. 

His number one? Cordell Simms or “Preach” (played by Kareem Grimes) on All American. Simms is a former gang member who is able to turn his life around by successfully mentoring students. 

“It reminds me of what it’s really about—being real, showing your flaws, and lifting the next generation,” Lupinacci says.

Jakob’s list of top TV teachers is a mix of humor and irony. He starts with Peggy Hill (voiced by Kathy Najimy) from King of the Hill. And Jakob explains it’s not that he likes her as a character, but because substitute teachers deserve recognition. 

His second place choice is the infamous Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) of Breaking Bad. White is a brilliant teacher whose failure to afford healthcare pushes him into crime. 

And Jakob’s top spot goes to what he says is his favorite TV character ever: Dr. Gregory House (played by Hugh Laurie) from House M.D.

“He’s prickly, but he’s a teacher at heart. He makes his team better doctors while solving impossible cases,” Jakob explains.

At the end, each defends why their number one pick deserved the top teacher crown—Data for philosophy, Preach for authenticity, and House for brilliance. 

The show ultimately leaves it up to you, the listeners, to weigh in and decide.

Slekar closes the episode, as always, with his “moment of Zen:”

“Education becomes most rich and alive when it confronts the reality of moral conflict in the world.”