There it is, plus the pencil's fully-letted education talk, educated, educators talking, education.
Dr. Johnny Lupinacci, me, Dr. Tim Slecker, and oh yeah, it is that day. Jacob, chairman of the board,
it is, you know, it's Jacob's show on Fridays, especially if you're downloading this podcast on
a Friday. Those of you who have subscribed already, you already know because it automatically popped
up on your phone and you're probably already listening. Thank you. We appreciate it.
Everybody else, if you download it later, awesome, but it is Friday, and yeah, on Friday,
it is Jacob chairman of the board's choice. Jacob, what you got for us today, buddy?
Guys, I was thinking maybe I'd do something a little unconventional. I don't know. Do you guys mind
if I do something a little unconventional? Let it go. Okay, so at the end of every show,
you guys do a moment of sin, and I thought this time we could have some symmetry, and I do a quote
right now to start the show. Oh, so here it comes. I'm ready.
I came to coach basketball players, and you became students. I came to teach boys, and you
became men. Do you guys know who that quote is from? Whoa. I was going to say that's not any
Howard's in. I've ever read. Correct him. That was not Howard's in. That was Samuel L Jackson
in the coach Carter. Coach Carter. Absolutely classic coach Carter. And the reason is because this is
a very special edition of the producer's choice show. Live from beautiful Hollywood, California.
Racine Wisconsin. It's the first ever busted pencils go to Hollywood featuring MTV's best kiss
award winner, Dr. Tim Slecker. Three-time best supporting teacher, nominee Johnny Lupinacci.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for your host, producer Jacob.
Man, guys, please, let's turn it back. But seriously, that's enough applause. Guys, thank you
for being here. Today we're doing a special Hollywood edition of the producer's choice show here
on busted pencils. I'm going to talk to you guys about something near and dear to all of our hearts,
I think. And that is movies and TV shows about education. Hey, I love it. Who among us doesn't have
a favorite? Now many, many films have been made about school and education, but which of these
came closest to getting it right? Clicks, teachers, jocks, professors, today we're going to evaluate
them all. I'll start with you, Tim. What is your favorite film about education? And what do you think
it gets right about portraying the school environment? Man, okay. I know that's like, okay, he's
going to go this anybody. My favorite man, Nick Nalti, teachers coming out there, 38 special
brand, the rock and roll, Southern rock and roll. What did it get right? I mean, the context was
so perfect. But I got to tell you one of my favorite things was I can't remember the actor's name,
but Bert from soap came in. He had walked out of a nursing facility, found himself in the high
school and assumed the substitute role of the history teacher and ended up being the best teacher
of those kids had that year by coming in and teaching history, by wearing lots of costumes,
dressing as George Washington, kind of showing the kind of for me, it was a critique of,
wow, if this person actually knows how to teach history, we got a real problem with that.
And then the other part of that though, if you remember that movie, the reality of being
a high school teacher in an urban setting and the kind of sadness that went through in the humanity
of what what happens there. Lots of great ones, but to me, that's just the one that sticks out
the most. I really appreciated that. And there was always something about the way Nick Nalti portrayed
that kind of God, frustrated teacher angry, but yet at the same time, awesome and totally gets it.
So that's mine. Good answer, Tim. Johnny, same question to you. What's your favorite school movie?
And what do you think it gets right about education? Well, you know, as I became a teacher,
there were a lot of things I learned it got wrong. But in general, there were two movies that were
a close tie in terms of my tops is the first to stand and deliver 1988. Just, I mean, you know,
I was, I became a math teacher. I'd like to say that the whole Escalante story was primary,
like inspiration to becoming a math teacher. And what it got right was the idea that anybody
can be great at math, right? Is that like you could be a kid experiencing poverty, you could be,
you know, kids and less in disadvantaged schools and you're still smart. And the way that Escalante
taught and, you know, in approach teaching math, you know, was a major inspiration to me. It guided
me through becoming a teacher. And very quickly I learned and was later, you know, a little bit of
art broken to learn that like the teaching that way is nearly impossible, maybe impossible to
sustain as Escalante himself even explained later the, the real teacher that the movie was based on.
But that was one, the other one was dead poets society. Both films that, you know, I saw as a
young person and I thought, wow, when, when it was time to sort of find my pathway and I landed in
teaching, my memories of what that film, the essence of that film, you know, those two films really
guided me. And what I think that poet society also got was just a passion for that time together,
that learning. I mean, it's a little nostalgic. I also went to an all boys prep academy, like
school setting. So it was, you know, a kid into my experience, but I think that those are
important formative years of friendships of growth. Jacob, you know, we talked about the show
coming out next week. We talked about young people and sort of the rights of passage and growth
that go beyond the academic realm. And I thought that that film got that right for a particular
group of kinds of students. Certainly doesn't hit on everyone's experience and it's outdated. But,
you know, those were two banger films from the late 80s that I think, you know, got it in general,
right, at least in a way that inspired this guy to become a math teacher.
Johnny, I find that interesting. And I like what you're saying there about how dead poet society
shows that sort of that really tight knit boy school community and the positives of that.
How do you think that we could translate some of those qualities into something that's more
inclusive or that everybody can try to get in on? I mean, how do you get that camaraderie in
just any school? Well, right off the bat and you let us off with a great one too that, you know,
is right up there for me as Coach Carter. I actually had a coach Carter who was a similar kind of
guy as, you know, Samuel Tracks in place. But, but the idea is, you know, I think it's through,
we've talked about in the past on Bushhead pencils as essential curriculars. You know, a school
experience, especially at high school, which almost all these films were talking about are situated in.
But the high school experience is more than just, you know, taking tests and learning and
classrooms. That's part of the experience, but it's the larger social interaction that folks
are having. So the more our schools are, you know, hubs of community interaction, especially
opportunities for young people to find pathways to connect in groups, you know, to have those,
what we call here on bus depensals, essential curriculars, whether it's, you know, video game club,
e-sports, whether it's athletics, whether it's newspaper, whether it's yearbook, whether it's
choir, you know, all the things for enzicts teams, all kinds of cool stuff that connects you to like
minded folks and allows for you to bond and grow. And I think the message being, you know,
that there's something special about being young that has been, I feel like criminalized and
taken away from young people in a lot of, a lot of context like schools have become more
about like the rules and following them and less about some of the things that kids do,
right? And so we talked about Jacob. It's a little sneak preview of our Monday show, but we
had talked about that it's not uncommon these days for kids to not have had a job, to not have driven
a car, you know, to not have had a romantic relationship. It's just a little bit of a different
world out there. Some of that's COVID related and coming out of that. But the anxious generation
hasn't experienced that level of community and sort of coming of age that we've known.
And I don't want to romanticize it because it can also be, you know, dangerous and problematic,
but I think the overreaction to those dangers, right? The helicoptering all the way into adulthood.
So I think the short version is, you know, have more fun, right? Have more opportunity to connect
and be living, right? Seize the day, the carpe diem, like get passionate about stuff, whether it's
poetry, whether it's, you know, creative writing, you know, whether it's sports, whether it's your
athletics, but those are bonds you're making that your teachers are helping to mentor you and your
coaches are helping to be part of that process. Your families get to participate in as observing
and supporters, but this is about you and your people's, like your friend group and you and
making those connections and growing and less about those test scores and credits. Those are
important, but when they take over everything, yeah, you know, we don't get to just be and we don't
have those life skill moments that like coach Carter instilled in all of us when we watch that movie.
Tim, Johnny, you know, I'm new on this show still. So I haven't had a chance to really get to know
you guys, but would you consider yourselves to be creative people? Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I am you, Johnny, are you creative? Oh, yeah. So I'm going to ask you, I'm going to ask you guys to
try to really expand your imaginations here for a second, because this is the Hollywood show.
You know, we're in the land of manual. Tim, I want you to imagine if you can that I am much younger than
you. And then imagine that I'm thinking about becoming a teacher. Oh, what movie or TV show would
you say before you do that, watch this, whether for good or as a warning. Wow, man, okay. Inspired,
what I want you to be inspired or what I want you to go. You need to think closely about that
decision, Jacob. You know, I seriously, I this might sound like it. But I really like
the current television show out right. You know, now, I'm going to say the same one, Tim. I think
you're cute up. Abbott Elementary. Abbott Elementary. And then that one. And I got to throw one
out there that was didn't make it, but it was called Boston public. Oh, my God, you loved that one,
huh? Yeah. And that's a throwback to like 1990, 1990. Yeah. You know what it was, but because
both of those shows and you say Abbott Elementary right now, they're real. And I just like that
presentation of going like, this is what you're going to get into. Again, there are great days,
there are moments that are like, oh, my goodness. But the other part is that what I like is that,
you know, there's a humanity that is always underlying what it is that those teachers are doing
in those situations. And what you really feel coming across is that while teaching is an
isolated act sometimes in a classroom, you are part of a community. And all of those people in
that. So in Abbott Elementary, all of them kind of come together to create a really beautiful song.
So there. I got to answer. I got a couple for you, Jacob. We already said Abbott Elementary.
I think it's a great show. It utilizes humor. It's sort of films for for listener out there who might
not have seen it or right want to check it out. It's out right now. It's a current show. And
it kind of follows a format like the office did, but it's set in an elementary school in urban
Philadelphia. And it covers both the fun, the funny, the real, the hardships of school that it
touches on school politics, which I think is really important for anyone going into teaching.
And as new teachers and veteran teachers, great show. I use it in class with new teachers. And I
would assign it. The other one, Jacob, if you're like, I would recommend highly. And I've had a
whole course is on this. But I think it gets into the more serious end. But I'm also biased because
I'm a huge fan of this show period. I think it's maybe, if not the greatest, but one of the greatest
shows ever done, the wire. Now the wire season four follows Baltimore public schools closely. And
if you know the wire like each season kind of focus on us on a particular aspect of Baltimore.
And it's just unbelievable television. But that that season four of the wire
it gets into the depths of kind of how public school urban systems work and the policies and the
day-to-day in and out. I think that's a big eye opener. And those are kind of some of the two
my two go-tos. I wanted to add one that I forgot, though. Welcome back, Kata.
When I was becoming a teacher, my teacher's teaching me reference that they said, or my old
teacher's been, okay, Horshack. And I had no idea who Horshack was. And I just kept, I went
home from school one day and said, my teacher thinks my name is Horshack and my dad grounded me.
And he was like, that's not a compliment. And he knew the reference I didn't. You thought he was
just calling you a shack of ill repute. Yeah, a couple other fun ones though, Jacob. I think it is
like just to be silly and fun, like just understanding youth cultures and understanding children
is a really important one. South Park, let's have some fun. You know, like you're going to be
around young people. There's not a better thing than to soften yourself with, you know, they're kind
of humor. That's a little examples of things to watch. I think those were all great examples
of school shows and movies for young educators to watch, give them a taste of the day off. Exactly.
Like Johnny, you said the wire and I was thinking saved by the bell and you went with the wire,
which are slightly different. I went heavy on it. But you said to learn from it. So I gave you
one that I think is light and fun. Abbott Elementary that also has learning capacity and then
and then the wire. Because also I'll say what things like saved by the bell did. I mean,
I'm watch saved by the bells. Like we grew up with these shows, you know, even 90210 and these kinds
of teen culture things. They impacted youth cultures. But they weren't realistic to what was
going on in schools. You know, they they portrayed it. I think a really important side of like
adolescent development. Another one my so-called life for Gen Xers out there. Like big aspects where
school was kind of part of their lives. But it wasn't really like like you didn't you might not
learn much about how schools work or what it's like to be a teacher. Unless you're getting in so
and I went heavy with the wire. Sorry, I told you I gave a warning like a bias.
I think that's one of the greatest shows ever made. I said you should give your recommendations,
not just for, you know, good examples, but for warnings and realistic look. So I think you guys
covered a great spectrum of education movies and TV shows. Really appreciate you guys joining me
today. Wow. There's nothing better than being a guest on your own show. Yeah. I love you. Great.
I love the trip to Hollywood this time, Jacob. It's it's been a lot of fun. Now for people who are
watching the video and you guys can see this, I'm in a little box in the corner because I'm your
producer. Now my producer is so small you can't see him. But please let me know that I forgot to
introduce you guys at the beginning of the show. Dr. Johnny Lupinacci, Dr. Tim Slecker, great
guest. I mean, again, no better guest on their own show than you two guys. Really appreciate
you being here. We're coming to the end of the program, which means that there's only one last
part that I do here, which is one of my favorite segments in all of radio. Let's go. I'm going to ask
you guys a 60 second question. We're going to start with Dr. Johnny Lupinacci. Johnny, give me your
pitch for a movie you'd like to see made about education. Oh, man, I would like to see a movie made
about education that follows hockey players. No, that's actually like right off the cuff. But
I would like to see a movie made about a school that is filled with woke teachers. And you know,
actually, I just think anything that portrays what's happening in schools right now with that
young people are actually like learning from this moment where I would love to see a movie made
where it's not about the learning loss, but it's about the learning gained of this great
generation that's coming up. What they learned through COVID, I can imagine like a really exciting
high school film, you know, where these wise young people who experienced COVID at a formidable
time of their upcoming, you know, in this shift in politics, the largest social uprising all of
our lifetimes, like them discussing it and having it part of their lives in school. That wasn't
about learning loss. It wasn't about them as like future criminals in our society. It was like
really lifting up young folks and given more context and uniqueness to this anxious generation,
because I think they're going to do exciting things for this world, amazing things for this country.
And I would love to see them more represented. We're still like in this throwback to the 90s. Like
I watch shows and like kids are like into the stuff I was in into in high school. And I'm like,
that's not actually true. It's just the people my age are making movies. So let's get in touch
with like a young director, a young cast, a young screenwriter. And let's get them representing
their generation because them you saw the future. We got to start learning the exciting things that
they're going to bring to our creative worlds. You know, you said it as a joke, Johnny, but I think
it would actually be great because we've lost this this genre of making movies that teach us about
each other and people we don't know. It would be great to have a movie that starts off with the
most over the top woke teacher you've ever seen your life. And then you actually get to know them
and you get to actually understand them more. We need more movies like that where people can actually
see into the lives of people that they might demonize or might just not understand. I love to see
a movie like that. Same question for you, Dr. Tim. If I may call you, Dr. Tim. Yes, you can. I'm
going to go kind of right off of that and stay with them because, you know, creativity. Sometimes
you hear something you're like, OK, let me go more with that. Let me present then to the potential
of taking an anti woke teacher and the travel then along the pathway of them being exposed to
diversity, inclusion, all of those things that could potentially throughout the movie, the arc of
the movie, you get to see how the realities of what it really means to value diversity,
to understand what it means to be an inclusive educator, to understand the realities,
to see that transformation happen in a way that doesn't then, quote, turn them into
woke ideology, but this kind of sense of going like, man, I was really misguided and this isn't
about woke indoctrination. This is about valuing truly the diversity of the human experience.
And man, as a teacher, wow, what an eye opening experience it was for me to go from anti woke
to oh my god, I'm a teacher with the responsibility in the future in my hands. And wow, I can do
some amazing things. There you go. Like American history. I was I was I was resisting going
there because I know people that's a rough one, man. That's a rough one to watch. But but yeah,
the arc that Edward Norton takes in that that movie, again, and another one I was called
skin, which is, you know, that again, somebody who makes that transition and then takes that,
you know, that kind of like, yeah, that hardcore kind of racist, but then the experience of their
life that transitions them. Let's cast that as an educator kind of coming with this. I'm going to
bust through and I'm going to be anti woke and I'm going to make my place and then realizing
through the time spent there how misguided that was and potentially seeing that this whole
anti woke thing really it took me up in a moment and really distorted my view of reality. And now
that I'm here as an educator, man, I got a lot to learn if I'm going to be a teacher working
with the future of, you know, our country, our world. There you go. I think we can combine these
movies and have a movie where there's this young they them teacher who's woke, got out of Johnny
Lupinacci's indoctrination chamber. And then this old Trump supporting old school teacher,
maybe Peter Falk, Colombo can play him. We'll see if he's available. Not exactly sure.
Haven't seen him in a while, but maybe make that movie. And then we'll have three movies.
People can decide which one that they like most. They'll tell us later show that now. But in the
meantime, remember that thing we started the show with a quote Tim maybe. And now it's time for your
moment of Zen. If those in charge of our society politicians, corporate executives and owners of
press and television can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not
need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves.
Thanks for listening to today's Jacobs producers choice Hollywood edition. If you want to grab
more busted pencils podcasts, we'll just go on over to Apple Spotify. You can always get
out of set civic media.com or you can find us at our website busted pencils.com. You can always
find great busted pencils content like today's show on every Monday for a home room Wednesdays for
class and session. And the end of week right with Fridays producers Jacob choice. And of course
pencil busters. You can always tune in and listen to the busted pencils weekend broadcasts on
Saturdays at 3 p.m. Central time across all the civic media networks for one hour of your favorite
blue-collar scholars Tim and Johnny. And keep busted pencils.