I don’t often speak of heroes or inspirational people here, but the world lost a good man this week when Jaime Escalante, the Los Angeles math teacher who inspired the film “Stand and Deliver” passed away from cancer at 79 years of age.
To quote my friend Carli, he was proof that if you get “teachers you care and kids who want to learn, the system can work.” The man was not without controversy. He pushed for tougher educational standards, offended colleagues and parents alike with his strong, militant style, opposed bilingual education in California – and of course, we all know about his famous 1982 AP Calculus class whose exam scores were challenged by ETS. Yet the man produced, led and inspired, and he will be remembered as one who lived to change the world and change the system. Teaching logarithms to illiterates? He not only taught the logarithms, he made his students love them.
I leave you with the funniest line from Stand and Deliver. Cal-cool-us indeed. Rest in peace, good man. You inspired a generation.
