Final answer:
The film Stand and Deliver demonstrates education as an equalizer through the story of Jaime Escalante teaching AP Calculus to underprivileged students. It also presents obstacles like socioeconomic challenges and institutional bureaucracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The movie Stand and Deliver demonstrates that education can be an equalizer by showing how a dedicated teacher, Jaime Escalante, inspires and empowers a group of underprivileged students to succeed academically.
Escalante's approach defies the low expectations set by the educational system for these students, many of whom are of Hispanic descent, by teaching them advanced mathematics and preparing them for AP Calculus exams. The film captures the transformative power of a high-quality education and a teacher's belief in his students' potential.
However, Stand and Deliver also highlights obstacles to education as an equalizer. These include the lack of resources in the school, the low expectations society has for these students based on racial and socioeconomic stereotypes, and the bureaucratic challenges within the educational system.
Moreover, it portrays the personal challenges that students face outside of school, such as economic hardships and familial responsibilities, which can impede their academic progress.
In relation to the provided text, one can see parallels with the historical issues of racial and socioeconomic inequality in education, as well as the modern efforts to provide students with an equal footing.
A conflict theorist would say that schools perpetuate class differences through mechanisms that advantage students from wealthier backgrounds, such as access to better resources, extracurricular activities, and more qualified teachers.