Alternative Math

My review is the review of a teacher. who discovers "Alternative Math" as a brilliant masterpiece. sure, for the performance of Allyn Carrell. but especialy, for the smart way to present the essence of political correctness, dictatorship of studedents and parents, relativism as essence of social happiness. a great film. for the precise exploration, in absurde manner, at the first sigh, of a real menace against school. that did this short film a must see. as warning. as parable. and as recipe of resistence against few "sweet" demons.

Masterpiece. So glad nobody sued them for hurting feelings of any kind of....any person.

I only discovered this little gem in June 2021. Had I discovered it in 2017, the past four years might have been a little easier. Don't let it drive you away early in frustration - that's just to make the payoff at the very end all the sweeter.

Having been in education for over forty years, I didn't find this as far fetched as it seemed to be. The sad thing is that this kind of thinking will have consequences down the line. In a syntactic way, the boy was right, but had never had to look at two different views. The lynch mob that forms doesn't usually address academics but all the other ills of the world wafted on our schools (pardon my soapbox). Anyway, this is an exaggeration. It makes me wonder if she wanted to go to court later and make her case for getting back pay for the other moneys that she was "shorted." People keep using the term "political correctness." I don't really think that's the issue here.

When "Alternative Math" begins, a boy comes to his teacher about his failing grade on a test. Instead of accepting any criticism, the boy storms off. Soon, his parents come to school and demand the boy get a perfect grade. They are not only unreasonable, but verbally and physically abusive towards the poor teacher. Soon after, the principal arrives....taking the parents' side against the teacher. And, soon after that, it gets even worse....as everyone is angry because the teacher had the nerve to say that the student was wrong...which he clearly was.

In so many ways, this film is funny BUT also has a lot to say about modern culture and parenting....or perhaps the lack of parenting. Well made and well worth seeing...and a scary parable about modern society.