MadTV created the skit "Nice White Lady" as a parody of movies like Freedom Writers. This segment paraphrases the premise of Freedom Writers, suggesting that the lesson of the film is 'if you're a nice white lady you can do anything!'
See further analysis below:
See further analysis below:
This segment calls attention to some of the primary reasons the movie Freedom Writers is so problematic:
The teacher in the parody angrily shouts at a student, "why won't you let me teach you?!"
This quote perpetuates one of the most common assumptions about education: that underachieving students refuse to learn out of their own stubbornness or lack of interest despite teachers who do everything they can to teach them. This attitude puts blame on the students for their apparent failure, without looking deeper into other factors that contributed to the students' current situations.
- Its focus is on the teacher, rather than the students
- The story perpetuates "white man's burden" ideals about minorities
- At the same time, however, whites are not held responsible for putting minorities in this position
- There is no consideration of why a "nice white lady" so much power while students are powerless
- White privilege is seen as inherent and unchangeable
- The audience gets a feel-good story but is exempt from guilt or responsibility
The teacher in the parody angrily shouts at a student, "why won't you let me teach you?!"
This quote perpetuates one of the most common assumptions about education: that underachieving students refuse to learn out of their own stubbornness or lack of interest despite teachers who do everything they can to teach them. This attitude puts blame on the students for their apparent failure, without looking deeper into other factors that contributed to the students' current situations.