“There are lives lost in this book, and there are lives saved,
too, if salvation means a young man or woman begins to feel
deserving of a place on the planet. . . . What could be more
soul-satisfying? These are the most influential professionals most
of us will ever meet. The effects of their work will last
forever.” –from the foreword by Anna Quindlen
Now depicted in a bestselling book and a feature film, the
Freedom Writers phenomenon came about in 1994 when Erin Gruwell
stepped into Room 203 and began her first teaching job out of
college. Long Beach, California, was still reeling from the deadly
violence that erupted during the Rodney King riots, and the kids in
Erin’s classroom reflected the anger, resentment, and hopelessness
of their community. Undaunted, Erin fostered an educational
philosophy that valued and promoted diversity, tolerance, and
communication, and in the process, she transformed her students’
lives, as well as her own. Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers
went on to establish the Freedom Writers Foundation to replicate
the success of Room 203 and provide all students with hope and
opportunities to realize their academic potential. Since then, the
foundation has trained more than 150 teachers in the United States
and Canada. Teaching Hope unites the voices of these Freedom Writer
teachers, who share uplifting, devastating, and poignant stories
from their classrooms, stories that provide insight into the
struggles and triumphs of education in all of its forms.
Mirroring an academic year, these dispatches from the front lines
of education take us from the anticipation of the first day to the
disillusionment, challenges, and triumphs of the school year. These
are the voices of teachers who persevere in the face of
intolerance, rigid administration, and countless other challenges,
and continue to reach out and teach those who are deemed
unteachable. Their stories inspire everyone to make a difference in
the world around them.