Doubt (2008)

Doubt (2008), featuring a wonderful cast, is a tense story set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964. Meryl Streep plays Sister Beauvier, the principal of the school; Amy Adams plays Sister James, a younger, less experience teacher; Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the controversial Father Brendan Flynn; and Viola Davis plays Mrs. Miller, the mother of Donald Miller, a student at the school.



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Donald Miller is the first and only African American student in the school. His parents enrolled him at the Catholic school after he had been beaten at his former (public) school. Father Flynn takes an interest in Donald, but his actions are questioned by Sister James, who in turn, alerts Sister Beauvier to her concerns. Their suspicions of Flynn's inappropriate relationship with Donald are without evidence, yet something does not seem right to them. Sister Beauvier, who disapproves of Father Flynn's more modern approach to the Catholic faith, begins an "investigation" which is based more on assumptions and intellectual tricks than on facts.

In terms of conducting her investigation and deciding upon an appropriate action to take as Principal, Sister Beauvier appears to defy the rules of the Catholic order. She informs Father Flynn that she contacted his past parish, to ask why he had left the school. Flynn is furious at her for not following the proper channels and for going outside the established Catholic hierarchy and school policies. Although she did not actually contact his past parish, she leverages her supposed discovery of his past against him, pressuring him to leave. Aside from the issues pertaining to her defiance for the Catholic hierarchy, there is obvious issues of gender and power operating here. As a female principal, she finds a way to overpower him through a series of intellectual tricks, and attempts to destroy his career.

Donald's mother provides an interesting twist on parental involvement and decision making in education. Confronted with the possibility that her son is being molested by the school's priest, she questions the evidence and likelihood that this could even happen to her son. Even if it is true, she states that her son only needs to stay in the school until the spring, when he can graduate and move on to high school. This raises the question of what length parents will go to for their child's education, and at what cost? Mrs. Miller viewed the possibility of her son being the victim of a priest's sexual misconduct as only temporary, and was willing to risk the well-being of her son for the educational gains that could be made by remaining in the Catholic school. While some may question her reaction and request to leave things as is, others may understand her decision to better her son's education at all costs.

Remember the Titans (2000)

Remember the Titans, starting Denzel Washington, is based on the true story of Herman Boone, who, in 1971, became the first African American football coach at Virginia's T.C. Williams High School. The movie focuses on Boone's experiences as a head coach, and his attempt to integrate the team under difficult circumstances in a formerly segregated state. The power struggle between the white and African American communities is central to the movie, with whites seeing the black coach as a threat to their "way of life" and the black community viewing Boone as a symbol of what they can achieve.

Early in the movie, Julius, a white transfer student who "has no people," joins the football team and befriends a number of black players, resulting in his white classmates calling him a traitor. His aspirations of going to college are dim, stating that he is "not a braniac like Rev [a black player]". Julius not only befriend black players and students at school (and in doing so sees past "the other" that many of his white teammates see), but he also recognizes their academic abilities and talents. Although Julius lacks academic confidence, Boone begins monitoring his course progress every week, and works with him to improve his grades. By the end of the year, Julius' grades are high enough that he can attend college. Boone's outreach and mentoring to Julius represents one of the many ways in which athletic coaches can and should emphasize their students' academics, and encourage college-going.

Boone, along with Assistant Coach Bill Yoast (played by Will Patton), are integral in the team's progress toward integration. The role of the two coaches in helping the team integrate brings to mind Gordon Allport's foundational work "The Nature of Prejudice," published in the early 1950s. Allport outlines the four necessary conditions under which integration can be achieved:

1. The groups are desegregated
2. The group members have equal status
3. The groups are working toward a common goal
4. The groups have the full support of the authorities (i.e., adults, law, etc.)

Boone's policies with regard to the team reflect demand for respect and inclusion. For instance, during training camp, each team member is required to spend time with a teammate of a different race, until each person has met all of their teammates. Boone also insists on a no-cut policy, allowing all interested students--regardless of race--an opportunity to play football. While his role is integral in helping transform his team during camp, his insistence on respect and inclusion become even more important when they return home, where prejudices, biases, and discrimination are apparent. The reality of racism that exists in their community is apparent, even though they have begun to integrate as a team. For instance, when the players attempt to eat a restaurant in town, the owner refuses to serve the black players. Meanwhile, white residents throw a rock through a window in Boone's house, hoping to intimidate him and his family.

The team's record speaks for itself and by winning game after game, the team wins the town over. As a police officer says, the team has the best defense he has seen in 20 years. Not long after they prove themselves on the field, does the town begin to turn around and support them. They end the season undefeated (13-0), as state champions, and as runner-up to the national champion.

The friendships created on the field last long after the football season ends. Two of the players who become close friends, talk about their futures--living in the same neighborhood and growing old as friends--and imagine a different world--one that they have the power to create. In this one season, the coaches learned as much from the students as the students learned from them--much more than just the game of football but about each other, discrimination, acceptance, and tolerance. By extension, the communities surrounding them learned as well.

Today, the T.C. Williams High School student body is comprised of 43% African Americans, 7% Asian/Pacific Islanders, 27% Hispanic, and 21% white.

Watch the trailer here.