Freedom Writers

There have been shots fired.

Total civil unrest is happening

throughout the Los Angeles area.

Dozens of police

are running down the streets.

Dozens of police

are running down the streets.

Smoke reigned over the entire city.

We're telling anybody

who's in downtown South Central...

There are 38 dead and more than...

The EMT are having

a hard time getting in...

...where truck driver Reginald Denny

was pulled from his vehicle...

The city resembles a war zone.

Crowds gathered

at Parker Center downtown.

...here in Hollywood, where

looters have struck many businesses.

There have been 3,600 structural fires.

Thick, black smoke rising

from the countless fires

in Hollywood, downtown, Compton,

Watts and Long Beach...

In America,

a girl can be crowned a princess

for her beauty and her grace.

But an Aztec princess

is chosen for her blood...

Eva?

...to fight for her people,

as Papi and his father fought

against those who say

we are less than they are,

who say we are not equal in beauty

and in blessings.

It was the first day of school,

and I was waiting for my father

to take me to the bus.

Roberto!

Eva!

And I saw the war for the first time.

Eva! Eva!

Police! Open up!

They took my father for retaliation.

He was innocent, but they took him,

because he was respected

by my people.

They called my people a gang

because we fight for our America.

On your feet!

When I got my initiation

into the gang life,

I became third generation.

They beat you so you won't break.

They are my family.

In Long Beach, it all comes down

to what you look like.

If you're Latino or Asian or black,

you could get blasted any time

you walk out your door.

We fight each other for territory.

We kill each other over race,

pride and respect.

We fight for what is ours.

They think they're winning

by jumping me now,

but soon they're all going down.

War has been declared.

- Here's your coffee.

- Thank you.

I brought my lesson plans.

I'd love it if you'd look them over.

Yes, and these are the classes

you'll start with.

Freshman English, four classes,

about 150 students in all.

Some of them

are just out of juvenile hall.

One or two might be wearing ankle cuffs

to monitor their whereabouts.

And you see here,

we'll have to revise your lesson plans.

And if you look at their scores,

these vocabulary lists

and some of these, the books,

Homer's The Odyssey,

they're gonna be too difficult for them.

All right.

Also, for most of them to get here

it takes three buses,

almost 90 minutes each way.

My God.

So I wouldn't give them too much

of a homework load.

You'll just be wasting a lot of time

following up on overdue work.

All right. Thank you.

- You're from Newport Beach?

- Yes.

It's too bad you weren't here

even two years ago, you know.

We used to have one of the highest

scholastic records in the district,

but since voluntary integration

was suggested,

we've lost over 75/

of our strongest students.

Well, actually, I chose Wilson

because of the integration program.

I think what's happening here

is really exciting, don't you?

My father was involved

in the civil rights movement.

And I remember when I was watching

the LA riots on TV,

I was thinking of going

to law school at the time.

And I thought, "God, by the time

"you're defending a kid in a courtroom,

the battle's already lost. "

I think the real fighting

should happen here in the classroom.

Well, that's a very

well-thought-out phrase.

Erin,

I think you're a lovely, intelligent woman.

But you're a first-time teacher.

As head of this department,

I have to be confident

you're capable of dealing

with what we have to face here.

I am.

I know I have a lot to learn as a teacher,

but I'm a really good student.

I am, and I really want to be here.

- Those are lovely pearls.

- Thank you. From my father.

I wouldn't wear them to class.

Honey?

What?

Do I look like a teacher?

Hey!

Hey, Chris, yo, what up?

- Hello.

- Hello.

Hey, yo, let's sit right here, man.

Hi.

Hey, girl, you wanna give me

some fries with that shake?

My name is Erin Gruwell.

Welcome to Freshman English.

I give this b*tch a week.

Hi.

Okay. Brandy Ross?

Gloria Munez.

Alejandro Santiago.

Andre Bryant.

Eva Benitez.

Eva, not Eva.

Eva.

I have to go to the bathroom.

- Okay, make sure that you take a...

- Yeah, I know.

Ben Samuels?

That white boy hoping

he's in the wrong room.

I gotta get out of here.

- Sindy Ngor.

- Right here.

Is that correct?

- Jamal Hill?

- Man, what am I doing in here?

This whole ghetto-ass class

has got people in here

looking like a bad rerun of Cops

and sh*t.

You know what I'm saying? It's true.

- Are you Jamal?

- Yeah.

Well, for some reason

they have you registered in this class.

- Yeah, and that's some bullshit.

- It's the dumb class, coz.

It means you're too dumb.

- Man, say it to my face, coz.

- I just did.

See what I mean? Dumb.

- Man, I know you ain't talking to me!

- Okay...

Look, homey,

I'll beat that ass, homeboy.

Can you please sit back down?

Look, I got your spot on the team.

That's why you're over there

wagging your tongue.

Please sit back in your seats.

Look, your spot is good as gone. I don't

know why you keep wasting your time

coming to practice with them

two-year-old Nikes on your feet!

You don't know nothing about me, coz!

Broke down my whole situation.

Jamal?

So, now you're in my face now, right?

Sit your punk ass down!

Sit your punk ass down, homeboy!

I will run that ass off the field.

Shut your ass up. What's up, homey?

I mean, what's up?

Sit your ass down, homey!

Excuse me,

may I please get some help in here?

So do something! Back up!

You touching me now?

Sit down, homeboy. Back up,

I'm not gonna tell you again.

You gonna look at my face now, right?

You ain't taking nothing

from me, homeboy!

I will run your ass off the field!

Boy, sit your ass back down.

Don't even worry about it,

I'm gonna see you.

Tell him. Sit his ass down.

Sit your ass down.

Thank you. Let him out of here, man.

That's some bullshit.

Erin?

Erin, this is Brian Gelford.

He teaches Junior English

and the Distinguished Honors Classes.

- Hi. Erin Gruwell. Nice to meet you.

- Hi. Nice to meet you.

- You saw a little action today, I hear.

- Yeah. It happened so fast.

Well, don't be discouraged.

You put your time in, in a few years,

you'll be able to teach juniors.

They're a pleasure.

By then, most of your kids

will be gone anyway.

- What do you mean?

- Well, eventually, they just stop coming.

Well, if I do my job,

they might be lining up at the door.

- Right?

- Yeah.

- Nice pearls.

- Thank you.

If it was up to me,

I wouldn't even be in school.

My probation officer threatened me,

telling me it was either school

or boot camp.

Dumbass.

He thinks that the problems

going on in Long Beach

aren't going to touch me at Wilson.

My PO doesn't understand

that schools are like the city,

and the city is just like a prison,

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