Abbott Elementary Recap: Charity Case

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It’s nearly expected for Black students attending predominantly white universities to encounter their image being misused under the guise of promoting “diversity.” You’re familiar with those promotional materials featuring diverse groups of students, grinning as if their tuition depended on it. One of my favorite examples is the supposedly spontaneous campus shot showcasing a single Black individual, reminiscent of the Loch Ness Monster sightings. The photo earns extra points if the person has an “ethnic” hairstyle. I’ve even experienced this myself when a campus photographer waiting outside the Multicultural Student Center (the humor practically writes itself) asked to take my picture. Interestingly, research shows that schools with a whiter student population are more likely to extensively depict diversity in their brochures, particularly emphasizing Black students.

As a movie aficionado, I found myself chuckling throughout the heartfelt comedy “Abbott Elementary.” The show masterfully satirizes institutions that boast diversity as a selling point, as exemplified during the school’s visit to Girard Creek, the long-awaited golf course. The invitation to their “sneak peek” of the “pre-grand-opening preview” raised eyebrows among the staff, who suspected it might be a clever ploy for free labor. However, the tantalizing promise of a lavish feast—with delicacies like ceviche, ahi tuna, and white truffles from Alba, Italy—proved too tempting to resist. For an extraordinarily finicky eater like Gregory, this gourmet smorgasbord was a veritable nightmare. Seizing the opportunity for growth, Barbara used the occasion as a chance to help Gregory conquer his fears and prepare him for a dinner date with Janine at a French restaurant.

As everyone streams into the building, Janine maintains her guard in case an “Escape from Here” scenario unfolds. Miles, who acts as a bridge between the course and Abbott, leads them on a tour, highlighting the beautiful vistas that were once home to the Lenape tribe, whose prosperity they wish for. Everything here is state-of-the-art, and there’s even a photo of Charlie Sifford, the first Black golfer on the PGA Tour, hanging on the wall. This picture should have raised suspicions about Abbott’s true intentions at the course (Miles mentioning they appreciate the game’s multicultural heritage is essentially admitting “we have racial issues”), but Janine is momentarily captivated by the delightful Arnold Palmers. She consumes 17 of these famous beverages during the episode, yet remains skeptical about Miles’ genuine intentions.

In this sitcom, Gregory’s dietary restrictions have been a recurring joke, but when Erica cancels on a difficult-to-get reservation, Barbara persuades Gregory to take her place so Janine doesn’t have to cancel their dinner. Although he’s hesitant due to his distaste for most menu items, Barbara convinces him that sharing a meal is crucial for building a strong relationship, especially with someone as food-loving as Janine. However, when the waiter offers Gregory ahi tuna, his vehement refusal suggests he might not be cut out for high-end dining experiences. Barbara then challenges Gregory to accept whatever dish is placed before him when a waiter approaches, which turns out to be a deviled quail egg. Overwhelmed by his choices, he falters and runs away when offered sea urchin. Barbara finds him hiding from the exotic dishes and offers him what he believes is simple buttered noodles, which he eagerly consumes. To his surprise, there’s truffle on top of his meal. When Barbara reminds him that he just managed to eat a food he swore he disliked without ever trying it, Gregory realizes he’s ready to conquer the restaurant.

In the midst of their enjoyment during Girard Creek’s grand opening, Ava and Melissa find it odd that there is an unusually large amount of expensive truffles available. These truffles are typically only found in specific areas like Alba and can fetch up to $4,000 a pound. Ava, appreciating fine items, comments on this, while Melissa jokes that the course might not even notice if some truffles go missing. This sparks an idea in the two cunning individuals at Abbott. To divert attention, Ava loudly suggests she’ll perform an intricate series of back flips and roundoffs, only to quickly retract her statement once Melissa successfully collects as many truffles as possible.

In another location, Janine’s doubts prove correct as she and Jacob observe Miles acting like a reality TV producer, guiding a student to speak positively about the course on camera. Miles justifies filming a minor as seeking feedback, but Janine and Jacob suspect something is amiss and question their students about the situation, reminding them they don’t need to pretend to love golf for the camera. On the contrary, the students appear to genuinely enjoy themselves, with RJ being particularly captivated. Jacob is taken aback as RJ shows genuine enthusiasm for the virtual golf simulation. However, when Miles organizes a group photo for the school, moving all white staff and students (or should I say, student) to the back before bringing out a three-legged dog to pose with them, Janine catches on to the scheme. To make matters worse, when RJ inquires about getting more involved, Miles suggests he return when he’s older… to be a caddy. This mirrors the misleading promises often found in diversity-focused college brochures, implying that Black faces are useful for publicity but not for genuine integration.

One distinctive aspect of “Abbott Elementary,” on-screen and off, is its commitment to portraying students as independent individuals with rich lives, rather than as objects of pity needing our charity. The show effectively avoids reducing Black children to mere statistics or cautionary tales. In this episode, the characters within the show’s world react to the students being treated like a charity case. After Ava notices an Instagram post from the course featuring a group photo with hashtags #Black Lives Matter and #Charity Day, she becomes fiercely protective of her pupils. Initially, Janine and Jacob confront Miles about his misrepresentation of why he invited the school for a tour, but he dismisses their concerns as just another instance of what he calls “par for the course,” since Abbott had previously used pressure tactics on him. Unyielding in the face of Miles’s resistance, Janine and Jacob rally the other teachers to defend their students.

The group consisting of Jacob, Ava, Melissa, Janine (with another Arnold Palmer drink), barges into Miles’s office, urging for a free golf club for Abbott students as they believe the potential tax break is an enticing proposition. Despite Miles’s reluctance to grant more favors, Janine invites Gregory to intervene, recalling their past altercation. However, no one physically harms Miles. Instead, Melissa employs stolen truffles as a bargaining tool, with Gregory warning he would consume all the mushrooms if the school doesn’t comply, leaving none for the opening event. Amid this tension, Gregory gobbles up a truffle like a ravenous creature, while Janine, under the influence of iced tea and lemonade, pressures Miles for answers about the drink contents. Eventually, Miles concedes to the golf club proposal, and the teachers depart, with RJ expressing excitement over his new after-school activity. Following school hours, Janine and Gregory keep their reservation at a restaurant, where Gregory tries to act as an enthusiastic food critic, comically praising the “blood” accompanying the braised lamb. Correcting him, Janine explains the red liquid is actually a red wine reduction. However, both of them confess they dislike the cuisine and depart in search of something more palatable.

Teacher’s Notes

Instead of typically patting himself on the back after helping a student solve a problem, Jacob’s actions instead appeared to increase his worry. It’s concerning that educators, who are statistically more prone to struggle with job-related stress compared to other working adults, may face such challenges.

• Finally, my favorite lines:

I aspire to be a member of the golf club, much like you, RJ… You’re my version of the modern-day Tiger Woods.

As a true cinema enthusiast, let me tell you, the banter between Ava and Melissa is simply electrifying! It’s as if they’re not just characters, but queens of their own cinematic universe.

Ava’s question, “You be the oceans, I’ll be the eleven?” sets the stage for a captivating dialogue. Melissa’s response, “Catch me if you can …” adds an element of mystery and intrigue.

Their subsequent exchange, “We ’bout to set it off …” and “I’m up for this Italian job,” suggests they’re about to embark on a thrilling adventure. And finally, the climax of their conversation, “We’ll be gone in 60 seconds …” and “… And then we’d be out of sight!!”, leaves me yearning for more scenes of their dynamic duo!

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2025-01-30 05:55