Chua, Kayla Jane M.

SDEVIEDPLANS
E-3SN 11/21/2021

A Reflection Paper on the Film “Front of the Class”

People ought to say that a good companion shortens the longest road. However,
it was not the same for Brad Cohen. The film entitled "Front of the Class" portrays the
life of an aspiring teacher who suffers from what he refers to as his greatest companion
— Tourette syndrome. Despite the discrimination and unjust treatments he has
experienced during his childhood, Brad Cohen even became stronger and bolder to
never let his condition win over him. It was not easy at first, as he tried his best to apply
for a job in all the schools he could find. However, most of them see his Tourette as a
barrier in teaching his students. With his persistent determination, Brad finally had his
own class, and his father completely accepted him. Brad was able to touch his students'
hearts and teach them valuable lessons on acceptance. In the end, Brad was selected
as the outstanding first-year teacher for the state of Georgia.
As I was watching the movie, one of the primary themes that I have noticed is the
depiction on how people with disabilities were treated during the past. Seeing how his
teachers scold him to never make such noises completely shows how ignorant they are
of his condition. Even worse, doctors point out that his outbursts were a result of his
misbehavior. In the same way, support groups were not really established for "support"
but as a means of abandonment from society wherein instead of letting them thrive,
they kept them inside the Church. One of the caretakers even advises her to withdraw
him from school to relieve her burden because she believes that individuals like them
have no hope at all. Moreover, even if people with disabilities at that time had their
privileges, it can be seen that it was not very much recognized by the people unless
they are being compromised to do so. I also find it painful that even his own father
cannot understand and accept his disorder. If not for his mother's dedication, Brad
would probably have suffered all his life remarkably.
Another key point that have come to my mind from the film is the pain of his
parents. It can be seen how his mother was devastated upon knowing about his
condition. Regardless of that, she stood firm and supported his son in reaching his
passion along the way. On the contrary, his father does not believe in his son's capacity
to achieve his dream. In his perspective, he insists his son pursue his career because
he thinks that his disability will not lead him to become a teacher. Although his action
seems like he is less affectionate towards his son, he had a hidden pain along with him
that made him to act this way. As a father, he does not want his son to be disgraced
and mocked on by other people because his condition is not yet completely accepted at
their time. Later on, he reveals that he blames himself for what happened to Brad
because his father feels helpless every time he sees his son. He finally realized the
truth that his son does not need to be fixed and he will never get fixed. All he has to do
is to accept him for who he is and what he is.
Lastly, I was also struck on how Brad was able to pursue his ambition of
becoming a teacher regardless of his episodes and on the number of rejected
interviews he had. Teaching is known as one of the most stressful professions, but Brad
was able to make it effortless even with his condition. I was very inspired on his passion
and on what he is advocating for. Based on the movie, it can be concluded that his
passion for teaching stems from the experiences he has encountered during his school
days. He believes that being a teacher will help him fulfill his dream of making a change
where everyone will start to accept differences and embrace diversity. Along with this,
he had a student named Thomas. The situation of Thomas is somehow similar to how
Brad was during his high school years, wherein his teachers and students thought of
him as odd and difficult. But even if so, Brad never gave up on him until he was able to
help Thomas overcome his fear of reading. At the end, he was loved by the school and
by his students.
Given these points, this film has a lot of interesting life lessons that does not only
involve acceptance but also love. Loving what you do, what you can do, and who
people truly are is the key to acceptance. Love is not felt without acceptance so as to
acceptance is meaningless without love. Even if his father cares about his welfare but
does acknowledge his unmanageable symptoms, Brad does not feel his love genuinely.
Same is true with the community he lives in. Although there are laws and organizations
made for people with disability, their purpose serves meaningless when the society
does not fully provide their privileges and support. This is what I have realized
throughout the life of Brad Cohen. Moreover, his story also teaches us to face our
challenges with confidence. Brad never let his ticks interfere with his life and he even
considered it as his companion although he never let his Tourette win. Because of this,
he was able to develop grit. Eventually, the society and his father had learned to
recognized and live with his disability. Overall, I find this movie very valuable and
meaningful because it very relatable to my career.