Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jaime Escalante

Role / Field:

Bolivian-American educator renowned for teaching calculus at Garfield High School.

Born:

1930-12-31

Died:

2010-03-30

Century / Era:

1930s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutiérrez (December 31, 1930 – March 30, 2010) was a Bolivian-American educator known for teaching students calculus from 1974 to 1991 at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. Escalante was the subject of the 1988 film Stand and Deliver, in which he is portrayed by Edward James Olmos. Escalante was born in 1930 in La Paz, Bolivia. Both of his parents were teachers.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Escalante was proud of his Aymara heritage. Escalante taught mathematics and physics for 12 years in Bolivia before he immigrated to the United States. He worked various jobs while teaching himself English and earning another college degree before eventually returning to the classroom as an educator. In 1974, he began to teach at Garfield High School. Escalante was initially so disheartened by the lack of preparation of his students that he called his former employer and asked for his old job back.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Escalante eventually changed his mind about returning to work when he found twelve students willing to take an algebra class. Shortly after Escalante came to Garfield High School, its accreditation became threatened. Instead of gearing classes to poorly performing...

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• 1930 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1930
• December 31 (12-31) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 31
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• March 30 (03-30) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 30

Frequently Asked Questions about Jaime Escalante