Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary about teachers working in an undersfunded school in West Philadelphia, in the US.
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary about teachers working in an undersfunded school in West Philadelphia, in the US. The award-winning show, filmed in a similar style to The Office, is available to stream on Disney+.
It was created by Quinta Brunson, who wrote, stars in and is an executive producer on it.
Brunson began her career at Buzzfeed, where she wrote, produced and acted in videos for the company’s YouTube channel. When she left there, she continued producing, writing and acting in comedy.
Abbott Elementary made Brunson the first black woman to be nominated for three Daytime Emmys in the comedy category. She won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. For those who were fans of Buzzfeed in the early 2010s, it’s moving to see her succeed.
Abbott Elementary follows five passionate and hard-working teachers, an at-times tone-deaf and unprofessional principal, and a wacky and unbalanced school custodian.
The main character, Janine Teagues, is a young teacher who cares about the struggles of the school and the district.
In her attempts to help the students and the school, she gets herself and the school into hot water. However, with the help and support of her colleagues, her mistakes are put right and help Miss Teagues become a better teacher.
The show shines a spotlight on teachers in lower-income districts in America. Many of these schools struggle to afford basic amenities, adequate salaries for the teachers, who often do more than what their jobs require, and food for the students. They usually come from households that don’t have enough money to put food on the table or to create stability for the children.
These stories are important to share as these teachers rarely get the recognition they deserve.
This story is relatable in a South African context, since many of our schools have similar issues and, in some cases, worse ones.
Teachers in these situations — both in South Africa and in America — often end up using what little money they have on their students, meaning they don’t have enough for themselves, emphasising the importance of supporting low-income schools.
Many people have at least one teacher they remember fondly for standing behind them and their dreams. Teachers play a vital role in society as they build future leaders, engineers, teachers and doctors.
What makes this show so pleasurable to watch is first of all the characters. The teachers, principal, and custodian are major pieces of the puzzle, each having their unique background, perspective and ideas about the school. It’s evident that the actors deeply understand their characters.
Second, the story of the school and its world is believable. That the series is based around a common issue helps people understand why and how Abbott is the way it is.
I recommend watching it, not only for enjoyment but also to gain perspective on the lives of teachers. Understanding these underpaid heroes will hopefully lead to a world where teachers are better supported.