STEREOTYPICAL

David Ehrenstein’s look at movies with white teachers says more about his own attitudes than about Hollywood (“White Teacher, Black Stereotype,” April 28).

He’s bothered by movies (“Dangerous Minds,” “Sunset Park”) that have white teachers in inner-city schools and movies that bend “over backward to promote black-white harmony.” He feels that by “extending the hand of friendship” these films are whitewashing America’s history of racism. Ehrenstein sees Michelle Pfeiffer’s attempts to relate to her students as patronizing. He is bothered by Rhea Perlman’s insistence that her students study and try to go to college.

Why is it that films about black or Hispanic teachers are OK but the white teacher is seen as patronizing? Maybe Ehrenstein is unaware of the thousands of white teachers who are there in the inner-city schools trying to make a difference.

Ehrenstein thinks these movies should not be “granting absolution to whites” so easily. He seems to believe that Perlman and Pfeiffer (and every white person in America) are guilty of racism and they better make their mea culpas.

Unfortunately, there are many people like David Ehrenstein out there, people who hate it when anyone makes a genuine effort to reach out. But the real shame is that a lot of kids are buying into the cycle of blame and racism. And if you are always looking to blame, you will never see the good in others--even others of a different race.

TIM TRUBY

Los Angeles

*

Ehrenstein’s commentary was well-written and perceptive. I take exception, however, to his assertion that basketball is “the only arena in which whites feel free to declare admiration for blacks.”

Nonathletes Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, et al, are nevertheless American icons. And let us not slight Colin Powell, who will, arguably, be elected to preside over these United States four years hence.

LLOYD A. SPELLS

Los Angeles