Summer School

This blog entry about the movie SUMMER SCHOOL (1987) is the fourth of four entries discussing movies about school, teachers, and education.

In the comedy film SUMMER SCHOOL Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon) is a physical education (P.E.) teacher who must teach summer school when another teacher, Mr. Dearadorian (played by the film’s director Carl Reiner), at the fictional Oceanfront High School wins the lottery and quits at the last minute. Mr. Shoop is in the parking lot literally putting a suitcase in his car for a trip to Hawaii when Vice Principal Phil Gillis (Robin Thomas) approaches him about teaching remedial English for summer school. Amusingly his girlfriend, Kim (Amy Stock), goes to Hawaii without him instead of postponing the vacation until summer school ends.

SUMMER SCHOOL presents some serious issues in a humorous manner. On the first day of class it becomes apparent that the reluctant Mr. Shoop should not be teaching a group of underachieving students. They are easily distracted and one of the students is dyslexic. But reality sinks in when Vice Principal Gillis reminds Mr. Shoop he is up for tenure and can lose his job. Most jobs have a probation period. For teachers in California the probation period is two school years of satisfactory performance. On the first day of the third school year the teacher is tenured. It is difficult to fire a teacher who earns tenure.

Since Mr. Shoop is forced to teach, he realizes he does not know how to teach. He receives help from Robin Bishop (Kirstie Alley), a teacher who instructs an honors class. Today at many schools students can only attend summer school if they, like Mr. Shoop’s students, fail a course. This is due to budgetary reasons; however, in the 1980’s students were certainly able to attend summer school for enrichment.

The only way Mr. Shoop gets his students to study is by negotiating with them: Denise (Kelly Jo Minter) needs driving lessons so Mr. Shoop becomes her driving instructor. Rhonda (Shawnee Smith) is pregnant so Mr. Shoop becomes her Lamaze partner. Kevin (Patrick Labyorteaux) plays football so Mr. Shoop gives him lessons. Pam (Courtney Thorne-Smith) needs a place to live so Mr. Shoop lets her move in with him. Dave (Gary Riley) has a party at Mr. Shoop’s house with Mr. Shoop’s permission. Larry (Ken Olandt) sleeps in class so Mr. Shoop has a bed in the classroom. Chainsaw (Dean Cameron) gets to arrange a screening of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE in class.

Despite the wackiness, the students improve academically. SUMMER SCHOOL is a fun movie that serves as an escape because no school would allow much of what happens in the story. If you need to laugh SUMMER SCHOOL may be a good movie to put on your watchlist, even if you have seen it before.