Garfield vs. Welton prep school

One school is in sunny laid back southern California while the other one is in snotty rich kids Vermont. Both schools get a new teacher Mr. Escalante, who is schedule to teach computer science but the school wont have computers will the year 2000 maybe? And Mr. Keaton, who is schedule to teach English Poetry.
They both revised their curriculum and teach what they want and what they think is important to them and their kids. One teacher feels that math is the great equalizer and will open up doors and gain self confidence, while the other teaches you to go against years of tradition, find yourself, find your inner voice and express it and it will open up doors and gain self confidence.

Escalante's students are minimal wage, Hispanic or Hispanic descent culture, low or self confidence, middle of the road non challenge students who never really had to fight for anything.
Keaton students come from wealthy families, Anglo-Saxon whose roots can be traced to the mayflower I am sure, who never really had to think for themselves because everything has been set in order since they where kids and do lack self confidence and never really had to fight for anything. What they get from each teacher, ganas, desire, confidence, self pride these are the pillars that they start to learn for life, not Tradition, Honor, Excellence, or Discipline as Welton Prep students are trained.

There background are completely different  in social status but in the end what we have to see is that these are kids ranging between 16 and 18 years old and being a teenager is so much pressure whether it is 1950, 1980 or 2010. Both teachers do a fine good job getting their message out, Oh, Captain, My Captain.