Was Erins father really against her taking the job at Woodrow Wilson High School?
Yes. Erin refers to her father’s position in her memoir “Teach with Your Heart”. After her first day of class, a troubled student named Sharaud said, “I’m gonna make this lady cry in front of the whole class.” Erin could hear her father in her head, “I told you so.” Her father was primarily concerned for her happiness and safety. Long Beach, where Wilson High School was located, had more than 100 murders in 1993. Does Erin still have a close relationship with her dad? Erin’s father, portrayed by actor Scott Glen in the film, died three years prior to the film’s release. “He was my biggest supporter,” she says. Did Erin really wear pearls to class? In the movie, we see Hilary Swank wearing valuable pearls into her classroom. She is advised to rethink this accessory to her wardrobe. In her book, “Teach with Your Heart”, Erin Gruwell talks about how she fidgeted with the pearls on her first day as a student teacher. Did Erin really get chalk dust on her backside on her first day? Yes. In
