Abbott Elementary Season 2 Episode 20 Review: Educator of the Year
Brandi Powell
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Previously the home of the underdog, Abbott Elementary is now the home of Philadelphia's Educator of the Year, Gregory Eddie! Yes, we all were surprised but not as astonished as Gregory.
The school district wowed us with its insane levels of Affirmative-Action based merit awards. The district chose Gregory solely because he was a black man, and the optics looked great.
Abbott Elementary Season 2 Episode 20 was surprisingly a poignant and touching episode. Aside from the usual antics of the gang, we got to see depths of emotion previously unseen.
Ava served Barbara with a notice from the district that she had coursework to complete. Barbara is a veteran at this point, and she predates many of the requirements and training they develop for the staff, so it is pointless and insulting for her.
And truth be told, the courses sound like gibberish. Barbara enlisted Jacob to help her, and he was over the moon. His response to being able to assist Barbara with something was epic. It does speak to his respect for her.
He signs her up for a class called IGAL- Inter-Generational Active Listening, and we already know this is a setup. Barbara is the epitome of a Baby Boomer. And she is surrounded by millennials and the dreaded Generation Z.
Jacob: Let's take a looksie. Looks like a bunch of goofy acronyms so far.
Barbara: A complete waste of time.
Jacob: NAP -- Nodding and Praising.
Barbara: I only praise the Lord.
Jacob: MUD -- Meeting Under Duress.
Barbara: I came up out of the mud.
Jacob: FART -- Facilitating a Reading Tyke
Barbara: Seems like they wanted to do that.
Speaking of Gen Z, Ashley, the teacher aide, returns in this episode, winning Teacher Aide of the Year. Ashley is terrible at her job, hysterically and historically. But since she is young and Latina, she wins for the optics.
Early in the episode, we see Janine dealing with an unruly student, Deshawn. He disrupted the class by throwing books and then told Janine to shut up. Her response was so calm, but it was evident she was stressed.
Janine: This wasn't my first option, by the way, as I have said. But his behavior has been getting progressively worse, and I'm trying to make sure he's having a successful time in school.
Cassandra: Ain't nobody stopping you from doing that.
Janine: He is kind of stopping me, actually.
Cassandra: He's seven. You can't control a seven year old?
Janine decided to move up a parent-teacher conference because his behavior was escalating. It was good to see her being proactive about his behavior; it just supports that she is growing into a fantastic educator.
The meeting with Deshawn's mom, Cassandra, was infuriating. She was flippant, monotonous and rude. Janine was gracious and explained the situation as best she could, only to be insulted and rejected.
This scene was hard to watch. We have watched Janine grow, but confrontation is still troubling for her. She occasionally attempts to stand up for herself but mostly shies away from those moments.
So, she comes in, and I told her about her son's acing out. You know, I'm trying to have a conversation -- cool, calm, where we figure out what to do. I offered solutions, I was patient, I told her we were a team. And she just destroyed me. She called me the worst teacher she's ever seen.
Janine
And Cassandra's callousness destroyed Janine. The dismissal of her skill, her competency, and her intentions was enough to make her question if Cassandra was right. Honestly, if we never see Cassandra again, I'll be happy, but the encounter reads to the show's authenticity.
Everyone is not going to love Janine. And maybe that will force her to grow up and leave some of the naivete behind. Viewers can't help but feel defensive of Janine. Her sensitivity is a crucial element of her character; typically, she does not handle stress well.
The moment was painful to watch. Janine's heart was in the right place. There was no humor in this scene. It was brutal, and it did not feel like a comedy for a moment.
Gregory had a chance to be there for her as comfort, and although he didn't offer her the comfort she needed, he led her to Barbara, who had the words she needed to hear.
I've been called a bad teacher more times than I can ever remember. People have thrown dirt on my name, and others have given flowers. It's all a garden to me.
Barbara
Also, talking to Janine helped her with her IGAL requirements, so it was a win.
The school district needed a white woman to present the award for optics. This token was Melissa. And she was visibly annoyed by the turn of events. She did not have the words to introduce Gregory because she did not feel he deserved to win.
I had never noticed any animosity between Melissa and Gregory, but she didn't appear to respect him. Melissa is an incredibly hard worker, so maybe she was jealous of the token win. But ultimately, she rose to the occasion with a re-purposed sports speech.
You can't choose when people acknowledge you. This is your moment.
Melissa
Ava routinely displays the energy and swagger of a boxing promoter, so it was only natural that she be the coordinator and hype woman for the Teacher of the Year ceremony. The ceremony wasn't flashy, but for Gregory, it was excessive.
June Diane Raphael (of Grace and Frankie) was hilariously over the top as Ms. Washington, the senior representative for the school district. If optics were their focus, she was a master Optician! She handled the camera crew like she was directing a feature film.
Gregory: I feel like I'm the last person who should get this.
Melissa: Yeah, you're definitely not the best teacher in Philadelphia, or, you know, this school or your grade or even this classroom.
Gregory: Is there a point, like where are we going?
Melissa: Gregory, you don't deserve to be Educator of the Year.
Gregory: Still waiting for that point.
Their attempts to get Mr. Eddie to appear more personable were in vain. His discomfort grew with each interaction. It makes you wonder if some of his awkwardness is due to the pre-existing documentary camera crew.
Oh, you forgot they were there too? Just me? Gregory ran into one of the documentary crew members, and it was hilarious. Using the "camera crew" to break the fourth wall and give us voiceover -- level insight is spectacular.
The ceremony was just flashy enough to make Gregory uncomfortable. And as they rehearsed, the kids were the stars of the show. The slam poetry was so funny -- the kid talent on this show is impressive.
I can't fully accept this award, because I'm still learning. As teachers, we all are. But every day when I come here and teach, I'm being held up by some of the most incredibly, deserving teachers here at Abbott.
Gregory
Gregory gives a beautiful speech that honors his co-workers and everything they teach him. At this moment, his awkward energy is gone. He is articulate, passionate, and grateful. He gives the staff their flowers, and the speech truly honors educators everywhere.
Gregory and Janine have such beautiful chemistry -- when they are trying not to put a label on things. Taking the focus off their progression has allowed their relationship to translate even more. Where we saw potential in Season 1, we now see two strong individuals with a strong relationship.
Romantic or not, it's a joy to watch. Ashley's "Will they or won't they?" comment was hilarious and off the cuff. Keyla Monterroso Mejia, who portrays Ashley, is a delight. Thank God for Benito or Janine would have more competition.
Melissa: I hate to break up this little love fest, but I don't have much time.
Janine: What love?
Gregory: There's no love here.
What did you think of this episode? Did Gregory deserve Educator of the Year? Who should have won?
What should Janine do about Deshawn and his mother? Were you surprised to see Dr. Johnson?
Drop your thoughts in the comments.
Brandi Powell was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in April 2023. Follow her on Twitter.
