She bullied, bluffed, and bribed her students into caring about school.

And if that didn’t work, the pretty, petite ex-marine told them she’d been trained to kill with her bare hands.

They were called the class from Hell-thirty-four inner cityMore She bullied, bluffed, and bribed her students into caring about school.

And if that didn’t work, the pretty, petite ex-marine told them she’d been trained to kill with her bare hands.

They were called the class from Hell-thirty-four inner city sophomores she inherited from a teacher who’d been “pushed over the edge.” She was told “those kids have tasted blood. They’re dangerous.”

But LouAnne Johnson had a different idea. Where the school system saw thirty-four unreachable kids, she saw young men and women with intelligence and dreams. When others gave up on them, she broke the rules to give them the best things a teacher can give-hope and belief in themselves. When statistics showed the chances were they’d never graduate, she fought to beat the odds.

This is her remarkable story-and theirs.

If you loved Stand and Deliver, you’ll stand up and cheer for LouAnne Johnson and Dangerous Minds.
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Community Reviews

Jubilation Lee rated it liked it

almost 3 years ago

I recognize that the author’s intention in writing this book was probably not to convince her readers to think to themselves, “Holy shit. I never, ever ever ever want to be a teacher. Ever. EVER. ”

Probably it was instead meant to be inspiring!

But I spent the entire time. Read full review

Derek rated it liked it

almost 3 years ago

I decided to read this book after hearing an interview with Johnson on NPR’s This American Life.

Johnson said her teaching experience wasn’t much like Michelle Pfeiffer’s teaching experience in Dangerous Minds, the movie inspired by Johnson’s book. She also said she retur. Read full review

Brianna Kortesmaki rated it really liked it

over 1 year ago

I liked this book a lot. In some ways it was a comedy and in other ways it was serious. I also liked how it was a nonfictional book I don’t read a lot of those, but I liked this one.

The book “Dangerous Minds” was written by Louanne Johnson. She. Read full review

Zoë rated it really liked it

over 2 years ago

*This’ll be for both this book and the next one (The Girls In The Back of the Classroom )

I decided to check out the books My Posse Don’t Do Homework and The Girls in the Back of the Classroom by Louanne Johnson after having seen the movie Dangerous Minds. Those are the boo. Read full review

Patrice rated it it was ok

about 5 years ago

This book is kind of a train wreck of sorts – but here’s my review that I wrote for my M.A.T. program.

Miss Johnson is a newly hired teacher set with the task of working in a difficult inner city school. I remember going to the movie theatre in middle school and watching. Read full review

Karen rated it liked it

almost 3 years ago

I definitely enjoyed this book, but as I read I kept thinking “teachers can’t do that now.” Giving kids a ride home – definitely a no-no these days. Also interesting was the fact that she started off just teaching one class, later two, at most four.

No mention of boyfrien. Read full review

Desiree Roe rated it it was amazing

over 1 year ago

Dangerous Minds is a book about a teacher on a mission to not only better her students’ grades but their lives as well. She pushes them to their limits and makes them realize their potential. Luanne Johnson captures your attention, and her students keep the surprises comi. Read full review

Lydia Aswolf rated it did not like it

almost 3 years ago

In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit I come from a family containing many teachers. I have five sons and thirty nieces and nephews. In other words, I have some small experience with kids, the school system, and teachers on and off campus, so to speak.

Valeria rated it liked it

almost 6 years ago

In the book Dangerous Minds by Louanne Johnson, I saw a whole new perspective on how some teachers; view us students. The scene or story, takes place at a poor lonely low rated school. One word would describe that school, and it would be potential. Ms. Johnson recognized. Read full review

PurplyCookie rated it it was amazing

over 7 years ago

Ms. Johnson took a chance by becoming a teacher at a run down, inner city school in west Los Angeles. Almost all of her students were troubled and underpriveleged. “You’re about to step into a room full of hormone-crazed teenagers and ask them to commit unnatural acts lik. Read full review

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