I wonder if there is an element of the comedy here not translating? I'm an Assistant Headteacher at a school in London, and if anyone has spent time teaching at an inner-city school they might see some similarities here... I certainly did. This is a 70s British film and deserves its place as a record of times past. Don't watch this expecting a deep or serious comment on the state of education or inner-city schools, watch it as one would watch a Carry-On film expecting to spend a considerable amount of time with your tongue in your cheek. This is not serious cinema and should not be treated as such, this is a lighthearted (but politically incorrect - haven't we moved a long way?), romp. Lighten up!