Quinta Brunson Opens Up About The Teacher Who Inspired Abbott Elementary

Television shows can serve as an escape from the harshness of everyday life. Sitcoms often play a key role in helping people unwind at the end of a long, stressful day. The comedy brings a sense of joy and relief to those in need of a pick-me-up. However, it can also serve as a mirror to a society which still has a long way to go.

Abbott Elementary manages to serve both of these purposes brilliantly. On the one hand, the Emmy-winning series has brought laughter and joy to many homes over the past four seasons. However, it has also reflected the real issues teachers and students face, like the Philadelphia school which is portrayed in the series. When speaking about her inspiration for the show, creator and star Quinta Brunson mentioned a teacher who had a big impact on her.

Jimmy Kimmel Surprised Quinta With Her Sixth Grade Teacher, Who She Named The Show After

Inspiration comes to people in a variety of ways and, for Quinta Brunson, it came courtesy of her sixth grade teacher. Ms. Abbott taught the future Emmy winner and served as a main inspiration for the series Abbott Elementary. When Quinta was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2022, she told the host that she had named the show after Ms. Abbott.

According to the actress, the last time she saw her former teacher in person was sixth grade. "I got to talk to her recently," Quinta told Jimmy. He then replied, "You did? Well, let's talk to her again." This was a surprise to Quinta, who wasn't expecting to be reunited with Ms. Abbott. The teacher appeared via a video call and Quinta became emotional.

Quinta has made no secret about her real-life inspirations, serving as a vehicle for the series. During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she talked about how her own experience growing up in West Philadelphia influenced her vision for the show.

“I had a wonderful elementary school and loved school so much,”she said. “I had some of the best teachers in the world from elementary school onward. It was really positive, which I think allowed me to make this jump from a very positive viewpoint.”

During the Jimmy Kimmel Live appearance, Ms. Abbott announced that she was getting ready to retire and reflected on Quinta as a student. According to Ms. Abbott, Quinta was a very "driven" student. As she spoke about her time teaching Quinta, the series creator cried as she wiped her tears with a tissue.

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"Quinta was an awesome student," Ms. Abbott told Jimmy. "When she came into my class she was really shy, timid. But as I challenged all of my students, we had to speak in complete sentences. I built their confidence that whatever, you want in life you can do it. You have to work hard."

Ms. Abbott Went The Extra Mile For Quinta And Her Other Students

During her conversation with the Los Angeles Times, Quinta gushed about Ms. Abbott and explained her positive influence. “Ms. Abbott has always stuck with me throughout my life,” Quinta told the outlet. “In a way, I didn’t know why she was my favorite. I couldn’t put my finger on it. She just was. I think that’s what a good teacher does. I think it’s like the Maya Angelou quote, ‘People always remember how you make them feel,’ and she always made me feel good.'"

Quinta's mother was a kindergarten teacher and Ms. Abbott helped the future star transition into middle school. Ms. Abbott would spend time before and after school in the kindergarten classroom through fifth grade. “I was in the same building as her, and when I got out and went to middle school, I was a little scaredy-cat,” Quinta explained. “I didn’t want to leave my mom, and [Ms. Abbott] helped transition me out of it.”

Ms. Abbott also influenced the character of Janine, in that she also had teaching methods which saw her thinking outside the box. Quinta said that Ms. Abbott once transformed the entire classroom into a planetarium. Not only did other classes tour this classroom, but it was even covered on the news. Ms. Abbott also held a pretzel sale which saw students both making and selling the snacks. Quinta said these kinds of things “are a big deal in Philadelphia.”

In order to participate, Quinta had to arrive at school at 6:00 a.m. Unfortunately, this wasn't a possibility for Quinta's parents. However, Ms. Abbott made sure to go the extra mile for her star pupil. “Ms. Abbott came to my house and got me because she felt so badly that I needed to be a part of that,” Quinta remembered. “I’m so grateful because I think selling those pretzels helped me learn how to sell a show.”

Ms. Abbott’s sixth grade class earned money by selling candy bars for limousine transport. At the end of the school year, the kids had a meal at a fancy restaurant to celebrate. This method of saving money for the event was encouraged by Ms. Abbott herself. Quinta said, “It was so absurd to go eat at one of those fancy restaurants with these little sixth-grade children, but she did things like that, just never stopped going above and beyond.”

Ms. Abbott told Jimmy that she was "very honored" to have a television series named after her. Abbott Elementary became quite an overnight sensation, reaching households across the country. It became a favorite comfort show for many, offering a sense of comedic relief. It has also become a favorite among teachers, who see their career and passion reflected in the series.

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"To have only had a few episodes [air] and just for it to be an abundance of love, conversation, and just enjoyment of the show is just so, like, I don't know. I am just so happy, so overwhelmed," Quinta told Harper's Bazaar at the time. "It was weird to feel like I had to pull back from Twitter because of too much positivity. I was like, 'I don't know what to do with so many nice messages and nice comments.'"

She continued, "I think everyone is so used to binging TV now, but we're not even in the middle of our season. There's so much more for people to see that I hope they enjoy."

Quinta Explained How The Series Reflects The Harsh Reality Certain Schools Face

However, while the show is intended to serve as a comfort watch for audiences everywhere, it also reflects real life. The show perfectly examines how the majority Black and brown schools are often underfunded. Quinta said that while she is grateful to have had a teacher like Ms. Abbott, she knows that is quite the exception to the norm.

"It’s a bigger commentary on America’s treatment of lower classes," Quinta told the Los Angeles Times of Abbott Elementary. "Our country doesn’t care as much about its lower classes as its richer class ... and because of that, schools like Abbott are suffering. Our funding should definitely be going more into the pockets of these schools than it is a billionaire’s venture."

“We just don’t care enough about it,” she added. “Because if we did, schools wouldn’t be in that position, and they’d be fully funded already. End of story.”

In a 2018 study conducted by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, it was concluded that wealthier school districts with mostly white populations receive around $1,200 more per child than less wealthy, nonwhite districts. Those districts are often considered “troubled.” They also have the highest rates of suspension, school-to-prison pipelines and failed standardized tests. The blame is often placed on students and educators, which serves as a diversion tactic. Underfunding is the real issue.

“My goal with the show is to make people laugh, but I do hope that it gets people thinking,” Quinta said. “And [that] it puts a little bit of pressure on the people who need to be pressured a little.”

And it seems to be working. ABC, the network airing Abbott Elementary, has donated to schools in need. Part of this involved inviting teachers to the show's premiere along with a trip to Disneyland. They have also partnered with Scholastic to donate supplies to schools in Philadelphia and other parts of the United States.

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“Should teachers be working purely off donations? No, they should get what they need from the schools, from the school districts, from the government. But in the meantime, I think it’s wonderful if people are called to action from this show,” Quinta said. “Sometimes it’s just support. If you know a teacher in your life, just give them support and [an] ear when they’re talking. Sometimes it’s going to public government meetings and demanding more for teachers. I’m excited to see what ways people do it.”