RIP Jaime Escalante

Jaime Escalante, the East Los Angeles math teacher who inspired the movie "Stand and Deliver" has died. He was 79.

According to an Associated Press article posted on the New York Times official Web Site, Escalante had been undergoing treatment for bladder cancer. You can read the article at NYTimes.com.

Escalante's story made for a compelling and classic Chicano film, but his legacy as an educator and a believer in youth will last for ages. In these times when educators struggle to provide a good education to our nation's students, Escalante's story resonates more than ever.

RIP Jaime Escalante, a true American icon.