HBO's Bad Education is one of the best surprises of the year. The small film tells an incredible and riveting story and features some of the best performances of the year. It stars Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney as two school district officials at the center of the biggest public school embezzling scheme in American history.
The film is remarkably based on a true story with some of the most outrageous moments based in fact. However, like all films inspired by real-life events, the truth was sometimes stretched. Here are some of the aspects of Bad Education that are based on truth and some of the film's creative liberties.
True: Pamela Takes The Fall
The scandal begins when assistant superintendent Pamela Gluckin's indiscretions come to light. After it is discovered Pamela used thousands of dollars in school money to fund her extravagant lifestyle, Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) throws her under the bus while hiding his own illegal spending.
In the New York Magazine article on which the film is based, it is reported that Frank did indeed let Pamela take the fall for the misdeeds while he was guilty of the same thing. He even persuaded the school board not to involve the police in the matter.
False: Frank's Hidden Sexuality
In the film, Frank is seen to be hiding more than just his embezzling. While he keeps a picture of his deceased wife on his desk, he is secretly gay and living with a man whom he's been with for several years.
In reality, Tassone maintains that his sexuality was never something he tried to hide. While speaking on The Coach Mike Podcast, Tassone expressed disappointment that his sexuality would be depicted as "sordid" and over the implication that his marriage to his wife was some sort of ruse.
True: Luxurious Expenses
The secret of the embezzling starts to leak out thanks to Pamela using school funds for home improvement projects. Aside from that, it's revealed she also used the funds for expensive trips, credit card payments, and jewelry, among other things.
Likewise, Frank is revealed to have used school funds to pay rent for his apartment, his luxury car, and an expensive trip to London with his boyfriend. All of these expenses were discovered in the official audit of the scandal, along with plenty of other unapproved expenses.
False: Timeline
Once Pamela's indiscretions are revealing, there is a snowball effect that gets closer and closer to bringing Frank down as well. He begins to feel the noose tightening, and it is only a matter of months after Pamela's firing that the extent of Frank's wrongdoing comes to light.
Amazingly, the real timeline was much longer than seen in the film. Even after Pamela was caught and fired, it was a few years until Frank became targeted for an investigation into his spending.
True: The Work Ethic
One of the most fascinating aspects of the film is that it shows how Frank and Pamela were indeed very dedicated to their work. They hid unforgivable wrongdoing from their colleagues and the public, but their passion for the job was genuine and not part of their deceit.
From many accounts of those who worked with them and attended these schools, this was accurate. Tassone and Gluckin were hard workers, putting in long hours and going the extra mile with the students and parents.
False: Frank's Romantic Life
Early in the film, Frank is attending a conference in Las Vegas where he meets a former student of his and begins a romantic relationship with the young man, which gets serious quite quickly. This relationship is revealed to his long-term partner once Frank is arrested.
While on The Coach Mike Podcast, Tassone brought this aspect of the film up as particularly upsetting to him. He maintains that he never had a romantic encounter with any former student. He also insists he was in an open relationship with his long-term partner so there were no secret affairs.
True: School Newspaper
Seeing as how the entire film is set in a high school, it is very fitting that the whole story is broken by the school newspaper. Specifically, one tenacious student reporter gets to the bottom of the scandal, which is then picked up by the larger papers.
Remarkably, this is true of the real case. While the story was picked up by the big national papers and the movie itself is based on an article in the New York Magazine, the school newspaper, the Hilltop Beacon, broke it first.
False: Rachel Bhargava
The student journalist at the center of the story is Rachel Bhargava, played by Geraldine Viswanathan. She is the lone reporter who is following the story as it goes deeper and deeper. While she is dissuaded by other students and the administration, she pursues it nonetheless.
In reality, there was no one named Rachel Bhagavra associated with this story. The filmmakers have said that the character is part fabrication and part amalgamation of all the student reporters who worked on the story.
True: Pension Payments
The film's prologue gives a little insight into Frank and Pamela's life once the scandal broke. Both were sent to prison for several years, though released early for good behavior. But even after their imprisonment, they collect annual pension payments from the school board.
This is another aspect that is so wild yet happens to be true. Due to some oversight, Tassone and Gluckin are entitled to tens of thousands in annual pension. However, some reports suggest Gluckin had been giving a substantial portion of her pension back to the school board until her death in 2017.
False: Breaking The Story
In the film, the student reporter Rachel stumbles onto the scandal by accident after being assigned a puff piece about a school development program. Ironically, it is Frank's encouragement that pushes her forward in uncovering the spending scandal.
The reality of breaking the story was much less cinematic in real life. Some of the reporters at the school paper received an anonymous tip about improper spending among the school administration. This led to them learning about Tassone and Gluckin's wrongdoings.