<<--I think that Katie raises an excellent point about the type of "diversity" on shows like "Saved By the Bell." Why didn't most girls want to be Jessie? Is it just a coincidence that the smart girl was also annoying? Or that Velma, the smart girl on Scooby Doo, is also dorky-looking? What messages does this send about girls who are more interested in being smart than in being beautiful?>>

Just as the pretty girls in television shows are portrayed dating the football captain and being cheerleaders, the smart kids are portrayed as dorky. They are both stereotypes that we have in the media. Thinking back on my experiences in garde and elementary school, the smart kids were always referred to as dorks, just because they wanted to better themselves by learning. This is an example of medie induced notions working their way into our daily lives. No one wants to be the ood kid out at school, especially in the teen years when al one wants is acceptance. I'm sure tons of people, girls and boys, neglected their studies because it wasn't 'cool' to study.