ANALISIS RESEPSI GURU SEKOLAH LUAR BIASA (SLB) TERHADAP CANDAAN ABLEIST DALAM FILM “AGAK LAEN”

This study was conducted to understand how Special School (Sekolah Luar Biasa/SLB) teachers interpret and respond to ableist humor in the film Agak Laen. Ableist humor refers to forms of comedy that use disability as an object of amusement, which may reinforce stereotypes and discriminatory treatment. In the film, the character Obet, who has communication impairments, is frequently portrayed as the target of jokes and demeaning comments. This makes it relevant to examine how educators who interact daily with persons with disabilities interpret such representations.
The study employs a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected through interviews with five teachers from SLB C Dharma Miranti, selected using purposive sampling. Each interview recording was transcribed and analyzed using Stuart Hall’s reception theory, allowing the researcher to identify teachers’ interpretative positions dominant, negotiated, and oppositional toward ableist humor in the film.
Some teachers adopted a negotiated position, perceiving the film as entertainment while still criticizing the humor for its potential to offend persons with disabilities. Meanwhile, others demonstrated an oppositional reading, viewing the humor as likely to reinforce stigma, reduce empathy, and reflect low public awareness of disability issues. Teachers also believed that the language and representations used in the film, including the term Agak Laen, could be imitated by the public and influence social interactions with people with disabilities. Authoritative figures in the film, such as police officers, were considered capable of reinforcing the legitimacy of insensitive humor. This study emphasizes that SLB teachers have a high level of sensitivity toward degrading representations and perceive ableist humor as having an influence on public attitudes. The findings are expected to provide input for the film industry and to enhance public media literacy.