T.D. Jakes has purchased the film rights to the book, "Where A Man Stands: Two Different Worlds, An Impossible Situation, and the Unexpected Friendship that Changed Everything," an inspirational story of a coach and teacher from the other side of the tracks, who shook up the status quo and changed a community.

More from the press release:

For the first time in its 80-year history, Beverly Hills High School elected its first black principal, Carter Paysinger, but the appointment didn’t come without its challenges. Coming from South Central Los Angeles, Carter Paysinger entered the rarified world of Beverly Hills when his determined mother secured a coveted multicultural permit that allowed a few minority kids from less privileged parts of LA to attend the exclusive and predominantly white Beverly Hills High School.

Carter was a fish out of water in three distinct ways:

• a black student in an almost exclusively white school
• a Christian in a predominantly Jewish community
• a boy from the wrong side of the tracks going to school in one of the world’s wealthiest zip codes

But Carter not only survived, he thrived. And during his years as a student, his roots to the school were so deeply planted that after he earned his undergraduate and master’s degree, he returned to BHHS as a coach and teacher, becoming a mentor for innumerable kids in need of a nurturing ear or a shoulder to cry on.

One of those students was Steven Fenton, who bonded with his coach in a deeply profound and meaningful way. Their unlikely friendship buoyed the spirit of both mentor and mentee. But then Steven graduated and many years passed before the two men would see each other again.

During these intervening years, Carter became its most winning and favorite coach. But Beverly Hills High School was having problems, with principals hired and fired and families fleeing the school. As fate would have it, after twenty years apart, Carter ran into Steven and together they found renewed passion and hope to fight for their community. Their first and most important step was Carter applying for the principal position. Both men thought this was a logical career move for Carter and so Steven set out to help Carter secure the position. In a surprising turn of events, they came to learn that the beloved teacher and coach didn’t fit the "profile" for the Beverly Hills image. At that point all hell broke loose.

The book, just published on November 4, was written by both Carter Paysinger and Steve Fenton.

No word on who else might be involved with Jakes in getting the project to the screen, and whether it’ll be for TV or theaters. But it sounds like just the kind of inspirational story that would draw his attention. 

If you’d like a copy of the book, click here.