Bart Stops to Smell the Roosevelts/References

Cultural references

 * The episode title is a play on the phrase, "stop and smell the roses".
 * The story loosely follows Dead Poets Society, which is about a teacher that inspires students in unconventional ways.
 * The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money) can be heard at the end of the auction.
 * Chalmers' flashback combines The Breakfast Club and Fight Club.

Trivia

 * Lisa plays a tuba instead of her saxophone during the opening sequence.
 * This is the first time that Gary Chalmers has had a major role in an episode and is promoted to "Super-duperintendent".
 * Chalmers' wife's name was Rosemary. The way he said he missed her indicates she likely has died, rather than separating from him or divorcing him.
 * The couch gag was designed by John Kricfalusi, done in the style of The Ren & Stimpy Show. His "John K" signature appears on the back of the television at the end of the gag.

Goofs

 * When Chalmers asks Bart if he has ever seen a horse that "your father wasn't betting on," Bart replied "no sir". Bart previously owned a racehorse named Duncan in "Saddlesore Galactica" and rode a horse in "Dude, Where's My Ranch?"
 * When Nelson's Mother talks with Skinner, his 'Ha Ha!' is heard off-screen, although Nelson's face is still straight when he is seen a second later.
 * As the book is opened, Teddy Roosevelt is shown next to a fold in the page with just his last name. In the close-up of the picture, the caption is changed to "T. Roosevelt" and the fold is gone.

Previous episode references

 * Teddy Roosevelt last appeared in "The Day the Violence Died".
 * This is the second time someone catches a bullet and throws it at the attacker, killing him. This first occurred in "Homer to the Max".
 * One of the T-shirts that Edna Krabappel was selling was from Waverly Hills Elementary School. This is a pun on the previous episode, "Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'oh."