¶¶["Gangsta's Paradise"]
¶¶
¶ As I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death ¶
¶ I take a look at my life and realize there's nothing left ¶
¶ 'Cause I been brassin ' and laughin 'so long ¶
¶ That even my mama thinks that my mind is gone ¶
¶ I really hate to trip but I gotta know ¶
¶ As they cope I see myself within the pistol smoke, fool ¶
¶ I'm the kind of "G" the little homies wanna be like ¶
¶ Like on my knees in the night sayin 'prayers in the streetlight ¶
¶ Been spendin ' most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ They been spendin ' most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ Keep spendin ' most our lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ They got the situation They got me thinkin '¶
¶ I can 't live with no hope I was raised by the stick ¶
¶ So I gotta be down with the 'hood beat ¶
¶ Too much television watchin ' got me chasin ' dreams ¶
¶ I'm an educated fool with money on my mind ¶
¶ Got my tin in my hand and a dream in my heart ¶
¶ I'm a coked-out trace It's such a big thing ¶
¶¶ [ Continues, Indistinct ]
[ YelIing ]
¶ What can I say, I'm 23 Never will I live to see 24 ¶
¶ The way things is goin ' I don 't know ¶
¶ Tell me why are we so blind to see ¶
¶ That the ones we hurt are you and me ¶
¶ Been spendin ' most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ They been spendin ' most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ Keep spendin ' most our lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ There 's power in the money There 's money in the power ¶
¶ Minute after minute Hour after hour ¶
¶ Everybody's runnin ' but half of them ain 't looked what's goin ' on in the kitchen ¶
¶ But I don 't know what's cookin '¶
¶ They say I got to learn but nobody's there to teach me ¶
¶ If they can 't understand it how can they reach me ¶
¶ I guess they can 't I guess they won 't ¶
¶ I guess they fuck that's why I know my life is out ofluck, fool ¶
¶ Been spendin ' most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ They been spendin ' most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ Keep spendin ' most our lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶¶
- [ School Bell Rings ] - Yeah. I 'm gonna have to check the schedule.
Thank you. Mm-hmm. Okay. Let me write that down.
[ Knocking ] Carla? My friend Louanne Johnson is here to see you.
What, is that today? Hal, it's not a good time.
- Well, she came in. - [ Sighs ] All right.
I'm gonna have to call you back. Thankyou.
Louanne, I'd like you to meet Carla Nichols, our assistant principal.
- Hello. - Carla, Louanne Johnson.
I'll wait outside.
Um, please, come and have a seat. [ Sighs ]
- Thankyou for seeing me. - Oh, well,
Mr. Griffith, Hal, has told me so much about you.
I hope not everything.
Oh. [ Chuckles ] No, only good.
And I must say it isn't often that we have an applicant...
of your maturity and, uh, varied experience.
Um, B.A. in English Lit.
Public Relations. Telemarketing. M-Marine.
- Mm-hmm. - You don't look like a Marine.
Oh, well. Long sleeves hides the tattoos.
[ Laughs ] Yeah.
Um, fully accredited except for one term...
ofsupervised student teaching.
Why did you stop so close to being certified?
Well, I met my husband and started working for his company.
W-We're divorcing.
[ Clears Throat ] Well, it would be no problem...
to get you emergency certification.
When could you start?
- Start? - Teaching.
Miss Johnson, I'll, I'll cut to the chase. [ Clears Throat ]
One of our academy teachers, Mrs. Shepherd, left.
And since then, we've had three substitute teachers.
The last one, Mrs. Gingrich, fell illjust this morning.
So we have a full-time position. We need to fill it now.
I, uh-- Full time?
I'm sorry. I thought this was an interview to, uh, student teach.
- Well-- - [ Stammering ] W-W-Wha-- What is-- What is an academy teacher?
Well, the academy is, uh--
It's sort of a school within a school. Special kids.
Passionate, energetic, challenging.
The, uh, salary is, is, $24,700 a year. Are you interested?
Yes. I-- Yes.
- I'm, I'm interested. - Oh, that's wonderful.
That's great. Great. Okay.
Oh, well, so, uh, these are foryou. Curriculum.
Schedule and whatnot.
And ifyou would just follow me.
- We have a new teacher. - Great!
- Congratulations! - Full time.
- What? - Yes. Uh, starting tomorrow,
Miss Johnson is going to be teaching one of our academy classes.
- I'm afraid Mrs. Gingrich is no longer with us. - Carla, the--
Mr. Griffith's classroom is right next to yours.
So would you meet her outside tomorrow and show her 1 07?
- Right. - Thankyou. I just know this is gonna work out.
- Thankyou so much. - Thankyou.
- Full time! - Look, Louanne. Louanne,
- did she tell you about the academy program? - Yeah, yeah.
No, she told me all about it. She said, you know, bright, special kids and--
- Well, Louanne-- - I want to teach, Hal.
- If I have any questions, I'll know who to ask, right? - Yeah.
I'll be counting on it.
¶¶[ Radio: "Havin' Thangs"]
¶Just anotheryoung nigger havin' thangs ¶
¶ Balls and chains and swingin' thangs ¶
[ Bell Rings ]
¶Just anotheryoung nigger havin ' thangs ¶¶
[ Coughing ]
It's to your right.
I guess Miss Shepherd's lesson plans will be in her desk?
[ Chuckling ] Very possibly.
[ Coughing ]
[ Indistinct Rapping ]
[ Griffith ] This isyour classroom.
[ Rapping Continues ]
Noisy bunch, aren't they?
Yes, but if you stand there long enough, they'll usually quiet down.
Don't try and shout over them.
Right. Thanks.
[ Bell Rings ]
[ Griffith ] Louanne?
I'm right next door.
- [ Rapping Continues ] - Thanks.
[ Rapping Continues ]
[ Noisy Chatting ]
White bread!
[ Rapping Continues ]
May I have your attention please?
[ Chatting Continues ]
What happened to Miss Shepherd?
- What? - What happened to Miss Shepherd?
Ooh, no! She ain't askin' about Miss Trifling-Ass Shepherd!
You plan yourself. Plan yourself.
Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo! Listen up!
Yo, listen up. White bread wanna know what happened to Miss Shepherd.
[ Class Laughing ]
-We killed the bitch! -[ Student ] Kick it, kick it, kick it!
Hey, I was beginning to like the puta!
Everybody, everybody! Emilio ate her.
[ Emilio ] Bullshit!
[ Cheering ]
- That bitch was too ugly to eat. - Yes!
Fed her to my dogs.
- [ Laughing ] - [ Class Hooting ]
But I'll eat you.
[ Class Booing, Cheering ]
What is your name?
Emilio... Ramirez.
Ooh, Emilio, you gonna get it on!
[ Jeering, Cheering ]
[ Students Chanting ] Emilio, Emilio, Emilio!
Emilio, Emilio!
Emilio, Emilio, Emilio!
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon. You know what they're like. C'mon.
Emilio, Emilio, Emilio! Emilio, Emilio, Emilio!
[ Cheering, Banging On Desks ]
[ Shouting,Jeering ]
[ Griffith Lecturing To Students ]
...that embraced--
Donna. Donna, take over the class.
[ Grumbling ]
Shut up!
- What happened to Miss Shepherd? - Well, she quit.
- Why? - She was a very high-strung individual.
What, did she have a breakdown?
No, she quit before that.
One of the substitutes, she had a breakdown. That's how they weed them out.
- Who are these kids? Rejects from hell? - No.
They're bright kids with little or no educational skills and with what we politely call...
- a lot ofsocial problems. - Damn it, Griffith, you could have warned me!
Hey, Louanne, you said you wanted to teach!
- Is that a load ofbull or what? - No!
- So teach! - I can't!
- Why? - I can't teach them!
Yes, you can. All you gotta do is get their attention.
Or quit.
¶¶ [ "Marine's Hymn "]
- [ Door Opens ] - [ Griffith ] I'm back!
[ Door Slams Shut ]
[ Sighs ]
"She decided that if Brian broke a rule, she would utilize these consequences.
The first time he broke a rule, his name would be put on the board."
[ Laughing ]
[ Clears Throat ]
¶ This is the life ¶
¶ This is the life ¶¶
Okay, you little bastards!
¶ C'mon, putyour back into it
C'mon, putyour back into it ¶
¶ C'mon, put your back into it C'mon, put your back into it ¶
¶ C'mon, put your back into the beat or see the ghost in which you seek ¶
¶ Don 't let nobody steal your role, or you'll be singin ' that same ol'song ¶
- ¶ Now someone's always holdin ' me down ¶¶ - [ Student ] There she is.
Gi rl, you didn't get enough yesterday? [ Laughing ]
[ Laughing, Noisy Chatting ]
How you doin'? Yeah.
[ Student ] Hey, everybody, look! A cowboy!
[ Student ] "I am a--"
Shut up! Y'all sound like those fifth graders!
[ Student ] "Does anyone...
know--"
- What's " ka-rate"? - Karate, you stupid asshole!
[ Jeering ]
You're a Marine?
- A for-real Marine? - Discharged, but yes.
I'll try some karate with you, Miss Johnson.
[ Student ] Oooh.
I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to touch a student.
But if you really thinkyou know what you're doing, come on up here.
[ Student ] It sounds like a challenge to me, esse. You better get up there.
I know what I'm doin'. There's no sense doin' it, though, if you can't touch me.
- [ Class Groaning ] - Okay. Anybody else know any karate?
What about you?
Durrell Chang Chang. Yeah, I know some motherfuckin' karate.
Whoo!
- [ Cheering ] - Durrell, shit!
What about you?
- You know any karate? - Raul. Yeah, I know enough.
Okay, Raul. Come on up here.
- [ Cheering ] - Come on, Nacho.
All right, come on. Let's go, esse.
Let's go!
Yaaah!
Oooh! Aaah!
Shit! Aah-aah!
You guys-- Wait, wait, wait!
- You guys don't know shit! - [ Jeering ]
[ Louanne ] You don't even know any throws.
Now, I heard that a Marine can kill a man with his, uh,
bare hands. That true?
Absolutely.
- [ Together ] Whoa! - Oh, shit!
Okay, here's how it starts.
Um... okay. Where's-- Can you two move that desk down there a little bit?
Um... okay, everything is slow motion at first.
Uh, Durrell.
- Yeah. - Okay, you move into Raul...
- like you're gonna hit him. - Yeah, I can do that.
Okay.
Now, Raul, you're gonna step into Durrell.
And you're gonna grab his wrist. Okay.
You're gonna turn your body away from him...
so that your butt is in his stomach, okay?
What the fuck? Get the fuck off me, man!
- You fuckin' girl. - Man, you wish. You wish, man.
Fuckyou! Getyour hands offme!
-You wish, man! -No, it's a hip throw. It's a hip throw.
- Okay, take your fighting stance again. Okay? - Nacho.
Okay, grab his wrist. Okay.
[ Louanne ] Now this time, asyou move in,
you're gonna take this hand and grab onto this shoulder.
Okay? Ready?
- Shit! - Thank you! Hey! Hey!
- Come back here! - I 'll kick your motherfuckin' ass!
[ Chuckling ]
[ Arguing ]
[ Louanne ] Well, that was "A " work.
You'd make good Marines. In fact,
from this moment, each one of you is like an inductee...
- Who's a duck? - with a clean record.
- Quack! - So...
if you wanna pass,
- Quack, quack. - all you have to do is try.
Because at this point, everyone has an "A."
[ Class Mumbling ]
But it's up to you to keep it.
- Bullshit! - Why don't you shut up, man?
What if it ain't bullshit? I ain't never had no fuckin' "A" before.
¶¶[ Rap ]
¶ I once knew a man who couldn't read He said it ain't no bang¶
¶ 'Cause I graduated twice with the game I possess ¶
¶ Bulletproof vest to the chest but when his kids need help ¶
¶ To prepare for a test in distress he's not gonna achieve in academics ¶
¶ It's true indeed This problem is an epidemic ¶
¶ Who wanna work five long hard days through and pay tax ¶
¶ I guess so that's the max foryour mind ¶
¶ Close the door about 5,000 times so here's a piece foryour mind ¶
¶ 5,000 times 5,000 So here's some matches foryour mind ¶
¶ 5,000 times ¶¶
[ Class ] Oooh! Aaah!
Morning!
Okay, today...
- we're going to conjugate some verbs. - Hey, what about karate?
I can't just teach you karate. I 'll show you another hold next week.
[ Grumbling ]
- ¶¶ [ Student Strumming Guitar] - Belt it out!
[ Class Chatting ]
We eat green beans for dinner. What you do with 'em?
[ Chatting Continues ]
- Okay. - Hey, Pam!
Pam!
Is that true?
If we wanna die? Shit, no. We want you...
- to die. - Is that true?
Well, ifit was between you and us, hell, yeah.
- Okay. - Hey, hey, I don't care if I live or die!
- What about that? - What's all this bullshit with dying? You want us dead?
No, darling. But I do want you to keep your "A."
So, no, I'm gonna make it real easy on you, okay?
All you have to do is tell me the verb... that makes this sentence true.
We choose to do some karate.
Okay, give me a verb instead of "choose."
- [ Girl] We going to die? - [ Girl ] We must die, okay?
Okay, "We must die." Is "must" a verb?
Can you, uh-- Can you "must" something?
Yeah. I must piss right now. You better believe it.
[ Laughing ]
[ Door Closes ]
Okay, what verb that we used today is the most powerful?
- Die! - Piss!
Oh, you're so stupid!
Choose.
What's your name?
- Callie. - Callie. Why?
Because that's the difference between owning your life and being afraid.
Saying, "I choose no matter what."
You mean, like a guy's got a gun to your head and he's pulling the trigger,
andyou say, "I choose to die"?
[ Callie] No, you ain't choosin' to die, butyou can choose to die without screamin ', right?
- I mean, you could always choose somethin'. - Not where I live.
- Shit! - Did you read that somewhere in this class?
[ Class Laughing ]
- No. In our class, we're reading this book called - My Darling, My Hamburger.
My what?
My Darling, My Hamburger.
- [ Students Laughing ] - [ Callie ] Possessive pronoun.
Possessive pronoun.
- Excuse me. Excuse me, Miss J ohnson. - Oh, yes.
Would you stop by the principal's office before your next class, please?
Mr. Grandey would like to speak to you.
[ Class ] Whoa! The principal! The principal!
Ooh, white bread in trouble!
[ Mr. Grandey ] Yes. I'll talk to you later.
Bye, bye.
Miss Johnson, this is an office. We knock...
- before we enter. - Oh, I'm sorry.
Please.
Now,
Miss Johnson, I'm taking into consideration the fact that you're new...
and therefore don't know that teaching karate...
is against school policy, and can lead to a law suit in case ofan injury.
But you can avoid this kind of error...
if you simply follow the curriculum dictated...
by the Board of Education.
Well, um, sir, that's almost impossible.
Most of my students don't even know what a verb is.
If you're going to teach them,
I'm sure there's a better sentence than "We choose to die."
[ Chuckles ] I'm sure there are,
but I needed a sentence that would get their attention.
And, well, it had to be better than this.
[ Louanne Laughs ]
Miss Johnson, that is the approved curriculum for second period,
your class.
Now, I know the newer the teacher...
the smartershe is, but I'm afraid...
you'rejust going to have to go along with our policies...
even if you don't agree with them.
- All right? - Mm-hmm.
[ Sighs ] What a fuckin' idiot!
- Griffith? - Don't let them get to you!
I'm not. In fact, I'm about to challenge the entire curriculum...
- if I could find the paper in the Xerox room. - You can't. There isn't any.
- What do you mean? - I mean, there isn't any!
We're out of Xerox paper and art paper, and we're short on pencils.
But we do have plenty of students. I guess that balances things out.
Thanks.
[ Coughing ]
Another fuckin' idiot.
¶ Know I can't run I can't hide from all this pressure ¶
¶ Ifl sell out that means I'm coppin' to a lesser charge ¶
¶ And whenever there's a will Baby, there's a way ¶
¶ Each one teach one All they say the murder rate is risin ', societies can ¶
¶ You can pack us like a puzzle We won 't tell 'em when you're goin '¶
- ¶ Means problems, problems-- ¶¶ - So, what's on today's lesson plan?
A I ittle kick boxi ng, some target practice, huh?
No. My own little secret weapon.
[ Laughing ]
[ Louanne ] Okay.
So, "never" is--
- It's a verb! - Adverb! Adverb!
Adverb. Fantastic! Whew!
You guys'll be reading poetry soon. You guys are sharp.
Okay.
- Homeboy! - King of the Calle!
Sit down, sit down, sit down.
Honorable sensei.
It's obvious that homeboy is a noun.
- [ Class Laughs ] - Noun is correct.
Well, gimme my damn candy bar.
- Thank you. - Boy, poetry will be a piece of cake for this crowd.
How come you keep sayin' poetry? What's poetry got to do with this shit?
Poetry?
Well, because if you can read poetry, you can read just about anything.
When you're ready for poetry, you're ready for bear.
- I say, bring on the bear! - I'm always ready for bears!
- I'm always ready to see you bare. - Shut up, stupid.
Oh, yeah? Oh! Oh! Well, okay, here's the bear.
- [ Groaning, Complaining ] - What the fuck is that?
I just happen to have copies of a poem...
written by...
- the greatest poet. - My Darling, My Hamburger.
[ Louanne ] Okay, now.
Okay, here's the deal.
When we finish this assignment,
I'm gonna take all of you...
to a place that has the highest...
parachutejumps,
the biggest roller coaster, the best rides,
the most delicious hot dogs, the hardest games,
and the best prizes... in the world.
- You're kidding. - For real?
- And we don't gotta pay for it? - Huh?
- And we don't gotta pay for it? - Not a penny.
- So then, who pays? - The Board of Education.
- Lord, did you hear that? - I don't believe it.
- [ Class Chatting ] - Sound good?
Hey!
- That's bullshit, man! - I'm sorry?
Since when has the Board of Education done anything for us?
- Huh? - [ Girl] Yeah, man. We fucking barely get lunch.
I'm sorry you feel that way, Emilio.
Good. Uh, Durrell, you wanna read the first four lines?
Ah, man! You trippin', man.
I ain't readin'. You trippin'!
Okay, how 'bout the-- How 'bout the first line?
- [ Bell Rings ] - [ Students Groaning ]
Miss Johnson, you better be for real.
- Miss Johnson? - Yes, Callie?
If you want to get the class to listen, get Emilio.
¶¶ [ "It's Alright"]
¶¶
I'll get you, you little fucker.
- Poetry? - Poetry, yeah.
- These kids? - Why not these kids?
- Hey, go for it. - But I gotta find a gimmick first, you know?
Something that'll grab their attention. Who's your favorite poet, Griffith?
My favorite? There're so many, how do I choose?
- I'm serious. - Mmm. Serious. Okay. Big " D"... Dylan.
- Get out! - Why not?
Well, I don't-- He's not for everybody.
I mean, he's a little long-winded, don't you think?
I suppose that's 'cause he wrote drunk.
He had a drinking problem?
The guy's Welsh, you know. There ain't a lot to do there.
I thought he was from Minnesota.
If the guy's your favorite poet, you might want to read up on him a little bit.
He was Welsh, and he drank himself to death.
Dead? He's not dead. I saw him yesterday on MTV.
- You saw Dylan Thomas on MTV? - [ Laughing ]
No. Bob Dylan! [ Laughing ]
- Bob Dylan! Oh! - He looked dead. He looked dead.
¶ Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man ¶
¶ Play a song for me ¶
"Hey, Mr. Tambor-ine man."
- "Tambor-een." - "Tambourine Man.
Play a song for me.
I am not sleepy, and there is no place I'm going to."
- [ Student ] He can read. - Thankyou.
Taiwana?
The next three lines, Taiwana.
" Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me.
In the jingle-jangle morning, I'll come following you."
Good. Yes?
- What does that mean? - What do you think it means?
What, some guy's got a tambourine?
And this other guy wants him to play it...
- 'cause he can't sleep. - [ Louanne ] Okay.
But how come he want him to play the tambourine?
- Don't he got a radio or somethin'? - Well, you kn--
That's a good point. I mean, it's, it's a weird choice.
So what if I told you that Mr. Tambourine Man...
- is a code name? -A code name for what?
-James Bond. - A drug dealer.
- Is it? - Well, a lot ofpeople think so.
You know, this song is from the '60s when you couldn't sing about drugs,
so they had to make up codes.
What was the code? What does " Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me" mean?
- Well, you figure-- - "Play a song for me" means gimme the stuff.
Yeah, it's like nigger been drinkin' all night and smokin' some shit,
and everybody broke out on his ass.
And he's still high, but he's kinda low and shaky. You know, jingle-jangle?
Yeah, he needs something like a big hit of crack or cocaine.
What do you think, Emilio? Do you think that Raul is right?
It's too personal to discuss.
You mean, you choose not to participate in the discussion?
Not about somethin' so personal.
You wanna draw for it?
What?
High card, you don't have to discuss anything.
Why do I gotta draw for it? That's the way it is now.
[ Class Laughs ]
[ Bell Rings ]
[ Laughing ]
Listen to this.
Name one of the most influential Presidents of the twentieth century.
- Roosevelt. - Simple, right?
Wrong. A history teacher's nightmare.
How 'bout Snoop Doggy Dogg for an answer?
Joe Montana. Winston Churchill.
[ Chuckling ] But this... this is the best.
"I will not answer this question on the grounds that it is culturally biased...
against individuals such as myself." [ Chuckling ]
Actually, for this answer I'm gonna give him partial credit.
Louanne, you lose your sense of humor, it's over.
Oh, here. New pictures of the rug rats.
- Oh, G-- People are supposed to ask first, Griffith. - Shut up.
Ah, they look like Maggie. Thank God.
I don't know. Harry with his thumb in his mouth, he kinda looks like me.
Is that his thumb? I thought that was a cigarette.
- How is Maggie? - Good. She wants you to come over for dinner.
Oh, we had some fun times, you and Maggie, me and-- What's his name?
I remember.
Yep.
I remember too. That's why it's hard for me to come to dinner.
- Seeing anybody? - No.
[ Sighs ] How do you do that? You walk around with a bag overyour head?
- No. - Louanne, it's over six months.
I'm not ready, Hal.
You know, I thought you guys always stuck together.
-What are you sittin' here with me for? -He was my best friend, Louanne.
"Was" is the operative word. He isn't worth your spit.
What was that for?
Just tell Maggie she's a lucky lady, Griffith.
[ Chuckles ] When they made me, they broke the mold... both of 'em.
Morning, ladies.
[ Griffith ] We gotta stop meeting like this!
- [ Coughing ] - You sound awful!
I refuse to take medical advice from somebody who eats Chee-tos...
at 8:00 in the morning.
Well, you shouldn't smoke.
Listen to that cough.
You know--
I'll see you inside.
- You're gonna finish the cigarette, aren't you? - No, I'm not, really.
Honest. I swear.
Yeah!
[ Raul] I gaveyouyourmoney, man! Three hundred and fifty bucks!
- What are you talkin' about? You calling me a liar? - You think I'm fuckin' stupid?
Yo, man, no! Don't tell lie, motherfucker.
[Arguing Continues ]
- Fight! Fight! - Please go back. Go back inside. Okay, okay.
Back off! Hey! Hey! Hey!
[ Louanne ] Hey! If one ofyou makes a move,
- I will call security! - Ah, bullshit!
Okay, get to your classes. Okay. It's all over. Move!
[ Groaning ]
You are stronger than these two put together,
- and you know it! - Bullshit, man! He wishes.
You could all be expelled if I report this to the office, and you know that.
Okay. If you give me your word that it ends here, I'll forget it.
- Is it over? - Yeah.
How 'bout you?
- Yes, man. - Absolutely.
Okay. I trust you. Now get to your classes.
- See you later, puto. - [ Spanish ]
Catch you later, esse.
If you hit those kids, you'll pay for it.
I swear.
[ Bell Rings ]
Get to your class and behave yourself.
You shouldn't have done that.
- Why not? - 'Cause you just shouldn't mess with Emilio.
Raul knows that if you make a deal with Emilio...
and you fuck up on him, you get your locker smashed in with your head.
Everybody knows that.
Well, maybe now they've all had time to think about it...
- before they get to the locker-smashing stage. - They're gonna fight...
no matter what they tellyou.
What do you mean?
When?
Now?
Where? Angela, where?
- Break it up! Break it up! - Motherfucker!
- Come on, motherfucker! - Break it up! Now!
Get back! Get back!
Watch your head.
No. Wait a minute. Wait. No, no! Gimme--
Just gimme a minute.
You promised.
But we had to or we couldn't walk around with our heads up no more.
We got a reputation to protect. You were a Marine. You understand.
Like, if America didn't stand up, everyone would attack it.
In our neighborhood, ifyou don't stand up, you can't walk down the street...
'cause everyone will attackyou, you know?
Rata! You fuckin' puto!
- Man, I cracked that motherfucker's head, esse. - See you in the neighborhood.
I see.
And I made it worse. And I made you and Gusmaro look bad in front of everyone...
by saying that Emilio was stronger than the both ofyou.
Yeah, well, you thought you was helpin'.
Ma'am, I'm sorry. We really have to go. I gotta get 'em home.
Nasty cut.
You mind telling me what the fight was about in the first place?
Yeah.
I really would like to know what happened.
I'm not gonna make any trouble foryou.
I just wanna know. Was it worth it?
- Yeah, it was worth it. - Why?
Because it felt good hittin' him in the face. I got him good, man.
Oh, yeah? You like to hit people?
Yeah, I like to hit people.
Why?
You feel angry a lot of the time?
So nowyou're gonna try and "psychologize" me?
You're gonna try and figure me out? I'll help you.
I come from a broken home, and we're poor, okay?
I see the same fuckin' movies you do, man.
I would like to help you, Emilio.
Thankyou very much.
And how would you like to do that? You gonna give me some good advice?
Just say no? You gonna get me offthe streets?
Well, forget it!
How the fuck you gonna save me from my life, huh?
Karen?
I have three, uh, student files here...
and I can't find a phone number in any of 'em.
Well, sometimes they don't give a number.
And sometimes they don't have a phone.
¶¶ [ "It's Alright"]
¶¶
Hola.? Donde estan los Sancheros?
- Mas alla, senora. - Gracias.
- Esta muy bonita. - Gracias.
[ Chuckling ]
Come here. Come.
Pronto. Pronto.
Y silencio, por favor. No habla--
[ Police Sirens Wailing ]
You have a lovely family, Mrs. Sanchero.
Thank you.
We know why you're here, Miss Johnson.
I warned Raul to stay out of trouble.
- He's first in our family to maybe graduate high school. - [ Mr. Sanchero ] So...
he gonna get punished big for what he done.
- [ Clears Throat ] - Don't you worry about that.
But he didn't do anything wrong.
- Why he expelled for three days? - I know. I know.
But he didn't start the fight. He was defending himself from a bigger boy.
He was protecting himself.
Why they send him home?
It's just school policy. It gives the other boy time to cool down.
Actually,
I'm here because I just wanted to tell you both personally...
what a pleasure it's been having Raul in my class this semester.
You must be very proud.
Yes.
He's, um-- Well, he's very bright.
Funny. Articulate.
The truth is, he's one of my favorites.
! Que raro!
- [ Sirens Wailing ] - ¶¶ [ Rap Playing ]
[ Dog Barks ]
[ Helicopter Whirring ]
- [ Knocking ] - [ Man ]! Hola!
Uh, sorry. Louanne J ohnson.
- Eh? -! Hola!
La maestra de Emilio.
[ Louanne ] "I will not go down underground.
Somebody tells me that death's comin' 'round."
Okay, this is another Dylan poem.
Now... is that a code or does that just mean what it says?
"And I will not carry myself down to die.
When I go to my grave, my head will be high."
"My head will be high." What does that mean?
Anybody.
Nobody.
Is there something I should know?
Yeah, I'll tellyou.
-You ratted on Raul, Gusmaro and Emilio. -Yeah.
You got Emilio put into detention.
It wasn't none of your business, Chismosa.
And you got Raul and Gusmaro suspended.
- Now they're gonna get their fuckin' asses-- - I didn't rat on anybody.
- Chismosa! - I toldyou she was full ofshit.
- Snitches get stitches. - Do you want to talk about this?
Well, if you all feel that strongly about it, leave the room.
- What? - Hey, listen!
Nobody's forcing you to be here. You have a choice.
You can stay... or you can leave.
Lady, why are you playing this game? We don't have a choice.
You don't have a choice? You don't have a choice on whether or not you're here?
No! If we leave, we don't get to graduate. If we stay, we gotta put up with you.
That's a choice, isn't it? You have a choice.
You either don't graduate or you have to put up with me.
It may not be a choice you like, but it is a choice.
You don't understand nothin'! You don't come from where we live.
- You're not bussed here. - [ Louanne ] Do you have a choice to get on that bus?
You come live in my neighborhood for one week, then you tell me if you got a choice.
There are a lot of people who live in your neighborhood...
who choose not to get on that bus.
What do they choose to do? They choose to go out and sell drugs.
They choose to go out and kill people.
They choose to do a lot of other things, but they choose not to get on that bus.
The people who choose to get on that bus, which are you, are the people who are saying,
"I will not carry myself down to die.
When I go to my grave, my head will be high."
That is a choice!
There are no victims in this classroom!
Why do you care anyway? You're just here for the money.
- Because I make a choice to care. And honey, the money ain't that good. - Whatever!
-[ Emilio ] Read it again, MissJohnson. -What?
Read those lines you just read again.
"I will not go down underground...
'cause somebody tells me that death's comin' 'round. "
Does that mean Just what it says?
No, it don't mean... Just what it says.
'Cause... you wouldn't go under the ground...
ifsomeone toldyou death was comin'.
But you would go into the ground if you were already dead.
Do the rest of you agree with that?
Well, I kinda agree with it, but...
I think it just means that he ain't gonna help death out, you know.
It's not like he's just gonna lay down and wait for it.
I think he's gonna choose-- No, I think he's gonna make the choice...
to die hard.
Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, I agree with that. - Me too.
That's what it sounds like to me.
Okay, what about the rest of it?
Um... "When I go to my grave, my head will be high."
"Head will be high." What does that mean?
Gonna die with pride.
- [ Bell Rings ] - [ Louanne ] See everybody tomorrow.
You went to Raul's house last night...
- and Gusmaro's too, right? - Mm-hmm.
Yeah, that's what they told me.
That's cool.
[ Screams ]
- Ohh! - [ Laughing ]
Yo, take me home. What you waitin' for, man?
Are you tryin' to steal my 250, esse?
Ah, go, go, go. Go faster, man, go faster!
[ Screaming ]
Faster, man! Faster!
Come on, get back!
Are you all right, man? It looked like a real bitch right there.
Get the fuck outta there, man! Look at you! You look like my grandma, man!
Miss Johnson, the School Board would have every right to insist on your dismissal.
- You informed no one. You got no permission slips. - There was no one to inform.
All the kids just decided to go to the amusement park at the last minute.
- And then they let me come along. - Did they pay for you?
No, I paid for them.
I was just so moved by the invitation.
This wasn't by any chance...
their reward for reading poetry, was it, Miss Johnson?
In my class, Mr. Grandey, poetry is its own reward.
Hmm.
[ Louanne ] Angela, wouldyou read the first line?
"Appetizers. Freshly cut bay shrimp grilled to perfection."
- This is a Xerox of a menu. - That is correct.
It's from the Flowering Peach, the best restaurant in town.
- Ever hear of it? - Yeah, we heard of it.
It's 'sposed to be like some special restaurant or somethin'.
Mm-hmm. So, does it sound good?
Because whoever wins...
the Dylan-Dylan Contest, goes there for dinner with me.
What's the Dylan-Dylan Contest about?
Well,
there's Bob Dylan,
who we've been reading.
And then there's Dylan...
Thomas, who also wrote poems.
If you can find the poem written by Dylan Thomas...
that is like a poem written by Bob Dylan,
you win the Dylan-Dylan Contest.
¶ Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man Play a song for me ¶
¶ I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm goin ' to ¶
¶ Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man play a song for me ¶
¶ In a jingle-jangle morning I'll come followin 'you ¶
Yo,
every fucki ng poem Dylan Thomas wrote is about death, man.
Now, how are we supposed to know which one to write?
"The sniper laid him low, and strewed his brains.
One would not think the greenness of this valley...
could let a day be sick with so much blood."
Man, that's some Rambo-Schwarzenegger bullshit you found.
That's how it's 'sposed to be, right? There's 'sposed to be killing shit.
But it... but it don't even mean the same as how we're not goin' to the ground.
Nowyou're some sort of a poetic critic, right?
- Now look, don't. - Thankyou.
Okay. Listen to this.
"Do not go gentle into that good night.
Old age should burn and rave at close of day.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Where's the code? Where's the death?
Night! All that stuff about night. That's death.
So it's " Don't go gentle into that good death."
Yeah, but... I think "good" is sarcastic.
When he say, "Do not go gentle," it's like sayin' " Don't go easy."
So it's the same as, "I will not go down"!
-We just won us a motherfuckin' chicken. -Shh.
¶ This is the life ¶
¶ Everyone has to go somewhere ¶
¶ Ohhh, I am here ¶
¶ This is the life ¶
The results of the Dylan-Dylan Contest are in.
- The winners are-- - That's me!
- Sit down! - Shh, shh.
Sorry, Miss Johnson.
Shh!
Raul, Durrell and Callie.
Congratulations!
- Thanks. - Here's your certificate.
Congratulations.
Congratulations, Callie.
Okay! But there are no losers in this class. You guys did great.
You all get to pick a prize from the box.
How come they get a prize when they got the wrong answer?
Because sometimes it takes a lot of wrong answers to get to the right one.
Hey, everyone can't be right... except for us.
Come on up!
- Miss Johnson. - Hey, Callie.
- Um, I wanted to talk to you about the restaurant. - Uh-huh.
- I can't go. - Why?
Because I have to work at the supermarket every night until June.
- Oh, isn't there any way to get out of it? - No.
Because of the schedule and everything, I have to do it, but thankyou anyway.
Well, okay, well... shoot!
Well, no, it's okay. If you can't come to dinner, then we'll bring dinner to you.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
I'm taking orders, Miss Roberts.
I couldn't find a parking space.
- It's okay. I just got here myself. - You look very handsome!
-How 'bout this jacket? - Fantastic!
- Go ahead, touch it. It's real leather. - Whoo!
- Hey, where's Callie? - Oh, she had to work.
- Where's Durrell? - He had to work too.
Oh. Well... I guess it's just you and me, handsome.
I guess so.
- Ladies first. - Thankyou.
- Hey, are you sure they got chicken? - Mm-hmm.
Can I tell you a little about this evening's specials?
The chef is featuring foie gras...
with smoked duck and figs on a hill ofbulgar.
Salmon tartar in potato gaufrette,
or wild mushrooms and fennel salad.
For the entree we're featuring a complex shellfish pan roast...
with also a touch of comfit....
and a broth thickened with lobster shell oil.
All very, very good.
Could we have a few minutes, please?
- Ah, yes. - Thankyou.
- Are you sure they got chicken? - Yes.
It's right there, sweetie. Pousse poulet.
And when the waiter comes back, you may as well talk to him.
It'll be good practice for your summer job interviews.
I can't talk to that guy. He probably thinks I'm weird or something.
He does not! He can't help but notice your natural charm.
You just look him straight in the eye, and you talk to him like you would anyone else.
Now, go ahead and call him over.
Go ahead! Just... give him a little nod.
Are we ready?
Okay, I'll have the chicken, a whole one.
And I'll have the same.
And one to go, please.
One to go. Thank you.
Hey, Miss "J,"
I was wondering maybe like in the next couple of days, if I--
Is everything all right?
- Everything's fine. Thankyou. - All right.
Don't be mad or nothing, but I gotta be absent for a couple of days...
without your coming to my house.
- It's important. - You'll have to tell me why.
I got some shit to do!
I got to make some money to pay back this guy.
This doesn't sound important enough to cut school.
It is! I gotta pay for this jacket.
See, I got it off the street from this guy for $200,
and he said he'd trust me for it until Friday.
Why did you buy it on the street instead of in a store?
Are you crazy? You know how much this would cost in a store?
I needed a nice jacket and fast, and I got it from this guy...
'cause he cut me a deal, 'cause he stole it... probably.
So, are you gonna go out and get a job, or are you gonna go out and steal too...
- to pay him back? - Miss "J," I gotta pay him back.
He'll kill me.
I didn't have nothing to wear!
Fine. I'll lend it to you.
I can't take your money. Teachers are poor. Everyone knows that.
Well, you don't really have a choice, do you?
Ifyou don't pay the guy back, he'll kill you.
Ifyou cut school, I'll tell your father... and he'll kill you.
- So, I'myour only way out. - Ah, man!
But I do have one condition.
Big?
- Huge. - What do you want, interest?
- Uh-uh. Bigger. - Jesus Christ, what is it?
Well--
- Would you like dessert? - No!
- Another glass of wine? - No, I'm fine. Thankyou.
- Coffee perhaps? - Hey, man, we're talking!
So, what's the condition?
You'd have to pay me back on the dayyou graduate.
But what if I don't graduate?
Well, then you'll never pay me back the money.
But I know that ifyou sayyou will,
you'll kill yourself keeping your word.
Well, what do you say?
I don't get it! Why do you care so much if I graduate?
Weird, isn't it?
All right, I'll payyou back.
- You have my word. - Hey!
It is a very nice jacket.
Thankyou.
- Hey! - Oh, hi!
- Howyou doin'? - Well, good.
I think this is the first time I ever brought food into a supermarket.
I can smell it from here. Good, thankyou.
Raul says ifyou don't like it, he'll take it offyour hands.
Oh, please. Like hell he will.
[ Man Over P.A. System ] Callie, could you help load in aisle three, please?
Oh. Be right there.
I'm telling you, this place would fall to pieces if it wasn't for me.
You know, Callie,
Just between you and me,
with your scores, I thinkyou should consider going into advanced English.
Ah, but I'm gonna be at Clearview. You didn't know?
- No! - You didn't see my record?
No, I did-- I didn't know.
In the middle of a semester? Are you moving?
No. I'm pregnant.
Andsince I'm startin' to show, they thought it was time, you know?
Who thought it was time?
The school. They don't let you stay there if you're pregnant.
But they told me they have this really good program at Clearview...
for like teenage mothers, and they teach you stuff...
Iike parenting, nutrition, all kinds of stuff.
I thought it would be good for me, you know?
- Yeah. - [ P.A. System ] Aisle three.
"Degrade first the arts ifyou'd mankind degrade. "
Hey, ask the spray can to put one on.
[ Students Laugh ]
- Hey, what's the code word? - The code word is great rise in great prizes.
[ Rapping ] ¶ I'm keeping it undercover Comin' soon I surmises ¶
[ Students ] Ahh!
Does anybody know where Durrell and Lionel are today?
- Durrell and Lionel. - They around.
What's the prize we're gonna get for learning this poem?
Learning... is the prize.
- Whoopee! - Yeah.
Knowing how to read something and understand it is the prize. Okay?
Knowing how to think... is the prize.
I know how to think right now.
You know how to run too, but not the way you could run if you trained.
The mind is like a muscle. Okay?
And ifyou want it to be really powerful, you gotta work it out. Okay?
Each new fact... gives you another choice.
Each new idea builds another muscle. Okay?
And it's those muscles that are gonna make you really strong!
Those are your weapons.
And in this unsafe world, I want to arm you!
And that's what these poems are 'sposed to do?
Yeah!
Hey, try it. You're just sittin' here anyway.
Look, okay. If at the end of the term...
you're not faster, stronger and smarter, you will have lost nothing.
But if you are,
you'll be that much tougher...
to knock down.
So what's "hire idiots to paint with cold light and hot shade"?
[ Callie ] They're being sarcastic, Raul.
I mean, 'cause you know that light is supposed to be warm, right?
- And shade is supposed to be what? - Cold?
Exactly. But you go and hire an idiot to do the job, he's gonna do it backwards.
Hmm.
[ Sighs ] Don't make a big fuss about this, Louanne.
You have to help me. You have no idea how bright this girl is.
Yes, I do! And there's nothing I can do about it.
Oh! This makes me crazy! What right do...
these miserable self-righteous sons of bitches from the Board of Education have...
to make a moraljudgment on Callie Roberts?
Louanne, there are parents in the next room.
I don't-- I am gonna fight this ruling!
I am gonna write an open letter to every newspaper condemning the entire School Board.
- You can't do that. - Why not?
First of all, the Board has nothing to do with it.
We prefer these girls go to the Mother-To-Be-Program at Clearview.
Oh, wait a minute.
You mean, this isn't a rule?
You mean, this isyourpreference?
Well, ah... yes.
You mean, Callie Roberts is free to go to any school she wants...
including this one?
Unless she's absent for more than 30 days.
And then she has to wait until the baby's born before she can come back here.
But, Louanne, once these girls have babies,
very few ofthem come back to school anyway.
I see.
So you make them think... they have to leave.
You just push 'em out a little earlier, make it a little harder,
make it a little more hopeless.
I do what I have to do...
because it is dangerous to have a pregnant girl in a classroom.
It's not a warning, Louanne. It's prestige, it's stardom, it's attention.
You know, not all these girls become pregnant by accident.
Pregnancy is contagious.
¶¶ [ "It's Alright"]
¶ It's alright ¶
¶ Yeah-yeah-yeah ¶
¶¶
[ Knocki ng ]
[ Woman ] Who is it?
I t's Louanne J ohnson, Callie's second period teacher.
Hi.
Um... Callie's gettin' ready to go to work.
- Come on in. - Thank you.
¶ Curiosity killed the cat ¶
- Hi. - Hi, there.
- What you doing? - Watching TV.
What's your name?
Tyeisha.
-Oh, that's a pretty name. -[ Mrs. Roberts ] Shejust loves her TV.
Why ain't you in bed? Come here, baby.
Callie, honey?
Your teacher's here.
[ Sirens Wailing ]
Hi.
Hi! I'm sorry to just bust in on you like this,
but I have the most wonderful news, and I wanted to come tellyou personally.
You do not have to go to Clearview.
There is nothing in the rules that says you can 't stay exactly where you are.
But, uh, she already enrolled in Clearview.
That's all right. But she doesn't have to go there.
Yeah, but Kimberly wants me to take the Mother-To-Be-Program at Clearview.
He thought it would be a good idea if I learned how to take care of the baby.
I don't understand.
Do you not want to stay at Parkmont?
Well, yeah, but... I gotta learn how to take care of us.
We're gettin' our own place and everything, so--
Callie, just don't throw away all you can become.
[ Chuckles ]
Can't believe he was so right. He was so right!
He told me that you'd probably try to talk me out of this.
You want to know what else he said?
He said that you probably don't even like men.
That you're probably not married, and you don't want anybody else to be.
That's why you're always in everybody else's life.
Look, I'm not saying that I agree with him, okay?
Well, Kimberly's wrong.
I was married.
And I was pregnant.
So what happened?
We got divorced... and I had an abortion.
He beat me.
Well, sometimes you start out wrong...
and just keep going.
[ Bell Rings ]
Hey, don't touch me. Get outta here!
You took something that fuckin' belonged to me, esse.
Man, she came to me with open arms.
Besides, you gotta have one of these.
You're dead.
¶¶ [ "Gangsta's Paradise"]
¶¶
¶ As I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death ¶
¶ I take a look at my life and realize there's nothing left ¶
¶ 'Cause I've been brassin ' and laughin 'so long ¶
¶ That even my mama thinks that my mind is gone ¶
¶ I really hate to trip but I gotta know ¶
¶ As they cope I see myself within the pistol smoke, fool ¶
¶ I'm the kind of "G" the little homies wanna be like ¶
¶ On my knees in the night sayin 'prayers in the streetlight ¶
¶ Been spending most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
- Hey, M iss J ohnson. - Hey!
Haven't seen you guys i n a week.
I thought maybe you got lost on your way to class.
I wanted to help you find your way back.
Get on inside.
Clean up that pigsty of a room.
- Hi. I'm Louanne Johnson. I'm the boys' teacher. - I know who you are.
- You're that white bread bitch messin' with my babies' minds. - I beg your pardon?
My boys don't go to your school no more, and that's gonna be it.
You took 'em out of school?
You're damn right I did. I saw what they were bringin' home.
Poetry and shit. A waste of time!
They got more important things to worry about.
Don't you think that finishing high school will be valuable to their future?
That's not in their future. I ain't raising no doctors and lawyers here.
They got bills to pay. Why don't you just get on outta here?
Go find yourself some other poor boys to save.
[ Raul] "It is easier to forgive an enemy...
than to forgive a friend.
The man who permits you to injure him...
deserves your vengeance.
He also will receive it. "
Wow. Who wrote that? Some Mafia guy?
Let's go on with this poem tomorrow.
- Take out your work sheets and do the vocabulary. - Say what?
Man, I don't wanna do no vocabulary.
- I don't wanna do no damn vocabulary. - Then don't.
What do you mean? You mean I have a choice?
You're not gonna let me get away with not learnin' my vocabulary. Right?
That's right. You have to do... your vocabulary.
Words are thoughts. And we can't think without 'em.
So... please?
Let's just do it, man. She's gonna be down our back in a minute.
[ Student ] Thanks, Louanne.
[ Student ] Thankyou, Louanne. Such a nice lady, Louanne.
[ Emilio ] What do I do?
Who? My teacher?
Think I'm gonna fuckin' talk to a teacher? Like they're gonna really help me.
Teachers aren't gonna fuckin'help me, okay.
Miss Johnson! Miss Johnson, we gotta talk to you.
- There's nothing to talk about, Angela. - What are you, Superman?
Is your ass bulletproof? Is that what you think? Tell her.
- Tell her whatyou're gonna do. - What is it?
- He's strapped. - Shut the fuck up. She don't need to know my business
Is your business dying? No!
There's this crackhead named Shorty. He just came out of jail.
He says that I'm his girl and that Emilio took me from him.
And now he wants to kill Emilio.
Emilio, if this boy is threatening you, we can go to the police.
This is nothing you can do anything about.
This guy's looking for me to kill me.
And the onlyway for me to stop him is for me to kill him first.
It's just the way it is, all right?
Emilio, wait, wait, wait! Can we talk about this?
- Come to my house. - Yeah, right.
What, you're too proud to hide?
It's betterto wander the streets all night?
Come on.
Please? Please, just go.
Go. Go.
Can we drop you?
J ust go!
[ Louanne ] Is this boyyour age?
- Yeah. - Does he go to Parkmont?
I won't tell you who it is.
No, don't.
But if you tell Mr. Grandey about him,
not about his threatening you, but about his being on crack,
he'll be turned over to the Juvenile court for drug abuse in school.
He won't serve hard time, but by the time he gets out and he's detoxed,
he will have gotten over trying to killyou.
No, I can't rat on him.
Right! Kill him, that's better.
Man... you don't understand.
You asked me once how I was gonna save you from your life.
This is how. This moment.
Right now.
This will make the difference in your life forever.
Emilio?
- Mr. Grandey?
- Is there a problem, Miss Johnson?
- Shouldn't you be in class? - Yes, I'm late.
I just wanted to ask, did Emilio Ramirez come to your office this morning?
- Yes. - Oh, God Thank God.
- Did you talk to him? - No, I sent him away.
You-- What do you mean?
I mean, I sent him away.
Why?
Because he didn't knock.
Because he didn't knock?
Yes, Miss Johnson.
I'm trying to teach these children how to live in the world.
And in the world, you just don't burst into someone's office.
Because he didn't knock?
Damn it!
[ DoorSlams Shut ]
[ Knocking ]
Ah, Louanne. [ Sighs, Clears Throat ]
Mr. Grandey is with the police.
- Yeah. - Um.
They just found Emilio Ramirez three blocks from the school.
He was shot this morning.
Is he dead?
He's dead.
I'm... very sorry.
Are you going to tell them now?
Do you think that's wise?
Yeah.
Well,
perhaps ifyou talk to them a little bit about death and what it means.
What would you like me to say?
That ifyou don't want to die, remember to knock?
- That's not fair. - What is?
Bad news.
Emilio was shot this morning.
- [Student ] Is he dead? - Yes, Emilio's dead.
No.
Y'all listen up. MissJohnson got somethin ' to say!
[ Louanne ] Thankyou.
Ijust want to say...
I, ah... I won't, um--
I will not be here next year.
I'm not coming back.
How come? Is it something we did?
No, no, no, no. No, um--
I never intended to stay. This was an unexpected job.
So if you knew you wasn't gonna stay, how come you made me promise what I promised?
I--
At that time I thought I would stay.
So how come you're leaving?
I just...
have my reasons... certain reasons.
Is it because it's too sad foryou, what happened to Emilio?
[ Whispers ] Maybe.
And Durrell and Lionel and Callie.
I just-- I just think that--
So if you love us so much, and you so interested in our graduating,
- how comeyou choose to leave? - Yeah?
You sad about Durrell and Callie and Emilio and Lionel, but we're here.
What about us, huh? None ofus makeyou feel happy?
We been working hard, and we stayed in school, man. What about us?
[ Sighs ]
[ Raul ] Why are you packing up today when tomorrow's your last day?
I'mjust gettin' a head start.
Oh, I see.
What you did, when you give me the $200?
That was the nicest thing anybody ever did for me.
I don't know anybody else who would give $200 to a Mexican kid...
on his word ofhonor.
S-So you gotta let me pay you back.
Even if I don't graduate.
- All right? - Why wouldn't you graduate?
Ain't no other teacher gonna give me no "A."
Yes, they will if you work for them the way you worked for me.
No, but it was different with you. You gave me an "A" to start with.
- I didn't have to earn it. I just had to keep it. - Are you kidding?
Keeping an "A" is harder than getting an "A." Almost anyone can get an "A" once.
But keeping it... that's an accomplishment.
- Think so? - Oh, I know so.
Doyou realize the workyou did this term?
Do you realize that the poetry that we read...
is given to people in college?
- In college. - These same poems?
- Yes! - But they weren't even so hard.
No. You see?
Keep working.
You'll graduate.
I might even see you in college.
What do you think?
I feel so bad about leaving, I can hardly breathe.
I know. What the hell? You're right.
You gotta be crazy to stay here and teach these program classes.
There's no money. It's killer work.
Why do you stay?
Why do I smoke? I'm crazy.
Need any more help?
- No. Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow. - Yeah, good-bye.
¶ This is the life ¶
¶ Everyone has to go somewhere ¶
¶ I am here ¶
¶ This is the life ¶
¶ This is my life ¶
¶ This is my... Iife ¶¶
H i.
[ Louanne ] Well!
Welcome back!
This is the 2 9th day, the last day I have to come back.
So... am I still okay for next term?
Yeah.
Did, ah--
Did you come back because it was your last day, or did somebody...
askyou to come today to talk me into staying?
Well... it was both, really.
See, 'cause I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do...
until I heard that you were leaving.
'Cause up until then, I don't know, I thought that you'd always be here for me.
You know? You know, whenever I came back.
Then Raul tells me that you're leaving...
Just like that.
And I realized that this was my last chance.
And I decided--
We decided...
that we're not gonna Just let you leave like that.
[ Raul] Yeah, we realized like the poem said:
You can't give in. "You can't go gentle.
You got to rage against the dying of the light."
Yeah, you gotta go for yours. You know that, right?
[ Students Talking At Once ]
Wait a minute, wait a minute. No, no, wait, wait. I'm not giving in.
This is my choice.
I have no reason "to rage against the dying of the light."
You're not the one who's raging. We're the ones who are raging.
See, 'cause we see you as being our light.
What?
- You're our Tambourine Man. - I'm your drug dealer?
You're our teacher. You got what we need. It's the same thing.
[ Raul] Come on, Miss "J. "
All the poemsyou taught us say you can't give in, you can't give up.
We ain't giving you up.
-No way! -Now, listen, baby, we're gonna have to tie you to the chair...
and gag ya, 'cause you know we want you to stay!
What you need to stay, girl? You want a candy bar?
Okay, on the left and on the right, a Louanne and a Louanne. Here we go.
[ Chanting ] Louanne, Louanne, Louanne, Louanne.
Louanne, Louanne, Louanne, Louanne.
You have to go first.
- I don't want to. - Come on, you have to.
Come on, like this. This is howyou do it.
[ Chanting ] Go, Louanne! Go, Louanne. Go, Louanne! Go, Louanne.
Let me see. [ Laughing ]
- Excuse me. - You okay?
Yeah.
- You wanna sign my book? - Yeah, I'll sign your book.
How'd they get you to come back?
- They gave me candy and called me "the light." - [ Chuckles ]
That'll do it.
¶¶[ "Gin And Guice"]
¶ Whateveryou want Whateveryou like ¶
¶ Do you want me for the rest ofyour life ¶
¶ And I needyou for less 'Cause I don 't wanna choke ¶
¶ Baby, slip right in and let the clouds float on ¶
¶ Don 't hide your love ¶
¶ Give it up ¶
¶ 'Cause I wanna build a dream ¶
¶ Don 't wanna break it up ¶
¶ 'Cause you gotta be down, down so give it up ¶
¶ There's a party over here So, baby, show me love ¶
¶ 'Cause I got the gin and guice, yeah ¶
¶ 'Cause I got the gin and guice ¶
¶ 'Cause I got the gin and guice ¶¶
¶¶ [ "Gangsta 's Paradise "]
¶ As I walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death ¶
¶ I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin ' left ¶
¶ 'Cause I've been brassin ' and laughin 'so long ¶
¶ That even my mama thinks that my mind is gone ¶
¶ I really hate to trip but I gotta know ¶
¶ As they cope I see myself within the pistol smoke, fool ¶
¶ I'm the kind of "G" the little homies wanna be like ¶
¶ On my knees in the night sayin 'prayers in the streetlight ¶
¶ Been spending most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ They been spending most their lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶ Keep spending most our lives livin ' in the Gangsta 's Paradise ¶
¶¶ [ "Curiosity"]
¶ I ¶
¶ You spend so many nights in heat and out of control ¶
¶ Waiting impatiently to see what's under my clothes ¶
¶ I just wanna take time to get right into the point ¶
¶ Nowyou got your choice, girl to come and rock this boat ofjoy ¶
- ¶ You talkin ' too long ¶ - ¶ We be out in the jam ¶
¶ Ah, baby, baby ¶
¶ Here's the funky dreams from me ¶
¶Just you wait and see It's the curiosity ¶
- ¶ It's the curiosity ¶ -¶ Curiosity ¶
- ¶ Do you wanna feel my body ¶ - ¶ Girl, all night long, yeah ¶
¶ It's the curiosity ¶
¶ Oh, yeah ¶
¶ Oh, yeah It's the curiosity ¶¶