Hands off our kids! Hands off our kids!
Hands off our kids!
Watching you up there, it was really... I don't know, it reminded me of...
Don't say your mother.
Reminded me of something I've been missing. It's really good for the spirit.
-I know. Right? -Yeah.
So how come you're not buying what I'm selling?
Because of the whole union-slamming thing.
-''Union-slamming''? -Yeah.
-I wasn't slamming the unions. -Yeah, the union-slamming.
They wrote that letter. That was true.
-I know they wrote that letter. -I was saying something that was true.
That's not the point.
Look, Jamie, when I was in high school
I had this teacher and his name was Mr. Cooper
and he was, like, an incredible teacher. He was like a father to me.
And they tried to fire him
because he was supposedly teaching us works
that were promoting an immoral lifestyle.
It was Hair. it's a musical.
There was all these, like, screaming meetings. It's got so ugly.
But in the end the union stood up, they protected him, he kept his job
and that's why I became a teacher. He made me what I am.
I just want a better school.
I can't figure out how to put it all together.
Rally was an embarrassment.
We used to be the heroes.
When did Norma Rae get to be the bad guy?
Right? I hate gettin' called out like that.
Takes me right back to third grade, with Ray Franks bullying me in the school yard.
I put a tack on his seat.
Yeah, I lost recess for a week. But you know what I learned?
The futility of retaliation?
The truth of social Darwinism.
Hey.
Did you write that letter to the parents?
Yeah, course I did.
I'm just trying to stop the pandemic of union-gutting
that's going on in this country right now.
As if the teachers unions are responsible for failing schools.
No need to convince me. But, the letter was...
The letter was what? These gals Look motivated, yes?
They do, they do.
lf they push this through, then floodgates are gonna open,
a lot of schools are gonna start falling apart,
and a lot of good teachers are gonna get pushed out.
Folks don't get that this is not good!
No. Because they want change. Now.
'Scuse me.
I don't want it to be like this.
I didn't tell you sooner because I wasn't sure I wanted it.
And when I realized I did,
and how bad,
I was scared you'd say no, or you'd be pissed off,
so I fouled up.
And it was my fault, so I'm sorry.
I'm gonna call a meeting
to find out how we can make this work.
lf you want it.
Okay, this could be our chance to be the teachers we always hoped to be.
Who's saying we're not?
I really need you to go to that meeting and convince them. They really Look up to you.
I just wanna teach.
I just wanna put my feet up and watch Steelers Saturday Night,
but I can't, do you know what I'm saying?
I do.
It's just, I don't understand you. You're confusing me.
I thought you were somebody that stood up for things.
And now it's not all black-and-white and comfortable
and so you freeze?
I don't freeze, I'm just not doing what you want me to do. There's a difference.
Hello to you too, missy.
She's 8 years old.
When she pushes you away, it means she wants you more.
She should learn that that's not how it works in the world.
She's fighting me on everything.
Getting her to read is like getting blood from a stone.
You know, she asked if I would help her.
She didn't want me to tell you. I don't really know why.
That's fine.
-Will you come to this meeting? -I'll think about it.
-Really? -Yeah.
Yeah.
What?
I've just never been able to talk smart people into doing things before.
All right, all right.
Come on, Malia, dinner's ready.
Hey.
Go on, hurt me.
I got all your apologies.
-I can explain. -No need, TAP already did.
What did they say?
What I already know.
That most of these new schools fail.
You wanna know why?
Because no one has the first idea how to run them.
Can you Look me in the eye and tell me that that won't happen?
-I can't. -Well, that's great.
That's great. What about all the kids that are gonna get left behind, huh?
Nobody gets left behind, I promise.
And without a union contract, teachers will get forced out.
Not teachers who wanna teach.
I'm just getting through days, Nona.
So am I. So are we all.
Breena, I'm just trying to get back to the way things were, and I need you.
Hey, Ben, this is Jamie.
Hi, how you doin'?
All right, so, Look, I'm gonna come to your meeting.
-All right, that's all I can promise. -That's great.
Well, do you have any questions we can answer now?
No. Good night.
Can I just pop in and check the score?
What are you, a Penguins fan?
Don't insult me.
All right. First playoff win.
1970. 2-1. Oakland Seals.
Harbaruk scored on a one timer from Wally Boyer.
What qualifies you to run a school?
I mean, you're not exactly a shining star in the classroom, are you?
Oh, shut it, Deb.
But the point is, don't you wanna have a say in what gets taught and how?
I mean, we're the ones who know these kids.
Now, you all have documents with some thoughts,
but this is our time to share ideas.
Yeah, but we won't be union. Do you understand?
But will you be able to teach?
Are you guys not listening? There is no union here.
lf we're gonna make this work, take the risk...
Yes, but listen, listen. But listen.
The union won't allow us to spend the time that we have to spend with them.
They won't do it.
Not only that, what other business
says that you get a job for life after two years? Come on!
Oh, no, don't do that.
Everybody wants to laser-focus on how TAP protects bad teachers
when mostly they protect good ones.
Yes, but you make it harder for the good ones when you protect the bad ones.
But you know what? We're gonna give up something, but we're also gonna get.
We all getting the same, Nona?
-Or is it seniority? -Exactly.
It's all right for you younger people.
Stop it, Ben.
Seriously. No. You just keep going on and on.
You know what, who else is in this for the money?
Put your hands up, come on!
I know I'm not the only money-grubbing bastard in the room! Put your hands up!
I mean, seriously, why else are we doing it if not for the money?
Why are we gettin' up at the crack of dawn
and paying for pencils out of our own paychecks
and babysitting screaming brats for seven hours if not for the money?
It's not like anyone in this room ever wanted to teach, right?
And getting a school where we could actually do what we wanna do,
who needs it, right?
Right?
You know what,
feel free to blow past the dream school part
and skip to the cash figures on page seven, but either way, do yourselves a favor.
Take the 10 minutes and read the damn document.
''Dream school.''
You'll march yourself right into the welfare office.
Right out of here, right into welfare.
Good riddance.
Who needs a pen? I got one free.
Yes.
No, no, no.
Yes.
-Yes, yes, yes. -Oh. Stop. Stop.
We got more. Yes.
Are you sure these are virgin? 'Cause I'm feeling something.
Yeah, it's called success.
No wonder it tastes new.
Yo, JD, get out there and get these ladies to dance.
I don't dance, sorry.
Yes, you do. I saw you dancing at school.
That was line dancing.
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. I liked that.
I'm in if he takes his shirt off!
That's not gonna happen.
All right.
All right, who here knows the Texas Tush Push?
I kinda know it.
Come on, come on.
-Okay, let's do this! -Come on, guys.
Give me, like, two lines over here.
I like you again.
Proud of you.
Ready? Okay, check it out.
All right, it's very simple. So we start feet together. And you go:
Heel together, heel, heel.
We've got our parents, we've got our teachers.
I am looking forward to getting to that school board.
Heel, clap.
Maybe less River dance and a little bit more, just like...
A little bit more.
I wanna see you dance.
Come on, I wanna see you dance.
I haven't danced since ''Gettin' Jiggy Wit it'' and I wasn't jiggy then.
So it's time! I wanna see you dance.
-No! Jamie, get up here.
Come out here. Come on.
That's right. You get up here too, Nona.
No. I can't and I won't.
Come on, Nona!
No! No Nona!
Nona! Nona!
Come on.
Come on, come on.
Come on, lets' shake those hips, all right?
Here we go. 5, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Clap.
Good morning. I'm Evelyn Riske.
Yeah, I know who you are.
Do you have a moment?
Not unless you wanna buy a Buick.
lf you sell cars like you sell schools, I'm walking out with one.
Don't talk down to me, Ms. Riske.
Oh, I'm not.
-Let me tell you why I'm here. -Yeah.
I still think it's a long shot you get this by the Board.
But I can't ignore what you've been able to do with the teachers.
And if you're gonna do this, you might as well have all the information possible.
There's a school I want you to see.
They got a lot of great ideas.
ideas you should Look into.
How about you meet me there tomorrow.
Yeah, you gotta go. She's itching to fire me.
Let me call you with a time.
Hold on one second.
Hank Hart Auto. Please hold.
Yeah, okay.
-Okay. -Perfect. See you tomorrow.
-Okay, good. -Hi. How are you?
ideas are good.
I'm working.
I'm working. Unlike your husband.
This is the Department of Education
scheduling hotline.
-You are currently number... 45.
...in queue.
Ms. Lopez? I'm Nona Alberts.
I've been trying to get in touch with you to talk about Adams.
You've got an appointment?
The next available's five weeks away.
I very much Look forward to seeing you then.
That's the day your term ends.
Look, I live and breathe this bureaucracy. I share your frustration.
What can I say? I read Kafka to make myself feel better.
I want a hearing for my school before the term ends.
Dreams are important.
Then we don't stand a chance of getting this done for next year.
Which you don't anyway, not in this system.
But the time can be a gift, trust me.
You'll hone your proposal, build support.
Then you'll soon come to embrace futility.
It's a win-win.
I can't wait. I won't.
See you in five weeks, Ms. Alberts.
I'm sorry. I had to take three buses.
And you're apologizing?
Wow.
My daughter would love this.
She wants to be a computer engineer when she grows up.
While at the same time being a hair colorist and President of the United States
and a veterinarian for lost dogs.
My niece is gonna be a professional princess.
Good luck to her.
I know.
So when you picture the perfect school for Malia, what's it Look like?
Like this.
That's why I wanted you to see it.
I know Malia has dyslexia
and most private schools are not helpful with learning disabilities.
This one is.
Yeah, I'd never want her to be in the dumb kids' class.
Oh, they don't do that here. No otherness.
They do it right, but it took them years to get it right.
And that's why I worry for you with your school.
You've looked into all the possibilities for her, right?
While you're working on Adams?
Oh, man. I have. I just can't afford anything else.
The tuition's 23 grand. That's what I make in a year.
Schools have aid packages.
Almost half the kids here get help.
Let me put in a good word for you.
What, for Malia to have a scholarship here?
Are you buying me off?
I'm giving you an option.
Which is the whole point, right?
Look, I'm not against what you're doing, but it is so complicated.
We gotta catch up. You need to give us time.
No, I don't have time.
But you're a great mother.
You really wanna sacrifice your child's interests to send a message?
Okay, so how about Nona?
Sometimes public school teachers
have a really hard time sending their kids to private schools.
It's silly, because half the Board of Ed's kids go here.
-Really? -Yeah.
You come on board though, and it might make it easier for Nona.
The numbers don't lie.
At Adams, 2% get to college.
Here, 2% don't.
That's crazy.
All-out war is how we gotta Look at it with this school board.
Still no read on Olivia
despite my e-mail assault.
Schwartz might be our only yes.
She likes new things.
Southwick,
she'll go no. She's had five campaigns underwritten by TAP.
Same with Brandt, he's a stickler for line-item stuff.
Parrish, Mannis,
who knows? But I'm guessing no.
King, he's a wild card.
Apparently he's been legally dead since the late '90s.
He sleeps through the meetings
and then he shows a faint pulse right before the vote.
So,
we might be looking at six out of seven votes
against us.
And that's if we even get a hearing.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
It's just Malia stuff.
Okay.
I think I'm gonna run for School Board.
See all those Beemers outside?
What's wrong with you? You seem antsy.
It's just bugs me.
Oh, here she comes.
Oh, jeez.
I read through those ideas. Very impressive.
Thank you.
But we've heard lots of big ideas about schools.
Big ideas are big fun, but you can sink or swim on the practical ones.
I have those too.
-Ones that work. -Come watch me teach.
I don't usually do that.
Then how do you know what works?
I'll consider it.
In time for us to get a hearing this year?
Don't you know the moral of lcarus?
Yeah, wear sunscreen.
That's a little post-modern.
I'll give it some thought.
And I did like your ideas.
She liked our ideas.
They're your ideas.
Shut up and take the compliment.
-Hi, I'm Jamie Fitzpatrick. -Go ahead.
Thanks.
Hi. I'm not gonna take it. I'm not gonna take the scholarship.
Our school's gonna work out. Our ideas are really good.
And my daughter is already gonna have a hard time respecting me
'cause I didn't go to college.
lf I also give up, sell out, screw over my friends...
Your daughter will respect you
because you made the right decision for her.
In your opinion.
In my educated opinion, yes.
And what about Nona and her son
and all the other kids at Adams who you're not offering scholarships to?
Look, I admire your ideals.
But Malia will suffer for them.
In your educated opinion.
No, that's a fact.
Don't do that.
Don't use my daughter to scare me.
There's another thing that's bugging me. You knew about her dyslexia.
You must have been talking to somebody at Adams.
Okay, now you're being paranoid.
It's not paranoid if it's true.
No.
You have no idea what's true and what's not, so let's me help you with that.
My parents organized the first union
in a textile mill in Marion, South Carolina in October of 1967
and as a daughter, I know what it cost.
And the truth is, at the end of the day,
it's very unlikely you'll get your school.
Your daughter will still be at Adams.
And you will have deprived her of the one opportunity to turn her life around
so that she can become a computer engineer and President of the United States
and a veterinarian for lost dogs.
And there's your truth.
Thanks.
You can't be here.
How come you didn't tell me about Riske's offer?
She called you already?
You just had lunch.
Can I talk to you outside?
This is not break.
I can't talk to you in here. Can I talk to you, please?
Jamie, you just took an hour and a half for lunch!
I didn't do anything.
-I was just talking to her. -Yes, you did do something.
I didn't want to upset you. Could you give me a break, please?
I'm talkin' to Hank.
Would you do that? Could you get me down to one job by the end of the day?
-Anyway... -What?
-No, it doesn't matter. -It's matters! It's matters! You lied to me.
Not telling you is not the same thing as lying to you!
Yes, it is! What, to a second grader? What did you say to me?
''She's the only one here who does what she says she's gonna do.''
That's what you said!
-How is that workin' for you? -I said no!
-Why? Why? What did you... -Because I believe in you!
What great thing happened to me?
I got a phone call from Tyler.
And he called me on the phone number I gave out.
Why'd you call me, Tyler?
I had a question.
He had a question about the famous speech I sent home with you Last night
to discuss with your parents and grandparents. And did you do that?
Yes!
Very good! Now, we're gonna get to Tyler's question in a minute.
So the speech,
''Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore...
''...the means of'' what?
Knowledge!
Knowledge! Which is why I sent it home with you in the first place.
The means of knowledge.
So you ready for the second part?
Yes!
-''Let us dare to''? Read!
-''Let us dare to''? Think!
-''Let us dare to''? Speak!
-''Let us dare to''? Write!
''Let us dare to read, think, speak and write.''
-And, Tyler, who wrote that? -John Adams.
John Adams, our country's second president.
Tyler's question, his question was,
''Is that the same Adams that the school is named after?'' And I told you...
Yes.
Yes. And the reason why that is a perfect question is that you dared to think.
''Dare to read, think, speak and write.'' Who wrote that?
John Adams!
Our school's name is...
Adams!
All right!
Beautiful.
You did well.
Bye.
See you tomorrow.
Bye.
I didn't know you were watching.
Lets me see what kind of teacher you really are.
Also, I hate social pleasantries.
-Then I'll just keep it at thank you. -Don't thank me.
Ever had a Blue Mojito, Mrs. Alberts?
I don't drink.
Well, now, see, that's something else you could work on.
I mention the Blue Mojito
because the only thing standing between it and me
is you.
And right now there's a lovely place in Coconut Grove with a chilled glass
waiting for me to fill out my retirement papers
pack up my condo and get a one-way ticket to Miami-Dade.
Well, I understand...
No, you don't.
Look, I'm running late. Walk with me.
I didn't drink before I got to this job.
I was a go-getter like you.
And next thing I knew, I'm this.
The Queen Bureaucrat.
Now, that's not something I want on my headstone,
''She filled space, RIP.''
So you're saying don't bother?
I'm saying I want to help.
Hearing in 10 days. You want it?
Yes, absolutely.
Great.
Now, listen to me carefully.
This board finds reasons to say no.
Last year we killed a proposal for not having a proper index.
So, I's dotted, T's crossed.
And good luck and so forth.
You need help?
No, I got it.
You sure?
You got the 446 Provisions and the Writers' Mentors Program?
Yup, I got 'em both.
I's dotted, T's crossed.
I heard you the first six times.
-Hi. -Hey.
How is she?
Aces.
Starving.
Look at this. Did you see these?
They're goin' up around the streets, all around school.
It's got my name on it.
Big deal. Sticks and stones.
It's kind of is a big deal, because I'm not anti-labor.
I think you don't really know what you're asking.
I don't know what I'm asking?
I've spent most of my life without job security. it's awful.
-There's other ways to fix this problem. -Yeah? Like what?
Like figure it out with TAP, for instance, because it's not all on the union.
There's other things at work, okay? There's community, there's poverty...
I can't wait to figure it out with 10,000 studies
about how being poor affects education!
I can tell you being poor sucks and my kid can't read!
I'm not gonna be a part of this.
So you're gonna do nothing.
I don't do nothing. I teach. That's not doing nothing!
That's great for your 30 kids! How 'bout the rest of the kids? How 'bout Malia?
This whole system is broken. it's dead.
I need you to take a stand on this. I need you in this fight.
lf there's a problem, I'm getting rid of it.
That doesn't just go for the school, by the way.
Really?
Okay.
Hi.
See you next weekend.
-I got a surprise for you in the dining room. -Cool.
Hey.
Ask him about his shirt.
-What about it? -He wouldn't tell me. Just ask him.
This is awesome.
What's that?
Nosebleed.
That's not true.
Why are they on you?
Because I'm slow.
You know you're not slow.
I know you don't want me to think I'm slow.
This is the eleventh hour, Evelyn.
Don't quit me here. Don't underestimate this, okay?
It's a feeding frenzy.
District offices all over the state are getting slammed with calls.
''Oh, let's do what they're doing at Adams.''
We're still fine with the school board.
Right now we've got it at 5-2 against, if King sticks.
No, that's too close. Go back to the teachers.
Seriously, this would be like handing over planes to passengers.
I'm not gonna let that happen.
But don't we have some responsibility to the kids as well?
That's what they asked Albert Shanker. Okay?
He was the FDR of teachers union presidents. You know what he said?
I'm sure you'll tell me.
He said, ''When schoolchildren start paying union dues,
''I will start representing the interests of schoolchildren.''
What?
I lost it on Jamie Fitzpatrick.
For a second I saw how she saw me, and I...
Do you ever wonder if we all stepped back...
No. No doubts. No pussy-footing.
Are you not aware of what is going on in this country?
People, you should hear this. Okay?
We're under attack. Labor.
Unions are getting pulverized.
And how is it that unions, of all things
are getting blamed for the economic cesspool that we're in?
Not greedy management, unions.
Same unions that Clarence Darrow once said
have done more for humanity than any other organization of men
that ever existed.
All we want
is for teachers to be well paid and secure in their jobs.
Who could argue with this philosophy?
It's for teachers.
Remember that.
Under attack, we attack, Evelyn.
Did you fix those attendance records?
You know I did.
How would I know that?
Because you told me to.
I would never tell a teacher to fix attendance records.
It's illegal, not to mention unethical.
Is this because of our hearing?
Unfortunately, the rules on this kind of infraction are clear.
immediate academic suspension.
-Robert, don't do this. -It's already done.
It's for the kids' sake.
The same kids you cared enough about to mark present when they were absent?
I need to talk to them.
Academic suspension means you cannot be on campus.
Now, if you're on campus, you will be arrested.
I just wanna say goodbye.
I was worried you might get feisty.
lf I've made it a little harder for you to take my job, I'm glad.
That's feisty!
Sorry.
What happened? Where is she?
-I got a call. -'Scuse me, this class is in session.
Where is she?
Excuse me.
Landri, what happened?
She had an accident.
Nobody's looking for her?
Malia!
Malia?
Oh, bug.
-She wouldn't give me the bathroom pass. -Oh, no, sweetie.
I simply told her that big girls wait until the appropriate time.
You punished her because she had to go to the bathroom?
I punished her because,
like her mother, she cannot follow rules.
-Girls her age need an example of how... -Rules about... Are you insane?
Let me go!
-This is all your fault. -It's all my fault, is it?
-You make everything bad. -I make everything bad.
Sticking me here, where I'm never gonna learn anything.
-Don't talk to me like that! -So I can end up like you?
-Like what? -Poor and dumb!
Did you hear me? You're stupid!
Go take your jeans off. There you go.
The thing is, you can't go back.
For those of you who have given up on us,
you've given up on us.
You won't have the union to protect you.
Now, I don't know if it's been made clear to you,
but supporting this new school does not necessarily mean
you'll be signing a contract to teach there.
Even if you are hired, there are no guarantees.
That's what's been happening all over the country with these kinds of schools.
Six months later they're failing, and people are out of a job.
So, what really worries me is human nature.
It's human nature to be afraid.
And we've got administrators at other schools who are afraid.
They're afraid of the same thing happening at their schools.
And they're telling us they don't want to hire the teachers who got all this started.
-'Scuse me. 'Scuse me, please. 'Scuse me. -Yes, Breena.
So basically what you're telling us
is if we go along with this ''takeover''
TAP will blacklist us.
No, that's not what I'm saying.
I'm saying we can't guarantee how other schools might react.
Is this confusing? I mean, does this make sense?
No, no, it does not. It's doesn't make sense.
Sorry about that, Michael. How can I elucidate this for you?
-I'm a member of this union. -Great.
And I'm also a human.
And I'm sorry, I just don't agree with your view of human nature
about your assessment of our humanity.
I'm not afraid, and the teachers that I know, we're not fearful.
In fact, the teachers that I know are bold at heart
and they want change because it's what's best for our students.
And what we've been lacking is leadership.
Well, guess what?
We found some.
Holland saw me come in, so I just have a minute.
Here's the thing.
We're all scared of something.
I'm scared of things staying the same, you're scared of things not.
This is what we're giving the board. This is your school.
Standardized test study programs integrating competitive hip-hop,
that's Breena's idea.
Community outreach programs and service field trips, that's Michael's.
Thattagirl.
Fifth graders reading and acting Shakespeare, that's Ben's.
Nona, none of this means anything if we can't teach.
You will teach. You'll teach here.
-Look what they did to you. -Yeah. They did.
And it's true that having your kids taken from you just about kills you.
But it's worse for the kids.
And it's them, the kids, that I'm tryin' to think about.
Just them now.
You get what I'm saying?
Security is on its way.
Yeah? You gonna arrest me?
You betcha.
That's one good thing about bein' out of a job.
You don't have to worry about getting fired
when you tell your boss to go screw himself.
Read the future.
All right, just so everybody's clear...
'Scuse me.
This room is for teachers.
Seventeen
plus one
is eighteen.
They're all still with us.
Let's celebrate.
Hearing in two days.
Hey.
I heard about what you did.
Are you apologizing?
Take a message.
He says the next time he calls it'll be to fire you.
I remember when I was 6 and the union first came around.
We'd go to the meetings as a family.
When they were finally voted in, my father cried.
The only other time I saw him cry
was when I told him I was coming here.
Oh, boy.
Don't send it.
Mr. Gould already did.
I told him you were coming.
-You want me to go up with you? -No.
He said to wake him up if he was asleep.
Cody.
Cody, wake up, wake up. Come on.
Wake up.
Wake up. Listen to me.
I've got something to tell you, 'cause you can't hear it from someone else, okay?
Something called colic. Have you heard of colic?
No.
It's something that babies get and nobody knows why.
But it makes you cry for hours and hours.
And when you have a colicky baby, you just have to deal with it.
And a lot of good mothers can.
But I had a hard time.
One night, you were crying real hard
and I had a little wine.
More than a little.
And then it got worse, so I decided to take you to the doctor.
And I should have called someone, but I didn't.
So I put you in the car and I tried to drive you myself,
but I didn't make it because I smashed up the car.
Really bad.
More people found out about this and they might say something to you
and I want you to know the words to say.
-What are they gonna say? -Bad things.
I mean, bad.
Like, ''Why should she get a school when she can't even take care of her own kid''?
And what do I say?
You say your mother made a mistake
and she wishes she hadn't done it.
She wishes it with all her heart.
Because she loves her son.
And that she's sorry.
But it was a mistake
and I'm okay.
But, no... But that's the thing.
I forgot the strap.
That second strap.
I forgot to click it
and you were thrown from your seat.
And they thought that maybe it had got to your brain.
And that's the thing that's been taking hold of me all these years.
That maybe it had.
And I'm sorry.
But it didn't.
No, it didn't.
lf you wanna lie down next to me,
that'll be okay.
God bless her for cleaning herself up.
But is it wrong to ask if this is the best person
to be making decisions for our kids.
It's completely fair to question whether parents want her leading this school.
Yeah? Look at us all here.
Asked and answered, cupcake. Asked and answered.
Now look what you gone and done.
Good luck.
Come on, you guys.
Education is our right! Fight! Fight! Fight!
It's about the curriculum and things are going to change!
They're here! They're here!
And so it begins.
The hearing on proposed changes to John Adams Elementary.
Okay, that's not happening.
Now, after three hours of executive session
and a review of statements submitted from all sides,
the board has determined
that the petition submitted by Ms. Alberts and Ms. Fitzpatrick
will be denied.
Quiet. Quiet.
Tell us why we didn't get a vote.
It's not board policy to divulge that information.
For once, believe it or not, the board will make an exception.
People should know this has nothing to do
with the recent character attacks on Ms. Alberts.
Mr. Brandt, you made the motion to dismiss,
so step up and enlighten us as to why.
Points for brevity.
As I just said, board policy stipulates...
Sir,
I'm chair of this board for one more week,
which means today I am board policy.
I call your attention to the proposal, line 322.
The remedial education section.
The budget amount on line 322 says $431,054.
Now there's some backwards math.
A wild guess tells me the intended number
was 134, not 431,000.
But please, correct me if I'm wrong.
Mr. Brandt, you're right.
The numbers were wrong.
I must've reversed them.
So we should entrust the teaching of basic math skills
to someone who can't even do it herself?
Come on. That's ridiculous.
The proposal needs to be corrected and resubmitted.
But that's next year.
Let's move on. -But it's ridiculous.
Let's move on.
Can I say one thing?
Please, go ahead, Ms. Fitzpatrick.
The numbers are flipped because I flipped the numbers
one time in this whole proposal, because I'm dyslexic.
I'm dyslexic.
I never even said that word when I was my daughter's age
because the school I went to made me feel dumb.
And they didn't do anything about it, they just passed me through.
Malia,
I will not let that happen to you.
I need you to go to a school that knows what I know.
That you are so smart.
You're so smart.
Do any of you even remember what we're doin' here?
Because we're not here for this.
We're not here for unions and teachers and parents.
We're here for our kids.
And me and all of these teachers and parents,
we didn't go through all this to get turned down for a typo.
Now I know
you're gonna find any reason you can to turn this school down
and that it doesn't really matter what we do.
But even so,
I'm not leavin' this room till you give us some kind of a vote.
Let's see how this plays out.
Vote.
Vote!
Okay, all things considered, I say it's a good day for a voice vote.
Thank you.
Now, I'm gonna vote first because I bought the gavel.
My vote is yes.
Mr. Brandt.
No.
Ms. Southwick.
I know you're all well-intentioned people
and I applaud your commitment,
but I see no reason you're best-equipped to handle a job of this magnitude.
I think we let the professionals be professionals. My vote is no.
Mr. Mannis.
lf the parents and teachers want it,
so do I. Yes.
Ms. Schwartz.
I'm all over this.
Yes.
Mr. Parrish.
At a time when half...
I mean, half of all new teachers quit in their first five years,
we need to be creating more incentives
and more protection for them, not less.
No.
Thank you, sir!
Thank you.
One more. One more.
And Mr. King.
You have the deciding vote.
Like this, remember? For lady luck.
Yes. Yes.
You're my luck. You're my luck.
This school is failing.
It's been failing for too long.
It's a broken school.
Thousands of kids getting passed on who can't read.
Can't write, can't add.
I'd like to think the ideas in here could fix Adams.
Frankly, I'm not sure they can.
Oh, no.
But we must start somewhere.
Yes.
The motion is carried by a vote of four to three.
John Adams Elementary, your future begins again.
You ready to start an appeal?
I'm quitting.
Whoa, whoa. To do what?
What else?
Teach.
I do not shrink from this responsibility
'Cause the energy, faith and the devotion
That we keep bringing to this endeavor
Will light our country and all who serve it
And the glow from that fire
Will surely light the world
So ask not What your country can do for you
Ask not What your country can do for you
But what you can do for your country
Yeah!
Nice.
All right, now before assembly ends, we have a few announcements.
The first is about next week's service field trip.
Malia Fitzpatrick.
Go, Malia!
''For next week's f-field trip,
''we're going
''to the Northside Food Pa-
''Pantry.
''Bring your permission slips
''so you can come.
''We hop you can.''
Hope.
Well, l won't back down
No, l won't back down
You could stand me up at the gates of hell
But l won't back down
Hey, baby
There ain't no easy way out
Hey, l will stand my ground
And l won't back down
Well, l know what's right
I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin'me around
But I'll stand my ground
And I won't back down
Hey, baby
There ain't no easy way out
Hey, I will stand my ground
And I won't back down
No, I won't back down
Live your life right 'cause in case you forgot
it's the only one that you got
Live your life right
Put up a fight
The world starts in the city of steel
Let's stick around
'Cause there are colors that we're gonna reveal
Starting now
Live your life right
Put up a fight
Giving up is what they want you to do
But things must change
Pay no mind to discouragin'fools
We will not wait
I'll be all l was meant to be
And you can never stop me
We were promised liberty
And together we're an army
A community
Live your life right 'cause in case you forgot
it's the only one that you got
Live your life right
Put up a fight