Lean on Me Page #3

these basic skills,

you will find yourselves

locked out,

locked out

of that american dream

that you see

advertised on tv,

that they tell you

is so easy to get.

You are here

for one reason,

one reason only-

to learn

to work

for what you want.

The alternative is

to waste your time

and to fall

into the trap

of crime, drugs,

and death.

Does everyone

understand that?

Do all of you

understand me?

Then welcome to the new

eastside high.

Mr. Clark

don't play.

What happened this

morning is an outrage.

My boy's no criminal.

Those children

belong in school,

not back out

on the street.

You're a fascist,

clark!

Our kids don't

deserve this!

Some of them

are smart.

They're just

discouraged

about their chances

out there,

what kind of jobs

they got waitin'.

Now what kind of

chance do they have?

He insulted the black

football coach.

The man's gone crazy.

He's declared war

on his own people.

Remember,

miss barrett,

mr. Clark

was nice enough

to come to this

emergency meeting

after a very

trying day.

I think we owe him

a chance to respond.

They say

one bad apple

spoils the bunch.

Man:
My son

ain't no bad apple!

Well, what about 300?

Rotten to the core.

Now, you're right,

mrs. Barrett.

This is a war.

It's a war to save

2,700 other students,

most of whom don't have

the basic skills

to pass the state exam.

Now, if you want

to help us, fine.

Sit down with your kids

and make them study.

Go get your families

off welfare.

How dare you talk

about welfare!

Give our children

some pride.

Let them get their

priorities straight.

When dr. Napier

came to me

offering this job,

i saw the lightning flash.

All right!

I heard the thunder roll!

Give it to 'em!

I felt breakers crashing,

swamping my soul.

We are not in church,

mr. Clark!

I fell down

on my knees...

and i cried,

"my god...

why has thou

forsaken me?"

Tell 'em

about it.

And the lord said,

"joe, you're no damn good."

No, no. I mean this...

more than you realize.

"You're no earthly

good at all

"unless you take

this opportunity

and do whatever

you have to."

And he didn't say,

"joe, be polite."

Do whatever you have to

to transform and transmogrify

this school

into a special place,

where the hearts and souls

and minds of the young

can rise,

where they can

grow tall and blossom

out from under the shadows

of the past,

where the minds of the young

are set free.

That's right!

And i gave

my word to god.

And that's why

i threw those bastards out.

And that's all

i'm going to say.

Mr. Clark, i wanted to

talk to you

about those kids

you threw out yesterday.

Well,

what about them?

I was one of them,

but you made

some kind of mistake.

Mistake?

Yes, sir.

What's your name,

son?

Sams.

Thomas sams.

Thomas sams.

You're a freshman?

Yes, sir.

Cutting class and

smoking crack, mr. Sams.

There's no mistake.

No, sir. It wasn't me, sir.

I swear it wasn't.

It wasn't you?

No.

Do you think

i'm stupid, son?

No, sir.

Yes, you do.

You're trying to con

a con man.

You're not even

learning anything

on the streets,

are you?

You come with me.

What are you doing?

What's up here?

Now, let me

tell you something.

The trouble

with being a teenager

is you don't

know nothing.

You think you're smarter

than people who've already been

down the road

you're traveling.

You know

what i'm saying?

Do you?

Yes, sir.

Did you tell your father

i threw you out of school?

Look at me, damn it!

No, sir.

Why not?

No guts, huh?

Afraid of what

he'll say, aren't you?

My father doesn't live

with us anymore, sir.

Is that what

you're doing?

Going around feeling

sorry for yourself?

Get out of here!

You're wasting my time!

Please let me

back, sir.

I have to

get back at school.

I can't tell my mama

i got kicked out.

Now, why should i let you

back into my school?

Because i'm going

to do better, sir.

How?

By doing my work.

What else?

And staying

out of trouble.

What have you been thinking

about all this time?

Why should i

believe you now?

Because

i changed my ways.

I don't believe you,

sams.

I don't think you've changed

a thing. Go on, jump!

No. I don't

want to jump.

Yes, you do!

You smoke crack, don't you?

You smoke crack,

don't you?

Look at me, boy!

Don't you smoke crack?

Yes, sir.

You know what

that does to you, huh?

No, sir.

It kills brain cells, son.

It kills brain cells.

When you're destroying

brain cells,

you're killing yourself,

only it's slower!

If you want to

kill yourself,

don't f*** around with it!

Do it expeditiously!

Go on, jump!

No. I don't want

to kill myself, sir.

You're sure?

Yes, sir.

I tell you

what i'll do.

I'll go back on my own word

just this once

and let you back into

my school,

'cause you're still a baby,

and you don't know sh*t.

But you understand

this, boy.

You're not gonna get

a moment's rest.

I'm gonna be on your case

every minute.

You mess up just once,

and you're out of here.

You understand me?

Do you understand me?

Yes, sir.

Now, go on

back downstairs.

All right, people.

Let's settle down in here.

Now, settle down,

quiet down.

Let those who are trying to

eat their lunch digest.

Robert, boy, you had lunch

at fourth period. Go on.

If mr. O'malley didn't

do anything, mr. Clark won't.

Louisa, you're looking

mighty good today.

Gonna have to tell

these boys to watch out.

You kids

having any problems?

Yeah. She is.

Tell him.

Louisa?

Why do i have

to take home ec?

I want to take auto shop.

I have brothers and sisters.

My mother works.

I've been cooking

for 11 years.

Does it look

like i don't cook?

I want you to take this

to mr. O'malley.

You know how much

auto mechanics make?

$17 an hour.

Boy:
That girl

right there, man.

Yo, sweetheart. Right here.

I got hunger pains, baby.

You could be my lunch.

Boy, get off this table!

Get your hormones together!

It ain't hormones.

She's fly, man.

She's a fox.

I just saw you with your

arms around clarisse.

You honked off

with that skeezer?

No, i never-

check it out.

It was only one time.

Chill out, man!

Richard, for your first job

as class president,

i want to build

an atrium.

Track me down tomorrow.

We'll talk about it.

Don't worry about it.

How you doin', brother?

Good to see you.

Oh, you, hey!

Yes, mr. Clark?

What's your name?

Kid ray.

How you doin'?

Nice suit.

Just like you,

mr. Clark.

Got to

look the part.

These kids don't

understand that.

Hey!

Sams, put it back!

Put it back!

How many times have

i told you, boy?

Put something in

your head, not on it.

Pull your pants up!

Show some dignity!

Have some sense!

What's he doing

hanging out with you seniors?

You're providing

a deleterious influence here.

Mr. Clark,

he's my cousin.

We was just

goin' over music.

Music, huh?

Come here.

Let me have your attention.

Everyone quiet down!

I want all radios off

instantaneously.

All radios off.

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