The Class Page #9

You cant smoke here sir

I know, but since I was alone

Ok, you went too far

with those girls.

We all screw up.

Souleymane overreacted.

He's right.

I saw Khoumba.

Her face was all bloody

What he did is unacceptable.

That's for sure.

I know that.

His bag hit her by accident.

A split eybrow bleeds a lot.

That's all.

You can't ignore it.

Don't take it to heart.

Seen how they talk to us?

How's that relevant?

Souleymane is going to get expelled

...Thats it!

- No.

- That's kind of logical.

How many hearings last year?

Not that many.

He could be right.

I know, I'm on the committee

so I saw them all

An average of two per month,

The hearing is where

we talk things over

Ok, 12 students were expelled

but maybe there was no other solution.

...talk about debate!

But 12 out of 12 just means

...when a student has a hearing,

it's too late.

Or it was justified.

Ok, things happen

that lead to a hearing

But then what happens?

What do we expect from a hearing?

There are prior stages:

Pre-disciplinary committees,

...we inform the parents,

the students are warned...

- Not in this case.

- We've no time.

It's pretty rare.

It's rare because we have

this final punishment

...that allows us to ignore

the prior steps.

And even if we did use them,

...the simple fact

of expelling a student...

...is a disavowal

of everything we have tried.

Ok, but it's Souleymane's chance

to justify himself

At a hearing, you don't speak.

You're scared. You're paralyzed.

Exactly.

Let me sum up.

He'll get a disciplinary hearing,

he'll be expelled

and maybe even sent back to Mali

You're being overdramatic.

No, I'm not

Students who know him better

than any of us here,

...who know his father,

say that he is likely Mali...

to send him back to Mali after this

Some are threatened

...with boarding school

but in never happens

It can happen.

A lot of parents spend their time

...threatening their kids with that.

You can't take it into account

- Even if there was just a slight risk

that a hearing could lead

to him being sent back,

I don't think I can take that risk.

It's like when you hesitate

...over punishing a kid

because when he goes home,

once that door closes,

...he'll get a beating

from his parents

We've all seen that

...But we still have to punish

them when they go too far

Whatever the consequences

which don't

...concern you!

So I ignore that?

I know punishment

can have such a consequence,

...but I turn a blind eye, is that it?

You can't take it into account

in every case

The violence

him being sent back...

- No more Christmas presents...

- True, you have to consider it

but after a while...

It's a question of principle

...We each have a role to play

We can't substitute

ourselves for the parents

Sorry, but if I rewind the movie,

...it's a weird chain of events.

It starts with reprimands,

...when Souleymane forget

his things, talks back.

We punish him. Again and again,

until a disciplinary hearing

leading to who knows what

Everything gets out of hand

Sure, looking at it that way

it's really shocking

But the school won't

expelling Souleymane

He's been gone for a while

Francois, I didn't

expect you so soon.

Have you reached a decision?

I don't think I have much choice.

By the way, Julie told me

you had a heated exchange

...with two girls in your class.

Yes, the two class reps

but it happened first so

You apparently

called them "skanks"

Let's say that, yes

That complicates things,

but the problem remains.

I'd like you to mention it

in your report

I don't want it used against us

at the disciplinary hearing.

Don't bother hiding it,

just write it down.

I understand.

I'll let you reread this

before we launch the procedure.

So I I just need to add...

Yes, without going into detail.

Does that suit you?

OK.

Can you take the minute.

- Hello

- Hello.

Hello, sir.

- Please sit down.

- Thanks.

"Carl tried to reason with him,

but Souleyman broke free,

"winging his bag that hit Khoumba

in the face.

"He left, insulting everyone

and slamming the door.

"I didn't go after him

because I needed...

"to help Khoumba

whose eybrow was bleeding. "

Those are the facts

that led to today's hearing

Madame, it doesn't mean

Souleyman is a bad boy.

That's not we're saying

But, sometimes,

a student in a class

through voluntary or

involuntary behavior,

can create an atmosphere that...

...prevents the class from working.

Do you understand

what we're saying?

If I may say something, it's true

there had been number of signs

that should have warned us.

We could have reacted sooner

But how we have to deal

with an incident

that is fairy violent

and that's simply unacceptable.

I'd like to know

if you realize that, Souleymane?

We're not saying you're

deliberately violent.

The problem is you can't control

what you say,

...and what you do

You're here to express

your point of view.

Go ahead

I don't give a damn.

I've got nothing to say

Do whatever you want to do

Excuse me...

Can you translate?

She says I'm a good boy

I do my homework.

I help my brothers and sisters

with their work when I can

I always wash the dishes

and help her when I can

We don't doubt he's a good son.

That's not the problem.

Let's consider

...his school record

Excuse me, but could we focus

on the facts here?

Firstly, I'd like to say

...that we're surprised to see

the teacher involved in the incident

...on this committee

We find it highly irregular

It's true. It's odd

to be both judge and litigant.

First of all,

...Mr. Marin was elected

to the administrative board.

as the teachers' representative

Moreover, I think

that the incident...

...that occurred in

Mr. Marin's class

...doesn't involve the teacher

directly.

I'm sorry, you mention

...some harsh words

...spoken by the teacher...

Apparently, you used

the word "skanks"

...to describe the class reps.

And that's a problem

I did say that

...but it wasnt something

that concerned Souleymane.

I think he used the excuse

of a rather heated exchange

...to express the bad mood

that he was in that day.

He tried to defend them

So I feel that it's relevant

Sorry, but absolutely

nothing justifies

...being disrespectful to a teacher,

...insulting everyone and leaving

a class without permission.

Souleymane, do you

have anything to say?

I don't know. What can I say?

Souleymane?

- What did she say?

- The same thing again

Souleymane?

She apologizes on my behalf.

You can come back in now.

Madame, the committee

has conferred

and has decided to expel Souleymane

from the school for good.

You will receive the ruling

by registered mail

...and have eight days to appeal,

We shall do our best to find

Souleymane another school

Goodbye, Messieurs, Mesdames

Souleymane, come to see me

before the end of the week, please.

Mathematical proportionality.

This year, you learned

mathematical proportionality?

- I liked science

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