Logline: This TV Script is about a young idealistic Social Studies teacher that learns the tricks of the trade in surviving teaching in a Junior High School in the 1960’s and 1970’s. John Cardone is the central figure in a dramatic script about the problems of teaching in the 1960’s and 1970’s, school politics, free drug era, civil rights era, threatened teacher strikes and low teacher pay. John Cardone becomes the morning PA announcer, the Football coach, and the Teen Center director in order to achieve tenure and survive financially.

Here is 1/2 of the script from, “Don’t Be Square.”

(This script is protected from copying by the Western Screenwriters Association.)

•  TEASER 1 INT. BUSINESS EDUCATION CLASSROOM- DAY 1 The school bell rings and students begin to enter into Business class 210 on the second floor of Cucamonga Junior High School. The teacher is Mr. RALPH NEWTON(60s), early 60s,, a grey haired, thin build, Business Education teacher. He stands in the doorway smiling at the students as they enter. Ralph is an ‘Old School’ teacher who is slow, and methodical with his students. He follows the textbook exactly with his New York Brooklyn accent, and expressions like ‘yous guys.’ He is dressed in a white shirt, tie and brown slacks with dress shoes.
• Suddenly, an Assistant Principal, SAM KELP(50S),short stocky, crew cut hair style appears at the classroom door. SAM is a career assistant principal having been passed over for Principal several times. After a short Hello with RALPH he walks into the classroom.
• SAM KELP(50S) Good morning Mr. Newton, how are you doing today? RALPH NEWTON(60S) You’re here again? You evaluated me the beginning of the month, and SUE BLACKBERG,30s, the other assistant Principal, came in last week to evaluate me. I have tenure and there should only be one evaluation a year.(Showing a distressed face)
• SAM KELP Well, we felt there was a need for a follow-up, since your previous evaluations had to many “needs to improve ratings.” RALPH NEWTON It seems to me you are exceeding your authority as assistant Principal in over-evaluating a tenured teacher in just one month.
• SAM KELP You are entitled to your opinion Mr. Newton.
• RALPH NEWTON Ok, class lets sit down in your assigned seats. Take out your textbook, and your homework. If you remember your assignment was to set up a small company called the Cucamonga Pet Feed Store. Your were to set up a budget, and starting inventory based on the numbers provided in your textbook. Billy how much did you provide for grain for horses and goats?
• BILL GOLDBERG (13) $5,000 dollars Mr. Newton.
• RALPH NEWTON That is right BILL(13). Good job. SUZY(13) can you tell me how many bales of hay you are projecting to sell this month in your store?
• SUZY SMITZ (13) (SUZY is a small 13 year old blond with a pony tail and rimless glasses) I anticipate that with $3,000 in hay bales purchased that I will have to sell 60 bales of hay at $50 dollars a piece.
• RALPH NEWTON Well, there is a problem Suzy. If you buy the hay for $3,000 and you sell 60 bales of hay that will give you $3,000 back. Where is the profit Suzy?
• SUZY SMITZ I do not know, Mr. Newton
• RALPH NEWTON Does anyone else have an idea how to make a profit on the hay bales if you paid $3,000 for 60 bales of hay?
• ROGER WHITE (13) (Raising his hand) (Roger is a nerd, tall 5’9” with light brown hair cut short) Just add 50% profit to each bale of hay as a profit margin, so instead of selling each bale for $50 (what you paid for the bale) you add $25 dollars per bale.
• RALPH NEWTON So what would the profit be Roger?
• ROGER WHITE (13) I figure 60 bales of hay at $75 each would equal $4,500 total or $1500 in profit on the hay sales. RALPH NEWTON That is correct Roger, nice work. Does everyone understand that you have to make a profit to stay in business? Are there any questions?
• SAM KELP Excuse me Mr. Newton what does selling Hay have to do with Business today?
• RALPH NEWTON Excuse me, I don’t understand your question. What do you mean Business today?
• SAM KELP Well, these students are obviously not farmers. Why are they working on a business problem for a farmer? Why not a gas station or a movie house?
• RALPH NEWTON Because that is the scenario the text book provides.
• SAM KELP Oh, I see you could not modify the text book scenario to apply to suburban businesses? RALPH NEWTON I don’t see how it makes a difference. A profit for a business is the same regardless whether it is for a farmer or a movie owner. 3.
• SAM KELP I beg to differ with you Mr. Newton. Perhaps if you were more up to date with your examples the more students would be signing up for Business Education classes instead of signing up for Yearbook instead.
• RALPH NEWTON Well I (suddenly Ralph’s face looks distorted. He pauses and He reaches for his heart with a gesture of pain on his face, and falls down on the floor).
• SUZY SMITZ Oh my God, I think he is having a heart attack. Do something Mr. Kelp.
• RALPH NEWTON Someone run to the Nurse quickly and tell them Mr. Newton fell down and is not breathing.
• ROGER WHITE I’ll run and get the Nurse.
• SAM KELP (Sam never gets out of his chair to check on Mr. Newton) Everyone stay in your seat. The Nurse will be here shortly, and she will know what to do. Muriel Watson, School Nurse’s office is two classrooms away from room 210 and the Nurse is there in minutes.
• MURIEL WATSON(40S) (School nurse)(Muriel wears the white uniform of a Nurse, she has brown hair with a little bit of grey showing, she wears glassed with dark rims, and is slightly overweight at 5’6” tall) What happened Mr. Kelp?
• SAM KELP He was teaching and all of a sudden got dizzy, grabbed his chest, and fell to the ground. I think he may have had a heart attack? 4.
• MURIEL WATSON Let me check his vital signs. I am not getting a pulse. He isn’t breathing. I am going to have to call for an ambulance. Meanwhile, I will give him CPR to see if that will work.
• SAM KELP What every you need to do Muriel. I am going to go and tell the Principal Mr. Woorley. (Sam Leaves the room)
• MRS. GREY(40s) Is Mr. WOORLEY(60S) is his office? CUT TO: INT. MAIN OFFICE OF CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH-DAY. Sam Kelp rushes to Principal Woorley’s office to tell him the bad news. He is overreacting because he knows he is partially responsible for causing Ralph Newton to have a heart attack in his classroom.
• MRS. GREY (40S) He is busy on the phone right now. Is it important Mr. Kelp?
• SAM KELP Yes, tell him it is an emergency.
• MRS. GREY All right I will tell Mr. Woorley that you have an important thing to tell him.
• SAM KELP Thank you Mrs. Grey. I will wait here until he comes out. (Sam gestures toward a chair in the main office). MRS. GREY Mr. Woorley is off the phone and he says he will see you now Mr. Kelp.
• SAM KELP Thank you Mrs. Grey. (Sam enters Principal Woorley’s office) 5.
• SAM KELP (CONT’D) Ned, we have a problem. I was following up on your orders to harass Mr. Newton with constant evaluations today. While I was in the classroom, Mr. Newton had a heart attack, and I think he died. Do you think anyone will hold us accountable for his death?
• NED WOORLEY(60S) What happened? He had a heart attack? Well what the hell does that have to do with us? You tell
• SUE BLACKBERG(30s)to keep her mouth shut. Get Mr. Newton’s personnel file, and destroy the evaluations you guys did this month. We don’t want to leave any evidence that we were intentionally trying to force a teacher to retire. Have you got that Sam?(Ned’s face was a combination of fear and anger).
• SAM KELP Yes Sir, you are the boss. We better cover our asses or there will be hell to pay. The Superintendent will want to know all the details, and the Union of course will get their two cents into the situation. We need to try and downplay the situation so teachers don’t go around pointing fingers at us.
• NED WOORLEY Right you are Sam. Let’s get on it right away, and I will call the Superintendent of Schools. Sam Woodruff is not going to like this one bit. Mrs. Grey call Mr. Woodruff for me on the phone. MRS. GREY Yes Sir, right away. (Several minutes later) Mr. Woorley, I have Mr. Woodruff, the Superintendent of Schools on the phone. Pick up on line 2. 6.
• SAM WOODRUFF (60S) Good Morning Ned. What can I do for you?
• NED WOORLEY We have a situation Sam. A teacher just had a heart attack in his classroom.
• SAM WOODRUFF That is most unfortunate. Why is it a situation?
• NED WOORLEY Well, It might appear that I was trying to get Mr. Ralph Newton to retire by stressing him out with poor evaluations.
• SAM WOODRUFF So what is wrong with giving him the legal annual evaluation?
• NED WOORLEY The problem is, I instructed my assistant principals to evaluate him every week this month to pressure him into retiring.
• SAM WOODRUFF Really? Are you freaking crazy, Four evaluations in one month. Is that a national record for evaluations for a teacher? You stupid fool. How are you going to protect the district from being sued? And most of all how are you going to prevent the Union from going ballistic when they get a whiff of this teacher harassment? Boy, you got us into a real bad situation?
• NED WOORLEY I have instructed my assistant principal, Sam Kelp, to destroy the evaluations forms in RALPH’s personnel file so that the Teachers Union cannot get copies of his evaluations. If they request them or find that we did four evaluations in one month, there will be no written evidence. 7.
• SAM WOODRUFF Well that may help, but it may not work if his wife or anyone else has a copy of his past evaluations or if he told any colleagues of getting so many surprise evaluations. Let me ask the district lawyers what their advice is. I will get back to you today. Meanwhile, sit tight and keep your mouth shut.
• NED WOORLEY Yes Sir, I will try to downplay the whole incident. I will contact his wife, and express my condolences and express to the faculty how sorry we lost a great teacher. Good bye. (NED WOORLEY is seen looking out his office window and reflecting) FADE OUT. (End of Teaser)
• ACT ONE 3 INT. MAIN OFFICE OF CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL-DAY
• Standing behind the Public address system in the right hand corner of the main office is JOHN CARDONE(20s) an explosive speaker, full of enthusiasm and sarcasm. JOHN is a Social Studies teacher that should have been a disc jockey. He is an Italian guy with thinning hair on top, and he wears horn rimmed glasses. JOHN is a teacher like no other teacher. He is sympathetic to his students. He takes the time to ask his students how they doing. He is a real caring person with a positive attitude, no matter what the situation. He is friends with everyone in the school in just his first year. He has more energy than a gang of teachers, and is always doing something to keep busy. JOHN can imitate anyone, actors, fellow friends, and famous people. He is man who tells jokes, makes up funny stories, and is always making people feel good. He is dressed in a “spiffie” sports jacket, tie and slacks. JOHN is the “Voice of Cucamonga Junior High school,” who makes the morning daily announcements every day. JOHN is the main character of this ACT ONE. JOHN CARDONE (20S)
• Good Morning Cucamonga Junior High School. (Announced in the manner Robin Williams used in the movie,”Good Morning Vietnam.” Loud and with great emphasis on dragging out the Gooooood Mornnnning part). It is with the greatest sadness that we take a moment of silence for the passing of a beloved teacher, Mr. Ralph Newton, who died of a heart attack in his classroom yesterday. Our condolences go out to his family. He will be greatly missed. Now onto a brighter note, the Cucamonga Junior High Tigers Football team , squashed The Panthers from North Junior High School yesterday with a score of 32- 7. Let’s give a big hand for DANNY MATHERS(14) who scored two running touchdowns! 9. On another note: Students are reminded that mid-term exams are coming in several weeks. Please check the assigned test room schedule on the Guidance bulletin board. This years Faculty Basketball team will feature Rick the Runner, who never graduated from Syracuse, Don “The Tree Lee,” Mel “The Mauler” Schwartz, Bill “the bomber Medley, Sam the stomper Steinfeld, and Joe the Jumper Bigone. Tickets are on sale now for the annual Student vs. Faculty basketball game which raises money for the Student Yearbook fund. The Cafeteria staff wish to announce that personal pizzas will be on sale during lunch from now on. An automatic Pizza oven machine has been purchased, and will be used to crank out those delicious Pizzas. Remember “Don’t be Square.” That’s all for today. This is your announcer Johnny C. Signing off.
•  INT. CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SMALL GYMNASIUM-DAY 4 The scene opens with the school bell ringing, and students seen running through the gym doors slamming the doors and running into the locker-rooms. After quickly dressing in the boys lockerroom, the boys all run into the back gymnasium where the sound of shouts, and doors slamming echo off the walls and ceiling.
• Standing in front of the class is a tall 6ft. 5 inches tall Physical Education Teacher dressed in grey pants with a blue stripe down the sides, a golf shirt with CUCAMONGA JHS Phys. Ed. Embroidered on the left of the shirt. He has white high top basketball sneakers on and a lanyard hanging around his neck with dozens of keys with a whistle also attached. WALT has light brown hair in a crew cut style. This is WALT WILLEY(20s) CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER and FOOTBALL coach.(Coach Willey was a star Basketball player at Ithaca College in upstate New York and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education). 10.
• Meanwhile, in the lockerroom BILL MEDLEY, the other PHYSICAL EDUCATION Teacher who is 6 feet talk, and trim and muscular with light blonde hair in a crew cut. He is wearing the same Instructor pants of grey with a blue stripe down the side, white addidas sneakers, a red T-shirt saying Springfield College, and a lanyard handing around his neck with many keys and a high pitch whistle. He is shouting for the boys to hurray up, and get dressed and lock up their lockers after they are done. The Second late school bell rings, and almost all of the boys are milling around the back gymnasium waiting for the shrilling blast of the teacher’s whistle. Suddenly, the whistle burst out hurting everyone’s ears.
• WALT WILLEY (20S) (Shouting to be heard above the noise) Line up, and sit on your attendance squads. Any medical notes bring them up now. If you have a mommies now, take it to the Nurse immediately, and have her approve the note and bring it back to me asap.
• BILL MEDLEY (20S) (Speaking to WALT WILLEY) Alright WALT, the lockerroom is cleared. All the students are in the gym.
• WALT WILLEY Squad one are there any absences? No. OK, Squad Two, any absences? Yes B2 is absent, That is JAMES FISHLY. Squad c absences..
• BILL MEDLEY While Coach Willey is taking attendance let’s all stand up, and get ready for Jumping Jacks. Ready, begin 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, Stop. Pushups, assume the position on the floor, 10 pushups, (pause) Ready begin, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 WALT WILLEY COACH MEDLEY I have all the attendance and medical notes. We are ready for sit-ups. Class, buddy up with someone in your squad, one person will be on their back, and the other partner will be holding their straight legs. Sit-ups ready begin, 1,2,3,4,5,….10. Stop. 11.
• BILL MEDLEY You know Walt we have too many students in this class. I count 101 students total. The class limit is 45 per teacher, which would be only 80 students. I passed SAM FELDSTEINS’S class in the big gym and he has only 22 students.
• WALT WILLEY Yeah, I was thinking about that too. Maybe it is because we are new teachers that we have these overloaded classes?
• BILL MEDLEY Exactly what I was thinking. How do we control the noise level in this small gym. I cannot blow the whistle every two seconds, when the noise level gets too high. We need to come up with a solution. WALT WILLEY Exactly, I cannot hear my own voice in this small gym with 100 screaming 7th and 8th graders. Let’s take the class outside where the noise level will be lower.
• BILL MEDLEY Good idea Coach. Let’s do it.(Shouting to the Gym Class). Class, we are going out today. The weather is still in the high 50’s, so it is still good weather for Flag Football. Exit the gym by the back doors on the left and the right, and follow us up the hill to the Football field. Ready, Move out.
• WALT WILLEY See you at the top of the field coach. (The double size class of 101 male students rush out of the gym with an ear defying roar with the safety bars on the doors slamming open and closed. All 101 students begin jogging up the 60 degree hill behind the Cucamonga JHS gymnasium. On the top of the hill, unseen from the bottom of the hill, is a full-sized Football field that the regular 9th 12. grade Football team plays their games.
• CUT TO: 7 EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD ON THE TOP OF THE HILL-DAY
• From high up on the football field the two Physical Education teacher look down on the Soccer field where a small gym class is playing Soccer. BILL MEDLEY Hey Coach Willey, look down there on the soccer field. What do you see?
• WALT WILLEY I see a small group of students playing Soccer. Yeah, is it SAM FELDSTEIN’S gym class?
• BILL MEDLEY Yeah, He has all the 9th graders, all 22 of them, and we have 101, 7th and 8th graders. What is wrong with that picture? I have a headache after this class every time we work with them, because the noise is so loud in the small gym.
• WALT WILLEY We need to come up with a solution in controlling this large class. They don’t even listen to the whistle, no matter how many times I blow it, till my ears are ringing.
• BILL MEDLEY (Shouting to the PE Class), one lap around the field and then we will line up in squads to practice centering the ball, quarterbacking and receiving the ball. The pass patterns we are going to work on are the button-hook pattern, and the square out or square in pattern. First to finish the run gets the football for the first squad.
• WALT WILLEY Hey Bill did you hear about Ralph Newton? (MORE) 13. He had a heart attack right in his classroom. Sam Kelp the assistant principal was evaluating him at the time. Some students in his class said that Ralph had more than one evaluation that month and that may have caused the stress on Ralph’s Heart.
• BILL MEDLEY That is very sad to hear. I like the man. We talked once in a while in the teachers cafeteria. He had been working for this district for 32 years. I imagine the Teachers Union is looking into the administrators role in his heart attack?
• CUT TO: 9 INT. TEACHER LUNCH ROOM-DAY
• JOHN CARDONE has early lunch, period 3. He has brought a bag lunch from home, and is looking for a table to sit at when he sees SAM MOONSKI(50S) the Science department chairman, and Chief Building Rep for the Teachers Union, He is sitting alone in the corner of the room at a table gesturing for JOHN to come over and join him. SAM was a heavy set Jewish guy with thin reddish hair, and a light beard. His large nose stuck our like a chimney, and was his most recognizable facial feature.
• JOHN CARDONE Good morning Mr. Moonski.
• SAM MOONSKI(50S) Actually, it is almost afternoon John. How are you doing? Have a seat.
• JOHN CARDONE Thanks. I have to get used to eating lunch so early in the day at 11:05.
• SAM MOONSKI Yes, the three period lunch system is a pain but with nearly 1,000 students attending Cucamonga Junior High, we have no choice but to break up the lunch periods by grade level.
• JOHN CARDONE I was wondering how did this school get the ridiculous name Cucamonga? The first time I saw the name, I could not pronounce it properly. (Laughing).
• SAM MOONSKI Well the truth is that the South Junior high students who knew they were getting split between South Junior high, and the new Junior high, got the opportunity to pick the name of the new building to make them like it a little more. The choices in the vote were, Central Junior High, Eisenhower Junior High, and Cucamonga Junior High. The students hated the idea of having to go to another Junior High so much, that they all picked the local Indian name of Cucamonga, because they hated the name. Oh, well?
• JOHN CARDONE That is a funny story. Do you have any more gems about this school?
• SAM MOONSKI Do I ever? Did you know that when they opened the school in September of 1960 the school construction was not finished yet, and the seats for the auditorium had not arrived.
• JOHN CARDONE So what did the Superintendent of Schools do?
• SAM MOONSKI He did not have a lot of choices. He could tell 600 parents and students that they could not attend school for several weeks while, other students were already in school or he had to come up with an alternative plan.
• JOHN CARDONE So what was the plan?
• SAM MOONSKI The Superintendent decided to forgo the Certificate of Occupancy inspection by the building inspector until the last five classrooms were finished, and the auditorium filled with seats. He took a chance and opened the school with construction still going on during the day. I heard they paid off the building inspector, not to inspect the building until all the construction was completed.
• JOHN CARDONE Did that plan work?
• SAM MOONSKI At least we did not have to postpone the opening date and have teachers, students, and parents in a waiting mode. The downside of that decision was it was impossible to be heard in the classrooms when the electric saws started in or hammering on walls. Teachers complained, but eventually they learned a sort of sign language during the noise. Students were patient when teachers had to hand out ditto flyers of notes almost every class. It took four weeks to finish the school properly.
• JOHN CARDONE That’s amazing. I’ll bet it was a real stressful time for everyone involved.
• SAM MOONSKI One other thing John, as you know I am the Chief Building rep for the Teachers Union. What have you heard about Ralph Newton?
• JOHN CARDONE Funny you should mention that. I heard some of my students taking about Ralph being a great teacher, and that an administrator came ever week in the past month to evaluate him. Is that legal?
• SAM MOONSKI No, it isn’t legal. A tenured teacher gets only one announced evaluation a year. We heard that Ralph had four unannounced evaluations in one month which is a violation of the Union contract. Now we have to prove it and the administrators seem to have hidden all the evidence.
• JOHN CARDONE I find it hard to believe. Ralph was a great teacher from the old school of thinking, but still effective with his classes. Thanks for the stories Mr. Woorley. I have a class to run to. See you around.
• CUT TO: 10 INT. BACK SCHOOL HALLWAY-DAY
• It was the first semester of 7th grade for student PERRY GENOVESE(12). Perry had graduated from Oakwood Elementary school, and was looking forward to coming to Cucamonga Junior High school because it had the only gymnastic team in the county. Perry was only 4 ft. 10 inches tall, and undersized for a 12 year old boy. He was however, a great athlete who loved to run, tumble or wrestle. Perry’s closest friend from Elementary school was a black student called ALFRADEO DONELSON(12).
• PERRY GENOVESE (12) (Talking to his buddy Alfredo Donelson in the school hallway) My daily schedule in 7th grade wasn’t too bad. I have Mr. Padua, the fat guy first period for English, Mr. Runner for Science second period Health Education with Mr. Weizner, Lunch 4th period, Social Studies with Mr. Cardone; Wood Shop period 6, Ms. Betty Strong for Music chorus, and Ms. Highcastle for Math last period 8.
• ALFREDO DONELSON (12) Yea, you and I are together only period 5 and 8. I even put in for my schedule early in the summer and I did not get what I wanted. 17.
• PERRY GENOVESE When I first walked into Mr. Padua’s class for English I noticed the hard candies he had on his desk. When I looked closer at the candies I noticed that they has all melted and stuck together in one big clump. ALFRADO DONELSON I heard about those candies from some other students who have him for English. The word is don’t ever try to eat one of his candies.
• PERRY GENOVESE What about Mr. Cardone? He was always wearing hair wigs to class to make the effect of a Revolutionary soldier. He even pretended to be George Washington in several classes. He had me in stitches. I signed up for crosscountry last week. You should join us on the team Al. I know you like running and you are a good runner. ALFRADO DONELSON I didn’t get Mr. Cardone for a teacher, I got Mr. TOPOVER, and all he talks about is when he was a part-time State Trooper in the summers at Harriman State Park.
• PERRY GENOVESE You know the Coach of the Crosscountry team is the same guy who coaches the Gymnastic Team. His name is Coach Medley. I have him for 3rd period for Phys. Ed. You should talk to him Al. Remember when he came to your elementary school, and did a Gymnastic Exhibition? You said you loved it. Cross country goes from September to November, and Gymnastics starts in November and ends in March.
• ALFRADO DONELSON OK, I will talk to him today to sign up for Cross country. (MORE) 18. We will have a blast running for the same team.
• CUT TO: 11 INT. GYMNASIUM AT CUCAMONGA JHS, PHYS.ED. MEN’S OFFICE-DAY.
• The men’s office had two desks crowded into one room with a bathroom off to the side. The walls are concrete over cinderblocks, very Spartan looking. A large metal cage sits on the floor full of basketballs, soccer balls, and Footballs. A bulletin board is behind the door with announcements on it and a calendar with the days for team games home and away. Overall the room is messy with cleats on the floor, dirty shirts handing from a coat rack, papers all over the desks, and red Delaney attendance books stacked on the desks.
• BILL MEDLEY Hey Walt, I have an idea how we can control that overcrowded gym class. Why don’t we pull out the trouble makers and have them exercise all period while the rest of the class goes outdoors?
• WALT WILLEY That will never work Bill. I attended Catholic School when I was a kid and those Nuns put up with nothing. Discipline was their middle name. When we were too noisy the Nuns would yell kneel and we all hit the ground faster than the speed of light because anyone standing got punished by holding water buckets for long periods of time with your arms held horizontal to the ground.
• BILL MEDLEY How is that going to work for us?
• WALT WILLEY Simple, when we blow the whistle we will have everyone go down on one knee or genuflect. Those that were still standing will do 25 pushups in front of the class. Peer pressure will work in addition to conditioned response.
• BILL MEDLEY Walt you are a genius. We will try your approach at the next class. I am sure in no time we will have that class as quiet as Sam’s class of 22 students.
• CUT TO: 13 INT. SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN’S OFFICE
• FRED TOPOVER(50S) the Social Studies Department chairman is sitting behind his grey desk talking to JOHN CARDONE regarding JOHN’s first classroom evaluation.
• FRED TOPOVER(50S) John I have completed your first class evaluation, and I have some points that need improvement. JOHN CARDONE (Angerly) I noticed you cited me for having students sitting on the radiator. Do you realize that the class only has 32 chairs and tables, and you allowed the enrollment to go to 35 students. The is 3 over the contract limit with the Union.
• FRED TOPOVER I realize that John, but I have to make mention of it to get the administration to transfer three students out of that class. If I don’t cite you for the problem, they will say there is no problem.
• JOHN CARDONE Why did you put I needed improvement on student engagement? I do presentations in costume for my classes, but you missed all of them. I have a debate between Lincoln and Douglas arranged with Mr. Lee, and his Social Studies class also.
• FRED TOPOVER Well, I have yet to see any of those demonstrations in your class.
• JOHN CARDONE Tell you what Fred, you come in next Wednesday to my 4th period 7th grade on-level class, and you will see one of my demonstrations of General George Washington telling the class about the British chasing him out of Brooklyn Heights and his retreat to the upper Bronx to Fort Washington, then to Fort Lee and finally to the backwoods of New Jersey chased by General Howe British Army.
• FRED TOPOVER OK, John, I will take you up on your challenge. I have not seen you do any of this historical demonstrations that you claim you do on a regular basic. JOHN CARDONE Next Wednesday, then I will see you 4th period.
• CUT TO: 16 EXT. CUCAMONGA JHS SOCCER FIELD-DAY.
• Student PERRY GENOVESE(12)(PERRY is a short 5ft. tall Student with light brown hair, and a gritty Italian attitude. His mother is divorced, and he has a chip on his shoulder) and his black friend ALFREDO DONELSON(12)(AL is the son of a TEACHER from the SOUTH who moved to New York for a better life. He is a scrawny kid with short black hair, and horn rimmed glasses with a piece of tape on one hinge of the glasses. They are out on the Soccer field during lunch recess when a school alarm goes off. It is not the usual school bell, but a fog horn like sound. An announcement comes over the PA system which could be hear outdoors. It is Mr. Woorley the school Principal.
• NED WOORLEY May I have you attention please. This is not a drill. I repeat this is not a drill. (MORE) 21. Teachers and students and staff, please stop what you are doing and leave the building following the Fire Drill signs in the hallway. Go to the nearest exit and leave the building in a quiet and orderly fashion. Teachers line up you classes as far away from the building as possible out on the Soccer field or at the side entrance to the school grounds. I repeat this is not a drill. PERRY GENOVESE What do you think that is all about Al?
• ALFRADO DONELSON I think it is a Fire drill or something? PERRY GENOVESE Yeah, I guess you are right. Here come all the classes marching out onto the Soccer field. Now we have no room to play Soccer. Oh, well. JOHN CARDONE and RICK RUNNER walk their classes out onto the Soccer field and instruct their students to be quiet during the drill. RICK(20s) is a short stocky guy with a short haircut and cleanshaven face. His hair is a dark brown with brown eyes. JOHN CARDONE (Shouting to another teacher RICK RUNNER) Hey, Rick what is going on?
• RiCK RUNNER (20s) I think it is a Fire drill however they use the school bell for a fire drill. Maybe it is a bomb scare again?
• JOHN CARDONE A bomb scare? Are you kidding?
• RICK RUNNER No, we get several fake bomb scares a month. You are new. You will see what a pain in the neck they are in disrupting classes and wasting valuable time.
• JOHN CARDONE Do they ever catch these guys?
• RICK RUNNER No, not yet. They try to trace the call but the caller usually uses a pay phone and then runs. Someday they will figure out how to nail them and this fake bomb scare crap will be history.
• JOHN CARDONE (Seeing PERRY GENOVESE on the field JOHN CARDONE yells out) Hey Perry how are you doing? PERRY GENOVESE I am doing good, Mr. Cardone. What is going on a fire drill?
• JOHN CARDONE No, a Bomb scare we think. An administrator will come around at some point in a golf cart, and tell us what is going on and when we can re-enter the building.
• PERRY GENOVESE OK, thanks Mr. Cardone
• CUT TO: 18 EXT. IN THE GYMNASIUM LOCKER-ROOMS THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION 18 TEACHERS HAVE TO SEARCH ALL THE LOCKERS IN FOUR LOCKER ROOMs-DAY.
• The school district bomb policy is that the custodians remain in the building, and search the hall lockers which they have the master keys to. The Physical Education teachers are the only personnel that have the Master Keys to all the locks in the Physical Education Boys, and Girls locker rooms so they have to remain in the building and search for a bomb in the lockerrooms. The custodians search the halls by school policy and the Physical Education Teachers search the Locker rooms.
• SAM FELDSTEIN (Standing in the Phys. Ed. Men’s office) Listen everybody it is our job to make sure the locker rooms are free from any hidden bombs. If you hear something ticking in a locker use your master key and open the locker. (MORE) 23. Be careful in case the door is wired to the bomb. Check all the unlocked lockers where anyone could just put a bomb, and run away. We have to complete this task in 20 minutes or less. Paper bags, gym bags and towels are all suspect.
• WALT WILLEY I will take the back locker room first.
• NORA NEWSON (20S) (Nora is a tall 6”1” female Phys. Ed. Teacher with thick rim eye glasses and thick dark brown hair. She is wearing a light blue sweat shirt and pants matching outfit with black sneakers and a lanyard around her neck with three keys and a whistle). Shelly and I will cover both of the girls locker rooms. If we fall behind in finishing we will call one of you men to come over and help us out.
• BILL MEDLEY Sam you and I will take the front locker room since it is the largest locker room with the most locks.
• SAM FELDSTEIN Well, lets do it. Come on
• BILL BILL MEDLEY Watch out for the sharp edges of the locker doors you can get cut Sam. I am going down the first aisle. Nothing yet. We are clear. The second isle is next. Something smells in this locker so I am going to open it. Phew, someone left a sandwich, and it rotted with mold on it. Over on the other side of the gym where the girls lockers are located.
• NORA NEWSON I hate that we have to risk our necks looking for a bomb. I would not know a bomb if I fell over it.
• SHELLY BLATT (50S) (Shelly is an older woman with grey hair, dressed in high heels and a skirt and blouse. She does not look anything like a Phys. Ed. Teacher and is not wearing a whistle. She is her late 50’s) Laughing, your right NORA what the hell are we doing looking for a bomb. What administrator thought that would be a good idea. The first time a Physical Education teacher gets blown up will be the last time they use PE teachers to search for bombs. Back to the men in the boys locker rooms.
• WALT WILLEY (Sweating) (Talking to himself) Gotta be fast, gotta be calm. Open this door and that one, and the other, Nothing so far. Please let there be no bomb. What if I find something with wires hanging out of it?
• BILL MEDLEY (Yelling into the back locker room) Walt are you all right back there? Find anything?
• WALT WILLEY (Yelling back) I haven’t found anything yet. I will keep you informed.
• SAM FELDSTEIN BILL, I think I hear something ticking inside this locker. Come over here and listen, what do you think? It sounds like a clock. Should we open it?
• BILL MEDLEY Go for it SAM, I will stand outside. Only kidding. Let’s open it slowly.
• SAM FELDSTEIN (Sam opens the lock with his master key, then slowly opens the door to the locker. It is a wristwatch, and a loud one at that. (MORE) 25. Someone’s football uniform is in here too. I guess the kid forgot to put his watch back on. I’ll lock it up again. Keep looking. Over on the other side of the gym in the girls locker room the two women keep searching for the bomb.
• NORA NEWSON (Speaking to Shelly) Shelly, 15 minutes already. We only have five minutes left, should I call one of the men to come over, and help us?
• SHELLY BLATT No NORA, I am almost done, how about you?
• NORA NEWSON Just a few more lockers that are open. Maybe we can get done on time. My heart is racing. This is really stressful. I don’t like bombs. (Laughing nervously) Back over on the Men’s side of the gym in the boys locker room. BILL MEDLEY Time is up SAM, let’s get the hell out of here. I found nothing suspicious, how about you?
• SAM FELDSTEIN I am clear, WALT shut it down, and lets go. We are out of here. Hurray.
• BILL MEDLEY (Yelling across the gym to the two women)
• NORA and SHELLY, we are done are you guys done? Let’s get out of here now. All five of the Physical Education teaching staff run out of the building using the side door, and breath a sign of relief that they did not find anything.
• Meanwhile assistant Principal SAM KELP is driving a golf cart around the building to make sure all the classes are lined up and quiet outside the building.
• SAM KELP Listen everybody, this is a bomb drill. We had a threat over the phone, and have to act according to protocol. When the alarm horn sounds again you can re-enter the building. Thank you for you cooperation. (The loud fog horn sound blasts inside and outside the school building minutes later)
• RICK RUNNER (Standing out on the Soccer field with his class) Well it looks like our bomb scare is over and the entire period is wasted. Back to our classrooms.
• JOHN CARDONE (Standing next to RICK) Yeah, another wasted period. What a shame they cannot catch these pranksters?
• CUT TO: 22 INT. JOHN CARDONE’S CLASSROOM ON WEDNESDAY, DAY.
• It is fourth period for the “On level” 7th grade Social studies class.
• FRED TOPOVER(50S), the Department chairman is sitting in to observe JOHN CARDONE do one of his Historical recreations for the students. John enters the classroom after the students are seated with a white wig on his head and a jacket similar to the kind worn during the Revolutionary War by the Colonists army. The class begins laughing out loud.
• JOHN CARDONE Good morning ladies and gentlemen. My name is General George Washington, and I am in charge of the Continental Army who are fighting General Howe’s British Army. The Continental Army just pushed the British soldiers, and dependents out of Boston on March 17, 1776. (MORE) 27. The 11 month siege of Boston is over and the British have left Boston with 120 ships for their Military base in Halifax, Nova Scotia with nearly 10,000 British troops and over 1,000 dependents or Torys as we call them. I have come to New York to defend the city from the British with General Charles Lee of the Continental Army in charge. Now let’s go around the room, and I want each student to ask me one significant or important question about the military campaign on Long Island, Manhattan, Bronx Heights at Fort Washington, and Fort LEE in New Jersey. My headquarters are in the Archibald Kennedy Mansion at Number 1 Broadway in York Island as you may know. First student to start, the little lady to my right. What is your question ma lady?
• SALLY JAMES(13) How many troops did you have in New York and Long Island, General Washington in 1776?
• JOHN CARDONE Good question ma lady. We have 19,000 colonial troops. I split the Continental Army into fortified positions in Brooklyn on Long Island, and in Manhattan, with some held in reserve in the so called “Flying Camp,” in Northern New Jersey, to be deployed when the British attacked New York.
• PERRY GENOVESE (12) General Washington how many troops did the British have?
• JOHN CARDONE Another excellent question young man.
• JOHN CARDONE “Let me see, according to our spies the British had 400 ships with 1200 cannons, and 10,000 sailors under the command of Admiral Lord Richard Howe, and they anchored in New York Harbor on August 13, 1776. On land more than 32,000 British and Hessian troops were under the command of the Admiral Howe’s brother General Sir William Howe. Hessian troops are hired German mercenaries WALTER JAMESON (13) Who won the battle of Long Island on August 22-30, 1776?
• JOHN CARDONE Sadly, we lost the Long Island campaign because we made a mistake, and allowed Howe’s troops to flank our troops by passing through the Jamaica pass.
• SUSAN HOLD (13) My question is similar to Walter’s question. What did you do after the British had you surrounded on Long Island?
• JOHN CARDONE Realizing we had made some big mistakes, and Howe’s army outnumbered us, we fled on August 28th and 29th during a heavy night fog, by boat to Manhattan. I commandeered every available boat and raft I could find.
• RONALD HAYES (13) Where did the Continental Army go after reaching Manhattan?
• JOHN CARDONE We fled to Fort Washington in the Bronx heights, but Howe’s army followed us there and we eventually had to retreat across the Hudson river to Fort Lee on the palisades of the river. The class went on for the full 50 minutes with
• JOHN CARDONE posing as General George Washington answering each and every  question the student put forth. Mr. FRED TOPOVER the Social Studies chairperson was impressed with his evaluation of JOHN and he changed his initial evaluation to all points good.)
• (The school bell rings and the class gets up and leaves.
• FRED TOPOVER Well JOHN you proved me wrong. That was an excellent historical demonstration. You are well versed in all the facts surrounding General George Washington, and the class was well engaged in asking questions to try and trick you. I am going to change your first evaluation to all Good marks. Thanks you JOHN it has been a pleasure.
• CUT TO: 24 INT. SAM MOONSKI’S, CHIEF BUILDING REP, SCIENCE PREP ROOM, DAY.
• The Prep room is a dull looking room with no windows with a desk in the middle of piles of boxes, Chemistry sets and Biology charts around the room.
• SAM MOONSKI (50S) (Talking to RICH RUNNER, Science Teacher, and PAUL PADUA(50s) English teacher.
• PAUL PADUA is a 400 pound over-weight teacher who is also a Union Rep.) RICK and PAUL, I think we have a problem with the Ralph Newton situation. The Teachers Union has requested the evaluation forms for Ralph Newton from the administration. We have been told there are no evaluation forms in RALPH’s personnel file. This leads us to believe the files have been destroyed to cover up their harassment of Ralph Newton.
• RICK RUNNER I have heard, as well as other teachers have heard, from Ralph’s students, that different administrator came in to evaluate Ralph several times in one month.
• PAUL PADUA (50S) How are we going to prove the administration harassed Ralph into having a heart attack?
• SAM MOONSKI Well we tried the normal channels by making a formal request for his personnel file. Now it is up to the State Teachers Union Lawyers, and whether they want to bring a law suit against the administrators, namely Ned Woorley, Sue Blackberg, and Sam Kelp and the School District as a whole.
• RICK RUNNER What does the Superintendent of Schools Mr. Woodruff have to say?
• SAM MOONSKI He denies everything. He said he had no knowledge of Principal Woorley breaking Union laws by evaluating a tenured teacher more than once a year. We of course do no believe him. Proving he is lying is another problem.
• RICK RUNNER Where is there justice for Ralph? What about his family, his wife and grown children?
• SAM MOONSKI It will all have to play out in court if the Teacher Union Lawyers can get any evidence to prove their case. Time will tell.
• FADE OUT. 26 INT. MAIN OFFICE OF CUCAMONGA JHS-DAY
• Two months later a gentlemen shows up in the main office asking for Ned Woorsley. Mrs. Grey tells the stranger the Principal is busy at the moment. The stranger said he will wait.
• MRS. GREY (40s) What did you say your name was again Sir?
• MR. BILL ADDISON(40s) My name is BILL ADDISON and I am from Smith and Laney Law firm.
• MRS. GREY Mr. Woorley will see you now. Go right in.
• BILL ADDISON Mr. Ned Woorley?
• NED WOORLEY Yes, how can I help you?
• BILL ADDISON Consider yourself served Mr. Woorley. You have thirty days to respond or your lawyer to respond in Supreme Court in New City, New York. Thank you (Mr. Addison walks out before Mr. Woorley can say anything).
• NED WOORLEY But, I (Pause) (Mr. Woorley is in shock at being presented with a subpoena for a lawsuit against him, his assistant principals, the Superintend of Schools Mr. Woodruff And the School District for the Wrongful Death of Ralph Newton). MRS. GREY What did he give you Mr. Woorley?
• NED WOORLEY A subpoena! (Shocked look on his face)
• FADE OUT. INT. BACK GYM OF CUCAMONGA JHS-DAY
• BILL MEDLEY AND WALT WILLEY, both PE teachers, have been trying to cope with an oversized Physical Education class of 101 boys. The class limit should be 45 students to one teacher. 80 should have been the maximum number of boys in the class. Guidance over-enrolled 101 students this class period and Coaches MEDLEY AND WILLEY- are stuck with them.
• WALT WILLEY All right class, let’s quiet down.
• Coach MEDLEY, and myself have discussed how to get this overcrowded class to quiet down, therefore, beginning today when we blow out whistle in the gym, everyone is to go down on one knee. Anyone still standing will get to do 25 pushups in front of the class. If you get caught standing two times after the whistle is blown you will receive a zero for the class grade for the day, and you will get to do 50 pushups.
• BILL MEDLEY Let’s practice what Coach Willey is talking about. Everyone stand up please. When I blow the whistle go down on one knee, and remain there on the spot and quiet at the same time. Ready (blows the whistle) Everyone drops to the floor on one knee except two poor souls that did not listen to what Coach Willey said.
• WALT WILLEY You two guys (pointing to two boys standing) did you not hear what I just said. Come up here now. Give me 25 pushups, now. BILL MEDLEY I think we found a solution to our noise problem. The two students assume the starting position and begin their pushups in front of the class.
• BILL MEDLEY Now you see what happens when you don’t pay attention or listen to what is being set. You end up being embarrassed in front of your friends. From that day forward the largest boys gym class in the school had come under control for the first time in months.
• CUT TO: 29 INT. SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM OF JOHN CARDONE-DAY.
• The second school late bell has just rung, and Social Studies teacher John Cardone is standing at the blackboard writing the assignment in chalk on the blackboard. As he turns around, and faces the class, all he sees is a sea of girl’s thighs. Every girl had a mini-skirt on, and it covered very little. From the front of the class all John could see was a crowd of wide-open legs, which was very distracting, trying not to look up, and be distracted. John looked out over his science class only to notice how all the girls were wearing no bras, and their nipples were sticking out through their blouses or they were wearing blouses with the front buttons open down to their waist exposing their cleavage. Junior high girls were very physically advanced, but had no clue how they managed to get the boys hormones pumping. You could almost feel sexual tension in the air.
• JOHN CARDONE Bonnie, in the assigned reading last night you read how General George Washington learned from his mistakes in the 1776 campaign. What mistakes did he make in that campaign on Long Island, Manhattan or the Upper Bronx?
• BONNIE BLATT(13) (A Short, cute red headed girl, with blue eyes wearing a miniskirt) I think he made a mistake in the Battle of Long Island. He should have known that General Howe was known for flanking his enemies in battle, and he should have blocked the Jamaica pass to prevent his troops from being flanked.
• JOHN CARDONE That’s right Bonnie. As he cannot help, but look up Bonnie’s legs to see a pair of white panties.(John tries to look away so as not to be distracted by Bonnie’s legs out in the isle.)(John turns to another students and asks) Bill or WILLIAM (13), (William is a tall student with blond hair cut in a crew cut style with a flat top look) How did General Washington escape from Long Island before British General Howe could surround him?
• WILLIAM STARKEY (12) I don’t know Mr. Cardone.
• JOHN CARDONE Really WILLIAM? OK, JODIE, (A tall Jewish girl with a miniskirt on) JODIE, how about you? Can you answer that question? (Jodie has a skirt on that was so small, it seemed like she had nothing on at all. Fortunately, she had her legs crossed to avoid grossing anyone out.
• JODIE ROTHSTEIN (13) He got all the boats he could and crossed the East River at night in a heavy fog. JOHN CARDONE That is correct JODIE, good job.(Trying to look away from looking up Jodie’s thighs). GAIL can you tell me where the British first landed when they came to New York City?
• GAIL LEVINE (13) I believe they landed on Staten Island, Mr. Cardone.
• JOHN CARDONE Right you are GAIL. They used Staten Island as a base to attack the Continental Army at Brooklyn Heights on Long Island. What mistake did General Howe and his brother Admiral Richard Howe make when first landing on Staten Island? Anyone know? (Silence for a few seconds) Well the mistake the Howe brothers made was in not attacking immediately. They had their own agenda. Both brothers were members of Parliament and they voted against the war against the colonies. What they wanted was to negotiate a peace with the Continental Army and get them to turn in their arms and surrender. Then they wanted to help themselves to the spoils of war by taking over large tracts of land for their own profit.
• WALLY MOON (13) (Raising his hand)
• Mr. CARDONE didn’t General Washington realize he could not win a war against 45,000 British troops?
• JOHN CARDONE No, he did not realize it at first until he saw how many troops the British sent to recapture their colony in New York and Boston. What George Washington did eventually learn was that he was always outnumbered and he could not play war the way the British wanted him to play. He had to be satisfied with small skirmishes and small victories, constantly on the run, trying to wear the British down. Washington wrote the Continental Congress after his defeat on Long Island and expressed his feeling that they could never defeat General Howe’s massive Army. The only thing they could do was wage a war of attrition.
• Did Napoleon, or Alexander the Great realize that they could not win a war of attrition. Do we realize now that we cannot win the Vietnam War because the Communists are using the same tactics as General Washington, forcing a battle of attrition. The longer the war the less patience the British Parliament had in spending a great deal of money and getting nothing in return. The class discussion went on for a while until the school bell rang signalling the end of the period. The students in Mr. Cardone’s class jumped up, and all left the classroom) As the classroom empties we see JOHN CARDONE looking out into the courtyard outside the school, shaking his head about the stress of looking at so many mini-skirts. It was an embarrassment he as a former Catholic school student would have to make a major adjustment.
• FADE IN: 31 INT. PRINCIPAL NED WOORLEY’S OFFICE-DAY
• NED WOORLEY is meeting with his two assistant principals, SUE BLACKBERG and SAM KELP regarding the recent subpoena regarding the untimely death of teacher Ralph Newton.
• NED WOORLEY Well we have a big problem now that a lawsuit on behalf of Ralph Newton has been filed against all of us, the School District and the Superintendent of Schools. I have spoken with SAM WOODRUFF the Superintendent and he assures me that the district will provide lawyers if this goes to court.
• SUE BLACKBERG (30S) I had all copies of the evaluation reports from Ralph’s file destroyed. Fortunately, Ralph did not get the Union involved early on.
• Ned Woorley-However, they have requested his file already, and have photocopied all his records yesterday.
• SAM KELP I never filed the evaluation I was working on when Ralph had a heart attack. Since I was in the room it is going to be hard to deny I was not evaluating him.
• NED WOORLEY You bring up a good point SAM. We need to carefully protect ourselves or this problem could explode beyond our imagination. The Teacher Union is sending their State level lawyers down to our School District to investigate the case. Do not give any interviews without legal counsel present. The Superintendent doesn’t know anything about the case except what I told him. If he feels threatened he might give us up as sacrificial lambs. We have to be real careful. Meanwhile, everything should be business as usual. Any questions? OK, let’s get back to work.
• FADE OUT. 33 INT. MAIN OFFICE OF CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH-DAY.
• It is another day at Cucamonga Junior High and starting the day is the PA announcements from JOHN CARDONE, “The VOICE OF CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. JOHN CARDONE Good morning Cucamonga Junior High school. Here are the morning announcements on this cold November morning. Midterm exams are schedule for next week. All exams will be taken in the regular subject room by students. Check with your teacher what day you will be taking your midterm exam.
•  Good news in sports, the Cucamonga Tigers Football team has a game against the Washingtonville Patriots this coming friday on the upper Football field here at Cucamonga Junior High. Don’t be square, make sure you are there this friday to cheer on our Football team to victory. A notice from the gymnasium, Mr. Feldstein the Physical Education department chairman wishes to announce a second shipment of gym uniforms for girls and boys has arrived. Student can purchase their PE uniform in the book store before school or during lunchtime. The Cross-Country track team won their match against North Junior High yesterday with 7th grade runners Perry Genovese and Alfredo Donelson coming in first and second place respectively. Hats off to those two athletes. This is Johnny C. Signing off and remember, Don’t be Square.