DON’T BE SQUARE

Written by

Pelham K. Mead III

Based on the novel, “The Junior High.”

TV Pilot Script for,

Do not Be Square.

(Adapted from the Novel,

“The Junior High, by Dr.

Pelham Mead III, 2012,

Xlibris publishers)

This movie script comes from personal experience teaching in a Junior High during the 1960’s and 1970’s during turbulent times in America. The story follows three young male teachers who were leaders among their peers and well-liked by their students. John Carucci, my best friend, died early at age 44 from a heart attack after playing golf. I was supposed to play with John that day, but I had to catch up on my Doctoral Thesis. This story tells how outgoing and humorous John was and how he affected everyone’s lives. He was the PA announcer in the morning with funny nicknames for all the teachers. He was also a Social Studies teacher who included enactments in his classes to help students visualize events in American History. He became the Football coach and was the Director of the Teen Center on Friday nights. John was involved in every aspect of school life. The second teacher was Rick Knapp, a born athlete, who played Baseball at Syracuse University in New York.  Rick and I formed the Kakiat Junior High ski club. I changed the name to Cucamonga Junior high so as not to get sued by any former teachers or administrators. John’s alias in the story is John Cardone and Rick’s alias is Rick Runner.

Lastly, I was a Health Education teacher and Physical Education teacher. I had two certifications in two different departments. Physical Education was my main subject and I taught four PE classes a day and one Health class. It was my destiny to become the Gymnastic coach for both the boys and girls after the first year of teaching 1967-68.

There was a lot of humor, drama and racial discrimination in the 1960’s which I spell out quite clearly. Despite that the three of us rose above the petty racial problems to become model teachers for the students. This is the true story based on my life as a teacher.

TEASER

MAIN OFFICE OF CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH-DAY.

It is the typical start to a Junior high school day in

upstate New York in 1967. The speaker on the intercom during

homeroom is John Cardone(23), Social Studies teacher. John is

a one of a kind character and one of the three main

characters of this story. He is married with one infant

daughter, and he just graduated from College the spring

before. John should have been a radio announcer in another

life. He talks like Robin Williams in the movie “Good Morning

Vietnam,” by exaggerating the Goooood Morning introduction to

the morning announcements. John is slightly balding at age 23

and stands 5 ft. 10 inches tall. He is always cracking jokes

and making up nicknames for fellow teachers. His students

love him and he is already in his first year of teaching a

very popular teacher among his peers.

JOHN CARDONE

Gooood Morrrring Cucamonga Junior

High school. Here are the morning

announcements. On the Jewish

holidays this fall school will be

closed. Coach Bill Medley has asked

me to announce that Fall Cross

Country Track is now accepting new

runners that want to try out. Cross

country runners run one mile on the

Junior High level. In high school

they run two miles. If you are

interested see Coach Medley. Here

is a note from the Guidance

department. All changes in class

schedules must be completed by the

end of the week. It looks like it

is going to be another beautiful

cool fall day today in Highland

Falls New York, so dress warmly

when going out for the Physical

Education classes. This is Johnny

C. Signing off for today reminding

you, “Don’t Be Square.”

INT. BUSINESS EDUCATION CLASSROOM- DAY

The school bell rings and students begin to enter into

Business class 210 on the second floor of Cucamonga Junior

2.

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.

3.

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.

4.

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.

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.

5.

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 glasses

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?

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.

6.

SAM KELP

Do what ever 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)

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?

7.

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.

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.

8.

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.

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.

(MORE)

9.

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)

SAM WOODRUFF (CONT’D)

10.

ACT ONE

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!

11.

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

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).

12.

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.

13.

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

14.

grade Football team plays their games.

CUT TO:

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)

15.

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:

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.

WALT WILLEY (CONT’D)

16.

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?

17.

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?

18.

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:

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.

19.

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)

20.

We will have a blast running for

the same team.

CUT TO:

INT. GYMNASIUM AT CUCAMONGA JHS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION 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.

ALFRADO DONELSON (CONT’D)

(MORE)

21.

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:

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

(Angrily) 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.

WALT WILLEY (CONT’D)

22.

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:

EXT. CUCAMONGA JHS SOCCER FIELD-DAY.

Student PERRY GENOVESE(12)(PERRY is a short 5 ft. 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)

23.

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 clean-shaven 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.

NED WOORLEY (CONT’D)

24.

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:

EXT. IN THE GYMNASIUM LOCKER-ROOMS THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION

TEACHERS HAVE TO SEARCH ALL THE LOCKERS IN FOUR LOCKER ROOMSDAY.

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

locker-rooms. 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.

(MORE)

25.

If you hear something ticking in a

locker use your master key and open

the locker. 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.

SAM FELDSTEIN (CONT’D)

26.

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.

27.

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. 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), 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.

28.

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:

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.

(CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

JOHN CARDONE

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

(MORE)

29.

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. 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 (CONT’D)

30.

JOHN CARDONE

Another excellent question young

man. 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.

31.

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:

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.

32.

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.

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.

33.

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.

34.

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 (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

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.

35.

From that day forward the largest boys gym class in the

school had come under control for the first time in months.

CUT TO:

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.

36.

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

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?

37.

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.

(MORE)

38.

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:

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.

JOHN CARDONE (CONT’D)

(MORE)

39.

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.

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.

SUE BLACKBERG (30S) (CONT’D)

(MORE)

40.

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.

FADE OUT.

INT. HOMEROOM 121 WITH HOMEROOM TEACHER JOHN CARDONE-DAY.

After making the morning announcements JOHN CARDONE goes to

his HOMEROOM assignment before the first period class.

HOMEROOM is a ten minute period where the students meet for

attendance taking prior to the first classroom period of the

day. Any student not in their seat by the late bell is

considered absent from school.

John is sitting at his desk in Homeroom 121 waiting for all

the students in his homeroom to arrive.

It is 9:15 am according to the school clock in the hallway. A

young girl is standing in the doorway talking to her friends

before homeroom is over. A boy comes jogging down the hallway

and stops at the doorway to talk to the girl. They begin to

argue.

Before JOHN realizes what was happening a boy coldcocks or

punches the girl with a right hook to her chin. She drops to

the floor almost unconscious, and JOHN jumps up, and runs to

her aid.

JOHN CARDONE (CONT’D)

41.

The boy is standing there taunting her, and calling her

names. JOHN checks for a pulse by holding her wrist. Her

pulse is fast and light.

ADRIENNE ROTH(13)

(Speaking to a girl friend of hers,

SUSAN standing in the doorway of

her homeroom) BILL said he wanted

to meet me after school today.

SUSAN GREEN (13)

Really, that is surprising. I

though you did not like BILL

ADRIENNE ROTH

Do you think he likes me?

SUSAN GREEN

I really don’t know. What about

your old boyfriend Malcomb?

ADRIENNE ROTH

We’re done. I caught him cheating

on me with SYRENNA WILSON.

A black student comes running down the hallway. It is

Malcomb, ADRIENNE’S ex-boyfriend. He Stops at the doorway. He

is a black student and ADRIENNE is white.

MALCOMB JAMES(13)

What’s up bitch. You dropping me

just like that?

ADRIENNE and MALCOMB get into a verbal fight. Suddenly,

without warning, he punches ADRIENNE in the jaw with

tremendous force. ADRIENNE falls to the floor unconscious,

and SUSAN GREEN screams.

42.

SUSAN GREEN

Oh My God, Help, Mr. CARDONE, Help.

JOHN CARDONE is sitting at his desk in the homeroom and he

looks up just in time to see MALCOMB coldcocks ADRIENNE, and

SUSAN yelling for help. JOHN jumps out of his seat, and runs

to the doorway.

MALCOMB JAMES

See bitch that’s what you get.

JOHN CARDONE

(Talking to MALCOMB who is standing

over ADRIENNE) Get out of the way

Please. (His voice is strained from

the stress of the situation).

Are you OK? (He asks Adrienne while

checking her pulse).

(Shouting) -ADRIENNE is not

responding, and her eyes are in the

back of her head. She has a faint

heartbeat and fast. SUSAN hold her

head off the floor for me while I

call the NURSE.

JOHN CARDONE stands up and grabs the intercom phone, and

calls the office. Hello, this is Mr. CARDONE in Room 121,

call for an ambulance, and call the Nurse immediately. I have

an unconscious girl in my doorway that was punched in the jaw

by a boy.

MRS. GREY

OK, Mr. CARDONE, we are calling an

ambulance immediately, and telling

the Nurse to get there immediately.

Is she still breathing?

JOHN CARDONE

Yes she is, thank God.

43.

Five minutes later Nurse Mayberry arrives.

NURSE MAYBERRY(30S)

What happened Mr. Cardone?

JOHN CARDONE

This boy punched ADRIENNE in the

jaw, for no apparent reason, and

she went unconscious, and fell to

the floor.

NURSE MAYBERRY

OK, did you call an ambulance?

Yes, an ambulance is on the way.

NURSE MAYBERRY

I have a slight pulse. She is still

unaware of where she is however.

JOHN CARDONE

I called an ambulance right away

because she was unconscious, and

may have suffered a concussion.

(Turning to Malcomb who was

standing in the hallway)

Now MALCOMB you are going to tell

Principal WOORLEY why you injured

this girl for no reason. (Speaking

angrily).

JOHN grabs MALCOMB by the shirt collar, and practically lifts

him off the ground, and begins to walk rapidly toward the

Principal’s office in the front of the building. He drags the

student all the way holding the shirt collar until he arrives

at the principal’s office.

44.

It is then he realizes that MALCOMB’s feet aren’t touching

the ground, and in his anger JOHN held MALCOMB off the ground

all the way to the principal’s office.

JOHN CARDONE (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

Mr. WOORLEY, This student, MALCOMB

JAMES took it upon himself to punch

a girl names ADRIENNE ROTH in the

jaw for no apparent reason. She

fell to the floor unconscious in my

homeroom. The nurse is sending the

girl ADRIENNE ROTH to the local

hospital to evaluate her condition.

She might have a concussion.

NED WOORLEY

Well Malcomb, what do you have to

say for yourself?

MALCOMB JAMES

She disrespected me, the bitch.

NED WOORLEY

Excuse me, we don’t use that kind

of language here.

MALCOMB JAMES

(Pouting) Well I am sorry.

NED WOORLEY (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

Mrs. GREY call MALCOMB’s mother,

and have her come down to the

school immediately. We are going to

suspend MALCOMB for assaulting a

girl in the school.

MRS. GREY

Yes sir, I will call MRS.

WILLIAMS(40S) right now.

45.

MRS. GREY (CONT’D)

Hello, MRS. WILLIAMS? This is Mrs.

Grey, Principal Woorley’s secretary

at Cucamonga JHS. Your son MALCOMB

has been in an altercation with a

girl, and he punched her causing

her to become unconscious. MR.

WOORLEY wants you to come to the

school immediately to pick up

MALCOMB, and take him home. He is

going to be suspended for a week

from school. MR. WOORLEY will give

you the details when you get to

school.

MRS. WILLIAMS (40S)

I don’t have a car, so I will have

to call up for a taxi. It will take

me at least 30 minutes to get

there. Thank you for informing me

of MALCOMB’S conduct.

NED WOORLEY

MALCOMB I want you to sit in my

office until your mother comes to

pick you up. Thank you JOHN. You

may return to your first period

class now.

CUT TO:

INT. STUDENT CAFETERIA LUNCH PERIOD-DAY.

7th grade student PERRY GENOVESE is talking to his black

friend ALFREDO DONELSON in the cafeteria about school gossip.

PERRY GENOVESE

(Speaking to his friend Alfredo)

Hey Al, did you hear about that

girl being knocked out in her

homeroom?

ALFRADO DONELSON

Yeah, I know the kid who punched

her. His name is MALCOMB JAMES and

he is in my bus in the morning.

PERRY GENOVESE

Really, what is this kid like?

46.

ALFRADO DONELSON

He is just a 7th grader like us,

but I think he wants to be known by

his friends as a ‘Hard Ass.’ He is

always picking fights on our bus. I

just stay away from him.

PERRY GENOVESE

Don’t get involved. How about the

cross-country match yesterday. Did

you see that guy from the other

team try to cut me off on the

woodland path?

ALFRADO DONELSON

No, I was too far behind you in the

woods to see what you were doing. I

didn’t get my second breath until

we came out of the woods onto the

Football field.

PERRY GENOVESE

I had to push the guy back when he

tried to cut in front of me on that

narrow path. The coaches never see

that crap. I guess it is all part

of cross-country track? Are you

coming to practice today?

ALFRADO DONELSON

Sure, I will be there. I am

beginning to like running.

PERRY GENOVESE

You want that muffin in your lunch?

ALFRADO DONELSON

No, you can have it.

CUT TO:

INT. PRINCIPAL WOORLEY’S OFFICE-DAY.

Ned Woorley looks angry as he explains a situation that just

happened. I’ve asked both of you to meet with me because the

SUPERINTENDENT of SCHOOLS SAM WOODRUFF and hired a

replacement for RALPH NEWTON and he is a black man. I don’t

know what SAM’S thinking was, but I did not even get to

interview this gentlemen.

47.

The DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL JUDY MEYERS(40S) and SAM interview

this prospective Business Education teacher and did not allow

me to interview him for fear that I would not hire him. I

think this situation is all about Board pressure to hire more

minority teachers. I have to tell you I was very angry with

SAM for doing this to me and I want to share with you why we

did not get any input on his hiring. So, next week Mr.

JEFFERSON JONES will be reporting to our school for his first

day. Treat him well and do not attempt to harass him in any

way. He is a bomb waiting to go off with the SUPERINTENDENT’s

backing.

SUE BLACKBERG

Wow, that is a first. The

SUPERINTENDENT must really want to

have black teachers on the faculty

really bad? I had heard that the

Board held a secret meeting after

getting a poor review by the State

on the amount of minority teachers

in the district.

SAM KELP

I heard that rumor too. The

pressure is on to hire minority

teachers to match the increasing

minority students in our school

district.

NED WOORLEY

Remember be nice to this guy and

stay away from him for now. I don’t

want him running back to the

SUPERINTENDENT and spilling his

guts that we treated a black

teacher badly. Hush will be the

word people. Have a good day now.

FADE OUT.

INT. RICK RUNNERS SCIENCE CLASSROOM-DAY.

RICH RUNNER(20s) a first year science teacher is preparing

his classroom for an incoming class when MRS. SUE BLACKBERG

appears at his doorway to speak with him.(Rick has dark thick

hair, a muscular build and he is 5 ft. 9” tall. He wears

glasses for reading but usually keeps them in his pocket.

Rick is an occasional smoke and loves cigars)

48.

SUE BLACKBERG

Good morning, Mr. Runner. I need to

tell you RICK that this new kid

RICHARD FLYNN(12) is being

evaluated by the Guidance

department as to his proper

placement. He may have ADD or some

other learning impairment. We just

got his academic and discipline

records the other day and realized

that he was expelled from

elementary school on numerous

occasions. We may have to move him

to a below level class, instead of

an on level class like yours. For

now just be careful what you say to

him since he seems to have a chip

on his shoulder.

RICK RUNNER

Thanks Sue, I will keep an eye out

for RICHARD when he comes into my

class this period.

SUE BLACKBERG walks away down the hallway.

RICK RUNNER returns to his desk in his classroom as the late

bell rings. He begins to take attendance in his class book.

RICK RUNNER (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

Welcome to Science 7, and my name

is MR. RUNNER. Check your schedules

and make sure you have Science 7

period six, M-F. Now let me check

the attendance. To make things easy

I want everyone to pick up their

books, and line up against the

wall. Thanks.

Now, where I call your last name

take a seat in the first row. Five

students will sit in the first row

and then we will move to five more

in the second row and so on.

(MORE)

49.

This will be your assigned seat for

the semester. When I take

attendance and your seat is empty I

will assume you are absent. Are

there any questions about that?

Suddenly a student bursts into the room, huffing and puffing

from running. He slams the door and then he quickly grabs the

nearest seat.

RICHARD FLYNN(12)

Is this MR. RUNNER’S science class?

(RICHARD is a short 5.1 feet in height boy, with light blond

hair, a scar over his right eye, and a very white complexion.

He is dressed in a plaid shirt and Lee Jeans and old worn out

sneakers. He has a high pitched voice almost like a girls

voice).

RICH RUNNER

Yes it is, and you are late. What

is your name son?

RICHARD FLYNN

My name is Richard. Richard Flynn.

RICK RUNNER

OK, Richard I are assigning seats

for attendance, and you will sit

behind GAIL GOLD in row four.

Please take your seat.

As MR. RUNNER continued calling out 32 names of students in

the class, Richard begins talking to his friends around his

seat.

RICK RUNNER (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

Richard, you need to stop talking,

and just sit there until we have

the attendance seating completed.

RICK RUNNER (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

50.

RICHARD FLYNN

(Richard gives MR. RUNNER an ugly

face. Learning forward in his

chair he taps a girl named GAIL

behind the head).

GAIL GOLD,(13)

Stop that please.

RICHARD FLYNN

(Laughs out loud) Ha hawwa

RICK RUNNER

(Stops what he is doing, and looks

at Richard and says), Richard, this

is the second time I have had to

speak to you. Quiet down.

RICHARD FLYNN

(Gives Mr. Runner the middle

finger, and says) “Fuck you.”

RICK RUNNER

(Hearing the words “Fuck you,” in

his class, he becomes angry

immediately. He walks over to

Richard, and says). Richard step

outside into the hallway please.

RICHARD FLYNN

(Shouting) No, you cannot make me.

RICK RUNNER

“Really” (as he grabs RICHARD by

the arm, and starts to drag him

toward the door).

51.

RICHARD FLYNN

(Richard pulls away)

Losing his patience, Rick grabs RICHARD by the armpits and

lifts him up, and slams him against the wall where the light

switches were. As RICHARD slides down the wall the lights all

go out creating a dramatic finish to the confrontation.

The class all breaks out clapping, and chanting, MR. RUNNER,

MR. RUNNER. MR. RUNNER leaves RICHARD on the floor, and goes

over to the intercom on the wall.

Taking the intercom off the wall, he calls the office to send

a security guard to take Richard to the Guidance Office for

the period. Security Guard DAN HEALY(70) appears, and tells

Richard to leave the room, and follow him to the Guidance

department. (Dan is a kind old man that is retired. He wears

his pants up to his chest with a stained old white shirt and

dirty dress shoes. He has a little bit of an Irish accent.

His hair is completely grey and he is in his early 70’s)

DAN HEALY (70)

(Dan is one of the school security

guards. He is a gray haired, pale

skin, Irish gentlemen) Hello MR.

RUNNER. Who is the student I am

taking to Guidance?

RICK RUNNER

There he is DAN, RICHARD FLYNN is

his name.

DAN HEALY

OK young man, lets go visit the

Guidance Office. (Dan leads RICHARD

down the hallway to the GUIDANCE

office in the front of the school).

RICK RUNNER

(RICK returns to his desk) Alright,

everyone has a seat now and I

expect you to be in the correct

seat every class so I can get the

attendance quickly and accurately.

Let’s begin.

CUT TO:

INT. CUCAMONGA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL MAIN OFFICE-DAY.

52.

One week later JEFFERSON JONES(30s),(JEFFERSON is 6 ft. Tall,

with a full afro hair style, a mustache, very dark skin and

talks with a slight southern accent. He us dressed in a three

piece business suit and florsheim shoes). The new Black

Business Education teacher reports to the Cucamonga Junior

High office for his first day.

JEFFERSON JONES (30S)

Good Morning, my name is JEFFERSON

JONES, and I was supposed to report

to CUCAMONGA Junior High School as

the new BUSINESS EDUCATION teacher.

MRS. GREY

Hello, we were expecting you MR.

JONES. Principal WOORLEY would like

to welcome you to CUCAMONGA JUNIOR

HIGH SCHOOL. Just one minute. Mr.

WOORLEY, the new teacher, MR. JONES

is here. Shall I send him in?

NED WOORLEY

Sure, send him right in, MRS. GREY.

JEFFERSON JONES

Good Morning Sir. It is good to be

here today.

NED WOORLEY

I just wanted to take a minute and

welcome you MR. JONES to our

school. You are replacing a very

good teacher that served many years

teaching in this district. We have

had substitutes covering his

classes since he passed away, so

you may have to reorganize what

they taught if anything. MRS. GREY

will give you an class attendance

book and a Lesson Plan book. Since

we do not have a Business Education

department chairperson, you will be

reporting to FRED TOPOVER the

department Chairman for Social

Studies. Your lesson plans are due

to him every two weeks before the

friday payday. If you need an

classroom supplies Mr. TOPOVER will

provide you with them. MRS. GREY

also has you teaching schedule for

you. I believe you have prep second

period and LUNCH DUTY fifth period

and your own LUNCH will be fourth

period.

(MORE)

53.

You have five Business Education

classes of 8th and also 9th grade

students. 7th graders are not allow

to elect Business Education because

their schedule is too tight. Again,

welcome and my door is open if you

ever have any questions or

concerns.

MRS. GREY

Here are your supplies and schedule

MR. JONES. Your classroom is at the

top of the stairs, first class on

the left.

JEFFERSON JONES

Thank you MR. WOORLEY, And MRS.

GREY. I am looking forward to

teaching here.

MR. JONES leaves the main office and heads toward his

classroom up on the second floor.

FADE OUT.

INT. PRINCIPAL WOORLEY’S OFFICE-EARLY AFTERNOON, DAY

Principal WOORLEY Meets with his assistant Principals to

report that the new black Business Education teacher has

reported as expected.

NED WOORLEY

Well, SUE and SAM, Mr. JEFFERSON

JONES has reported today and has

begun teaching Business Education.

If you meet him in the hallway be

friendly. Meanwhile, stay away from

his classroom.

SAM KELP

I saw him walking up the stairs

dressed in a three piece business

suit and a full afro hair style. He

certainly stands out from the other

faculty.

SUE BLACKBERG

He had a relatively easy teaching

schedule with LUNCH Duty. I think

he will blend in fine here.

NED WOORLEY (CONT’D)

54.

NED WOORLEY

I certainly hope so. I am sure the

Superintendent will be on my back

for oral progress reports as to how

he is doing. I will just have to

take this situation in stride.

CUT TO:

INT. TEACHER CAFETERIA FOURTH PERIOD 11:50-DAY.

Several teacher have learned that a new black teacher was

hired to replace Ralph Newton and they are discussing their

views. Teachers PAUL PADUA(30)-English; ROBERT

MAULER(20s)SOCIAL STUDIES, RICK RUNNER-SCIENCE and BETTY

STRONG(20s)MUSIC are all involved at one table in the

discussion

PAUL PADUA (30S)

(Talking to ROBERT MAULER) Hey Bob

did you hear they hired a black

teacher to replace Ralph Newton?

ROBERT MAULER(20S)

Yeah, Principal Woorley buckled to

the pressure from the

SUPERINTENDENT of SCHOOLS to hire

some minority teachers, since our

staff was deemed all white by the

Board of Education.

PAUL PADUA (30S)

Really, wow that is shocking. I

never thought of our district as

having racial imbalance in hiring.

RICK RUNNER

(Joining the table with his tray of

food)-Did I hear you guys talking

about the new black Business

Education teacher. He stutters, and

comes from Mississippi with a

southern accent.

55.

ROBERT MAULER

I guess the kids are going to have

problems understanding him?

PAUL PADUA

I am all for more minority teachers

being hired. We have a lot of black

and minority students, and no role

models of color on the faculty for

the kids to follow.

BETTY STRONG (20S)

We have only two other black

teachers out of 75 white teachers

on the faculty. That seems to be an

imbalance.

RICK RUNNER

It has been a long time coming

since the district was cited in the

1950’s for a lack of segregated

schools. The Federal government

gave the district one year to

correct the imbalance of white

schools to one all black school The

solution was to take the black

students from the Hill area in the

south and bus them to North Junior

high to provide some black students

to balance against all the rich

white students from the north

county.

BETTY STRONG

I never though NED WOORLEY

particularly liked minority people.

He always makes that mistake of

calling them ‘those people.

PAUL PADUA

I haven’t met the guy yet, has

anyone else?

RICK RUNNER

I imagine we will meed him soon

enough. I understand he came to

school dressed in a three piece

business suit and he has a full

afro hair style.

56.

ROBERT MAULER

I am sure with the Civil Rights

movement in full swing we can

expect to see a lot more minority

teachers hired in the future.

BETTY STRONG

That is for sure.

PAUL PADUA

Hey RICK have you seen that new

female Phys. Ed. Teacher, ahh

Ronnie Bronson. She is really

stacked, if you will excuse the

expression BETTY.

RICK RUNNER

Yeah and she loves to wear tight

sweaters. I understand from BILL

MEDLEY that SAM FELDSTEIN(30S) the

PE chairman is making a fool of

himself catering to her every

needs.

ROBERT MAULER

Really you guys are so petty. So

what if a female teacher has a

large chest. What do we men care?

Only kidding, she is stacked. Sorry

Betty.

BETTY STRONG

That is OK, I know how you men

think. It is all about the physical

looks of a woman.

RICK RUNNER

Well, she is a PHYSICAL- education

teacher, Betty. Ha. With the

emphasis on Physical.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. UPSTAIRS IN ROOM 204 ENGLISH-DAY.

It was a busy morning at Cucamonga Junior High. Fall was in

full swing and the classroom heaters had begun to come on in

the cold mornings. Suddenly smoke began to appear under MRS.

MEG ANGELO(30S)English Classroom MRS. ANGELO was on a break

in the Teacher Lounge at the time 10:30 am.

57.

A student coming out of Nurses office next to room 204

noticed the smoke coming from under the room 204 door. She

ran back into to tell the Nurse who came out and saw the

smoke.

NURSE MAYBERRY

Hello, main office. We have a fire

on the second floor. Smoke is

coming out of room 204, MRS.

ANGELO’s classroom. The door is

locked and I do not know where she

is. Hurray call the Fire Department

MRS. GREY

Calm down MRS. MAYBERRY. I will

send MR. KELP up there right away

to confirm that there is a fire.

NURSE MAYBERRY

Hurray, I am telling you smoke is

pouring out under the door of room

204 and it is not my imagination.

MRS. GREY

Alright Mr. KELP is on the way up

to the second floor. He just left.

SAM KELP

(Running up the stairs to room 204,

standing there gasping for breath)

Holy cow it is a fire. My keys

cannot open the classroom, damm?

MRS. MAYBERRY where is your outside

phone?

NURSE MAYBERRY

Right over there Mr. Kelp.

(Gesturing to a phone sitting on

the nurses desk)

SAM KELP

I am going to call out for the Fire

Department, we have a fire and have

to evacuate the building. Hello,

Highland Fire department. This is

Assistant Principal Sam Kelp from

Cucamonga Junior High School. We

have a fire on the second floor in

room 204. Smoke is pouring out of

the room and it is locked. Hurray.

The emergency code is ALPHA 360.

Send fire trucks right away.

(MORE)

58.

(Running back down the stairs, Sam

enters the main office) MRS. GREY I

am going to pull the main fire

alarm. Cover you ears.

The Main FIRE ALARM goes off ringing in all the halls and

classrooms in the building. Mr. Kelp gets on the PA and

announces.

SAM KELP (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

Attention please. May I have your

attention please this is a fire

drill please evacuate the building

in an orderly fashion. Teachers

exit by the nearest outside door to

your classroom. There should be no

talking. Calmly leave your

classroom immediately. Let me

repeat, do not delay, calmly walk

in double file to the nearest

outside door exit and leave the

building. Ned, Mr. Woorley we have

a fire on the second floor and it

is for real. I confirmed it in MRS.

ANGELO’s classroom in room 204. We

need to evacuate immediately.

NED WOORLEY

OK, lock all the doors and the

vault and let’s get out of here.

Hurray I can smell the smoke

already.

The administrators in the main office walk briskly out the

front doors while all the classes on the first and second

floor exit the building by the side doors. The teachers,

students, and staff are all standing out on the Soccer field

100 yards away from the building which is starting to send

black smoke up into the air.

NED WOORLEY (CONTINUED) (CONT’D)

Here come the fire trucks, thank

God. Sam go and tell them where the

fire is located.

SAM KELP (CONT’D)

59.

SAM KELP

(Waving his hands to attract the

attention of the Fire Chief in his

red truck) Hello, the fire is on

the second floor room 204 on the

inside of the building near the

front of the school.

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG(50s)

(Talking to Sam Kelp) OK, if we

enter through the front door our

hoses might be long enough to go

upstairs. We might have to go in

from the side. JIM take the hook

and ladder around the left of the

building.

SUE BLACKBERG

What the hell is going on? It this

a drill or a real fire.

NED WOORLEY

I am afraid it is a real fire on

the second floor in room 204. Sam

confirmed that smoke was pouring

out under the door and the door is

hot and locked. He could not get

into the room. I don’t know where

MRS. ANGELO is. It is her room that

the fire has started in. The NURSES

office is right next to that room

and we could lose all the medical

supplies and cots? Damm what a

mess.

JOHN CARDONE

(Talking to NED WOORLEY) What is

going on? I just went out for some

lunch at the local Deli and when I

came back I could see the black

smoke stretching up into the sky

from three miles away

NED WOORLEY

We seem to have a real fire on the

second floor. Sam went up there to

confirm the smoke pouring out from

under the door of room 204.

60.

JOHN CARDONE

Room 204, that is MEG ANGELO’s

classroom. Is she alright?

NED WOORLEY

We don’t know where she is. Her

room is locked.

JOHN CARDONE

I think she has a prep period

second period. She must have been

in the teacher lounge? That is

where she usually goes during her

break.

NED WOORLEY

We have no way of confirming that

now. Maybe when Sam takes the golf

cart around the building he may see

her line up on the back side of the

school?

JOHN CARDONE

Gee, I hope so. She is a good

friend of mine. We play tennis

together after school all the time.

Meanwhile, back in the building the classes are all filing

out of the sides and back of the school building. Bill Medley

was in the men’s bathroom when the fire broke out. As he

heard the fire alarm he quickly finished up in the bathroom

and hurried out of the building on the second floor. The

smoke was too thick to see through on the end of the hallway

so Bill decided to go down the stairs and then out the side

door. As the rushed down the stair case he saw a small girl

lying crumpled on the floor near the bottom of the stairs on

the first floor. He quickly runs over to her.

BILL MEDLEY

Hi I am Coach Medley, are you OK?

We have to get out of here quickly.

Can you walk?

61.

SMALL FEMALE STUDENT

(Crying) I twisted my ankle and

fell down, and everyone left me

here.

No problem, let me carry you

outside. Try not to breath the

smoke in. We will be out of here in

s flash. Be calm.

SMALL FEMALE STUDENT

(Crying) Thank you,(sobbing).

BILL MEDLEY

(Carrying the girl, he exits the

side of the building choking from

the heavy smoke) By the way what is

your name little girl?

SMALL FEMALE STUDENT

My name is NINA TURETSKY(13). Thank

you Mr. CARDONE.

BILL MEDLEY

(Seeing the Math Department.

Chairperson-ABE LEVINSKI(60s)

directing students away from the

building, he yells to him)

Abe give me a hand with this girl.

My arms are killing me…(cough)

ABE LEVINSKI(60)

Put her down and I will take care

of her. What is your name? OK, can

you walk? If not I will help you

hop on one leg.

(MORE)

62.

Let’s get away from the

building.(Abe is a short Jewish man

with greying hair and a bald spot

at the back of his head. He has a

thin beard, mustache, a large nose

and thick eyebrows).

BILL MEDLEY

(Asking ABE LEVINSKI)

What happened?

ABE LEVINSKI

I don’t know, but I think a fire

started in Mrs. Angelo’s classroom

on the second floor?

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. FLASHBACK TO A MONTH BEFORE THE FIRE-DAY.

JOHN CARDONE thinks back to a month before the fire when he

was standing in MRS. MEG ANGELO’s(20s) room 204, ENGLISH. THE

MONTH IS OCTOBER.(Meg Angelo is a busty, big haired blond

dyed. She is very outspoken and assertive. Recently divorced

with two children. She is a pretty woman for mid-30s with

lots of makeup and always dresses like a fashion model. (She

is actually Jewish, but has married an Italian guy).

JOHN CARDONE

John walking by MRS. MEG ANGELO’S classroom, when he notices

clothes lines with papers hanging from them. He sticks his

head in the door and says hello.

Hello, MRS. ANGELO. Hi MEG, I mean

MRS. MEG ANGELO, how are you doing?

MRS. MEG ANGELO

I am doing great, how are you DOING

JOHN?

JOHN CARDONE

My you are creative. What are the

clotheslines and the papers hanging

from them for?

ABE LEVINSKI(60) (CONT’D)

63.

MRS. MEG ANGELO

They are student project outlines

on cards, and I hung them from cord

to make an impression and to

demonstrate how many students were

doing writing projects.”

JOHN CARDONE

That’s great. Do you mind if I stay

a while and observe your class?

MRS. MEG ANGELO

Sure makes yourself at home, John

you are always welcome.

SALLY HALSTEIN(13)

Mrs. Angelo can you help me with my

outline?

MRS. MEG ANGELO

Gotta help this student, sit down

JOHN, and relax.

JOHN goes over to the window and sits down at the back of the

class. On the window ledge JOHN notices something out of

place. For some reason a pile of crumpled papers were stuffed

into the space between the wall and the radiator. It looked

really messy, and out of place. Just then he saw a student

crumple a piece of paper, and throw it toward the existing

pile of papers on the radiator near the window.

JOHN CARDONE

Meg you classroom is amazing. One

thing however, what is with that

mess of papers stuffed into the

radiator compartment?

MRS. MEG ANGELO

Oh yes, I have been meaning to have

one of the students clean it out.

We do not have a trash can, so they

have been dumping the papers on the

radiator.

64.

JOHN CARDONE

Don’t you think that could cause a

fire?

MRS. MEG ANGELO

No, the radiator is turned off this

early in the fall season. I will

get to it soon.

JOHN CARDONE

I can get rid of it for you.

MRS. MEG ANGELO

Don’t worry JOHN, I will get to it.

JOHN CARDONE

Well I gotta run. Thanks for

letting me observe your class.

Amazing creativity, I am most

impressed. I wish we had more

teachers like you.

END OF FLASHBACK

FADE TO BLACK.

1 EXT. THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING OUT ON THE SOCCER 1

FIELD-DAY

The fireman try to enter the school through the front doors,

but their hose will not reach the second floor going up the

stairs. a second approach with a ladder to the second floor.

the fireman knock out the windows on the outside of the

building and drag their hoses through the windows to the

hallway outside. the fireman have to use axes to break down

the door when the fire started. later, they made it to the

second floor, the nurses office was ablaze, room 2006 next to

204 was completely in fire and smoke. after an hour to put

out the fires, which had spread through the plaster walls

through three classrooms in a row and the nurses office.

Downstairs the water from the fireman flooded all ten

thousand books on the shelves, ruining most of them

completely. When the fireman were done, the two classrooms on

the side of the outside of the building were trashed.

The fireman have to rip out the windows to gain access to the

fire which was on the inside of the second floor classrooms.

65.

FIREMAN #1 (40)

(Lead fireman climbing up the Hook

and Ladder to the second floor of

the school) HAND ME THAT AXE.

FIREMAN#2 (30)

Here is the axe. Cover your eyes

with your helmet shield. The glass

is going to spread in all

directions. I am sure it isn’t

safety glass.

FIREMAN #1

OK, stand back here goes the first

shot. (Fireman Swings his axe and

smashes the side window of the

second story classroom to a million

pieces of glass shards in al

directions.

FIREMAN#2

Hook the window frame and pull the

whole thing out with your axe.

FIREMAN #1

(He hooks the hook side of his axe

around the frame of the window and

give a couple of strong pulls and

the window frame drops one story to

the ground) I’ve got it. Pass me up

the hose and I will climb in the

window.

FIREMAN#2

(Climbing up the ladder pulling the

heavy hose) OK, here is the hose.

Watch for sharp edges of the window

as you step in.

FIREMAN #1

(Shouting) I’m in (cough) putting

my respirator on too much smoke in

here. Turn on the water.

FIREMAN#3 (48)

(Yelling) Water is turned on. Hold

on tight.

FIREMAN#2

Slow down and let me get through

the window with you. Steady here I

come. (He steps through the window

into a room completely filled with

smoke)

66.

FIREMAN #1

I cannot see the door, but I must

be near the front of the classroom.

Follow me and hold onto that hose.

Do we still have enough hose left

to get into the building?

FIREMAN#2

Yeah, we have plenty of hose line

left. Is the classroom door open?

FIREMAN #1

I found the door. It’s open. Wow

the hallway is completely in

flames. Let’s water down the

hallway so I can get to the locked

classroom. What number is it again?

Never mind we probably would be

able to see the classroom number in

this thick smoke. It should be the

second room from the stairway.

Follow me.

FIREMAN#2

I am pulling the hose and I am

right behind you. Spray the ceiling

so it doesn’t collapse on us. Did

you find the second classroom yet?

FIREMAN #1

I think I found it. Stand back and

hold onto the hose I am going to

drop it so I can slam the door with

my axe. Ready? (He takes a full

swing with the axe with smoke

clouding his vision) The door

cracked. One more blow ought to do

it. You OK?

FIREMAN#2

I am OK. My oxygen is on. I can’t

see anything but smoke. Is the door

open yet?

FIREMAN #1

Yeah, damm, I got it. The door is

down. Stand back for a blast of hot

air. OK, clear, let’s blast the

hell out of this room to kill the

flames and smoke. Tell the CHIEF on

your walkie we are going to need a

second hose in here right away. Too

many classrooms are up in flames

for just the two of us.

(MORE)

67.

I found the source of the fire, but

the room is trashed, walls burn

out, windows blown out and the

ceiling is gone. We are dosing it

now.

FIREMAN#2

(Talking on his walkie talkie)

Chief can you hear me? Send up

another two men with another hose.

The fire is too big for us to

handle. Do you confirm?

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

I hear you. We are sending up two

more men with another hose. Keep

trying to suppress the flames from

spreading any further. Hang in

there the next crew is headed up

the ladder. Get those men moving up

that ladder. Hold the water until

they get in the window.

FIREMAN #1

We have got the flames out in the

second room. The first room next to

the stairs is next. It looks like a

Nurses office (cough), lots of

smoke. We’ll hose it down next.

The second team makes it though the window and the water was

turned on. They begin hosing down the other classrooms

enveloped in flame. An hour later the fires were all out, and

only smoke remains and the smell of burnt wood.

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG (50S)

(Later on around 12:30 pm) Where is

the Principal? I need to talk with

the Principal right away to inform

him of the status of the building.

FIREMAN#1

I think he is out in front of the

building Chief.

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

(Walking to the front of the school

building) Where is Mr. Woorley?

FIREMAN #1 (CONT’D)

68.

NED WOORLEY

(Shouting to the Fire Chief) Over

here Chief. So what is the

situation?

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

(Speaking to NED WOORLEY) We have

put the fire out and are mopping up

now. I toured the building on the

first and second floor. The first

floor library sustained a lot of

water damage from the water leaking

through from the classrooms above

it on the second floor. The second

floor we need to get some

commercial fans to blow out the

smoke for 24-48 hours.

My boys will bring some commercial

fans back front the firehouse and

put them in place tonight.

Upstairs on the second floor five

classrooms are charred. You lost

the Nurses office also, and the

ceiling and floor tiles are also

destroyed. I estimate you have

several hundred thousand in fire

damage, which I am sure your

insurance company will cover. Now

for the problem at hand.

I cannot release the building

until we remove the smoke and close

off the damaged areas. Your

students will have to go home

without coats and their books

tonight. I know that is a hardship,

but no one can go back into the

building until we can clean the

whole building of smoke.

NED WOORLEY

That is real bad news. Now I am

going to have to send one of my

Assistant Principals up to the High

school to notify the Superintendent

of Schools Sam Woodruff that we

need buses immediately. We need to

also inform him that the students

will have to go home without coats

in this November weather.

(MORE)

69.

Sam can you take your car and drive

up to the High School, and call the

SUPERINTENDENT of SCHOOLS and

request school buses immediately to

take all the Cucamonga Junior High

students home?

SAM KELP

OK, I am on it. I will be back in

fifteen minutes.

FADE OUT.

2 INT. CUCAMONGA JHS SOCCER FIELD-DAY. 2

PERRY GENOVESE

(Talking to a few students lined up

on the Soccer field) Anyone get

their coat? I have mine in the

locker in the school and boy it is

getting cold out here.

ALFRADO DONELSON

Yeah, my leather jacket is in the

school locker also and all I have

is this thin short sleeve shirt.

SUZY SMITZ (13)

I am freezing too. My legs are

frozen in this mini-skirt. So much

for fashion. When are we going to

get out jackets and go home? It has

been hours since the fire started.

I missed my lunch hour too.

RICHARD WHITE (13)

Boy am I hungry. Just my luck to

miss lunch and when are we getting

back in the school?

3 EXT. SOCCER FIELD IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL-DAY. 3

NED WOORLEY

(Using a portable bull horn)

Attention students and faculty.

NED WOORLEY (CONT’D)

(MORE)

70.

I have just spoken with the Fire

Chief and he has informed me that

the fire is tentatively out for now

but the thick smoke is still on the

second floor making visibility

impossible. The FIRE CHIEF has

informed me that he cannot release

the building until commercial fans

can be brought in to blow the smoke

out of the halls and classrooms on

the second floor. The library is

completely flooded and cannot be

used. Therefore, I know it isn’t

pleasant but we are ordering the

buses to pick us up now and take

everyone home without their coats

or book bags. No one will be

allowed to enter the building for

24-48 hours. Police patrols will be

on duty all night to protect the

school. I am sorry for this

inconvenience but we have to listen

to the FIRE CHIEF he is the one

responsible.

CUT TO:

4 EXT. SOCCER FIELD IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL-DAY. 4

PERRY GENOVESE

Damm, I can’t believe we have to go

home with no coats.

ALFRADO DONELSON

I have thin blood, and I cannot

take this cold without a coat.

CUT TO:

5 EXT. SOCCER FIELD, TEACHERS STANDING ON FIELD-DAY. 5

JOHN CARDONE

Well folks, it looks like I lucked

out going out for lunch. I have my

jacket on me.

Has anyone seen Mrs. Meg Angelo

yet?

NED WOORLEY (CONT’D)

71.

BETTY STRONG

I think someone said she was at the

back of the building where the

teacher lounge teachers went.

NED WOORLEY

SUE can you take the golf cart and

look around the back of the school

to see if Mrs. ANGELO is OK.

Thanks.

SUE BLACKBERG

I will check MEG out right away.

The golf cart is over by the

janitors room fortunately far away

from the side of the building with

the fire.

NED WOORLEY

(Ten Minutes later) Sue did you

find MRS. ANGELO?

SUE BLACKBERG

Yes, she is OK but a little shaken

up that the fire started in her

classroom.

SAM KELP

Ned, we have a major problem. One

of the teachers, SAM MOONSKI told

me one of the boys in his class is

missing. The student asked to go to

the bathroom shortly before the

FIRE ALARM went off, and in the

confusion of leaving the classroom,

MR. MOONSKI did not realize that

the student BARRY NEEDLES(13) was

missing. He just happened to count

all his students while they were

line up outside and he was one

student short. After asking the

students in his class they reminded

him that BARRY NEEDLES went to the

bathroom just before the FIRE

ALARM. What should we do? I have

asked around all the classes line

up outside and no on knows where

BARRY NEEDLES is. SAM MOONSKI says

he is a 7th grader, small in size

wearing blue pants and a red and

white striped golf shirt. He wears

glasses and has light blonde hair

in a short cut.

72.

NED WOORLEY

A missing student. Oh, no. Now we

find out. CHIEF I need to speak

with you. CHIEF we just discovered

we have a missing student by the

name of BARRY NEEDLES. He is a

small 7th grader dressed in blue

pants and a striped red and white tshirt.

He has light blond hair in a

short cut and wears glasses.

He went to the bathroom on the

second floor of the far wing of the

school. The far wing is on the

other side of the school from where

the fire was.

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

Well that is a major problem. I can

dispatch some of my men to search

the building for this student. I am

not confident that if he was

anywhere near the fire that he

could have survived. Can you show

or tell me where the boys bathroom

is located that he would have used?

NED WOORLEY

I think so but I will have to ask

Mr. Moonski his teacher what boys

bathroom is closer to his science

classroom. Sue you have the golf

cart, can you go around to where

Mr. MOONSKI and his class are and

find out where the nearest boys

bathroom might be located.

SAM KELP

This is my worst fear, losing one

student out of 1,000 students is

easy to do. The timing was bad with

the fire Drill going off just after

BARRIE NEEDLES left the classroom.

I am worried NED.

The fireman begin to search the building. A half hour goes by

and still no word. The buses have begin to arrive and the

students are boarding them and going home.

NED WOORLEY, SAM KELP, SUE BLACKBERG, JOHN CARDONE, BILL

MEDLEY, WALT WILLEY, and NORMA NEWSOM, and SAM MOONSKI, all

wait for word about missing BARRIE NEEDLES.

73.

NED WOORLEY

Please GOD help them find this kid.

I can’t take anymore stress I have

to sit down for a little bit.

SAM KELP

Are you OK NED? You don’t look

well. I have a bottle of water do

you want some?

NED WOORLEY

Yes, let me have a little water.

This missing student thing is

killing me. I feel a little light

headed. I need to sit down.

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

Mr. Woorley we haven’t found any

bodies in the fire area or in the

bathrooms. We searched the entire

building. We will keep looking all

night but the outcome does not look

good.

NED WOORLEY

What am I going to tell this kids

mother and father? Oh, my God why

is this happening?

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

The student in question may have

collapsed from smoke inhalation or

he may still be hiding somewhere in

the school. We just don’t know.

There is a lot of smoking debris in

the classrooms, and my men said

they did not recover a body

anywhere in the ashes.

NED WOORLEY

I can’t tell the Superintendent of

Schools about this until I am

absolutely positive as to what

happened to this student.

SUE BLACKBERG

Maybe he got out of the school and

walked home. Junior high students

are known to do stupid things like

that sometimes.

74.

NED WOORLEY

We need some answers and before it

gets dark in a few hours. CHIEF

what do you recommend?

FIRE CHIEF BUTCH LONG

You can go home and I can put you

on call if we find something we

will call you first thing. There is

nothing you can do here. Let us do

our work and maybe this will turn

out well in the end.

NED WOORLEY

Well, it is my responsibility to

call Mr. and Mrs. Needles. It

really pains me to have to tell

Barrie’s parents that he is missing

in a school fire. Oh, well. I will

call him when I get home.

All of the teachers and administrators reluctantly go home to

wait for the dreaded call from the Fire Chief.

Somewhere in the school building in a Janitors cleaning

closet, a frightened boy lies crying and curled up in a room

that is locked from the outside. When the smoke started to

move down the hallway he hid in a room with a slightly ajar

door, which turned out to be a Janitorial closet, that had a

self locking mechanism in the door. When BARRIE hid in the

closet as the smoke enveloped the hallway the door locked

closed. He banged and kicked the door again, and again, but

he could not budge the locked door. The closet was full of

cleaning supplies, pails and mops with a strong smell of

ammonia in the air. BARRIE NEEDLES(13) was alone in a locked

closet, and no one knew where he was. Barrie is a small 7th

grader with wire rim glasses, light brown hair, freckles, and

a short pug nose. His hair is a crew cut style).

FADE TO:

6 INT. IN A JANITORIAL CLOSET IN CUCAMONGA JUNIOR 6

HIGH-NIGHT.

BARRIE NEEDLES is curled up in a pre-natal position falling

asleep, with smoke seeping under the door, and smoke

enveloping the hallway outside the closet. The light bulb

overhead flickers, and then goes out, and then there was

nothing but darkness. Barrie cries in the dark void of the

closet.

75.

BARRIE NEEDLES (13)

Help. Help me someone. (Cough)

(crying) Mommy, I am sorry.

FADE TO BLACK.

THE END.

76.