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Episode 6: "Chapter 6"
Original Air Date: 11.27.00
Summarized by: Kris D.

Tim McMahon, a Winslow High Math Teacher, is complaining to Principle Harper about the lack of math textbooks. He's worried that his test scores are low, and that Guber will be on the war path. Walking up the staircase behind Steven, he is sputtering and breathing heavy, all the while complaining about the nature of the school. All at once, he clutches his chest and falls backwards. In a panic, Steven yells for someone to call 911 and begins to perform CPR. Students are running and screaming - Kevin joins Steven in the stairwell and tries to help. Nothing.

Roll Credits.

Act I

Body bag holding McMahon is wheeled out of the school. Guber and Kevin discuss the fact that McMahon just passed his physical/stress test two weeks ago. Kevin says that he's heard that McMahon's wife left him. Steven, who is a friend of the family, has no knowledge of this. Guber is called into t he nurse's office where...

A young girl's buttock is red and irritated. A teacher has apparently paddled her - the woman used to use a ruler but has started using a paddle. The nurse says she had someone come into the office a few weeks ago with an infection from a lesion, that he wouldn't tell her what it was from but all evidence points to the paddling.

In Lauren's classroom, Lauren is head to head with one of her students, Webster. Apparently he has not done the assignment and he wants to know why she is on his rear. He hasn't done the work for weeks, he doesn't "respond well when he's being harrassed." She says they'll discuss it after class, but as she walks away he calls her a b**ch. Lauren calls him on it and tells him to stand in the corner. She then tries to resume class, but notices a girl's t-shirt says "Do Me". Oh, boy.

In a classroom discussing Shakespeare. A little old woman listens while a student talks about how "weird" Shakespeare is. Wrote about sex and murder, like everyone else, why is he so special? He is being facetious and she calls him on it. This is Mrs. Walsh, the spanking teacher. Scott Guber slips into class and witnesses Mrs. Walsh spanking the boy. He is Not Amused.

Scott calls Mrs. Walsh into his office and tells her that she is to hit NO MORE students. When she tries to argue, he lays down the law. NO MORE SPANKING. "You will not take your paddle to anyone, is that clear?"

In a hallway, Steven, Lauren and the "Do Me" girl are discussing the t-shirt. She is advised that it is too sexually explicit and she must change it. As Steven and Lauren walk away, Webster confronts Lauren in front of Steven. Tells Steven that she humiliated him and that she is targetting him in class. She defends herself by saying the student is slacking off purposely and that she isn't targetting him. Steven tells them to talk it out and leaves. The kid is beligerent and he ends by spitting in her face, saying "That's all i have to say."

Steven enters the house of the dead teacher's wife. She is distraught, wants to know if she killed him. She did throw him out the week before, because he admitted to having an affair with a student, Karen Fitzgerald. Steven is completely shocked by this revelation.

Act II

In an office, Steven and Scott are discussing Karen Fitzgerald. They want to talk with her and as Steven is about to call Louisa, Lauren flies in and tells them that Webster spit in her face and she wants him expelled.

Cut to an assembly for the dead teacher. A student is talking about his mother's death. He claims that the teachers are useless, that they don't understand or know who the students are. The student calls for the kids of Winslow High to turn to prayer and God in their time of need, because teachers and parents can't do anything for them. They are "useless".

Steven is in his office and Marilyn comes in to tell him of a student-run assembly for the death of McMahon. She asks if Steven is OK. He claims he's fine. She asks him if there's anything she can do...he asks her to dinner. Before she can respond, Louisa announces Karen Fitzgerald.

Walking down the hall, Lauren passes the "Do Me" girl, but now her shirt says "Do Me Right". The girl says it just means "Respect me." Coming out of nowhere, Harry quips "What, in the morning?" Susan, the Do Me girl, claims that at least now the shirt has enough ambiguity to pass muster. As she walks off, Lauren tells Harry that it's just flat out defiance. Harry agrees and says the kids live for it. She comments that at least they don't do it to him. He says he heard about the incident with Webster and wants to know if she's alright. "Yeah, yeah" she says, unconvicingly, as she walks away.

Karen Fitzgerald is in the office with Harper and Guber. She denies all allegations that she was having an affair with McMahon. She leaves and Steven tells Scott to talk to the students in her class, discreetly. Louisa announces Webster Henderson. Steven asks if he spit in Lauren Davis's face. When Webster says yes, Steven tells him he has been suspended until further notice, and to clean out his locker because it's possible that he won't ever be back.

Steven visits McMahon's wife and tells her that the girl denies it. The wife says she found her husband's journal, which chronicles their sex-capades. Also, she heard from his attorney. Her husband left the girl money.

In the teacher's lounge, Harry, Lauren and Marilyn are talking about Steven's offhand "Let's have dinner" request to Marilyn. Lauren wants to know what she says and Marilyn says they were interrupted. The door opens and Harry says "Steven!" Marilyn spins in her chair, but it is just another teacher. Marilyn gets up and walks out saying "You're a stitch, Harry." Harry just sort of smiles and then looks at Lauren. She is on another planet. "Earth to Lauren..." He says she's obviously not OK, but her reply is "I'm fine. A student spit in my face..." She trails off, playing with her stirring stick. Harry jokingly says he has friends in the dungeon, that he'll have the kids legs broken for her. She smiles slightly as Guber approaches them and tells her that the expulsion hearing is tomorrow. He tries to talk her out of pressing the expulsion and she gets up and stalks out of the lounge. Scott calls after her that the hearing is at 11am. Her response? "Good."

Harper is discussing the affair between the Fitgerald girl and McMahon, with the girl and her parents. Karen is still denying the affair, all the while Steven wants her transferred so as not to ebarrass her any more. He sends the girl out and gets her parents to agree to a transfer.

Scott goes into the auditorium, where the students are praying together.

Lipshultz in the teacher's lounge with Mrs. Walsh (the paddle lady). Discussing her paddling. She invites Lipshultz for coffee, but he claims to be a married man. "Harvey, she's DEAD!" Mrs. Walsh says she'll bring her paddle and that he might like it...that her late husband couldn't get enough of it. Lipschultz says "Are you saying when you hit the students, it's sexual?" "Of course not. I only hit them when their ripe little bottoms need the discipline." Harvey is disgusted.

Scott and Steven are discussing the student praying. Steven says there's no law against it, but Scott says it might appear to be school endorsed. They walk into the auditorium, where Marla is standing on the stage singing hymns with the students. Marilyn and Kevin are watching and Steven tells them to stop the assembly as soon as the song is over.

In Steven's office, the expulsion hearing is on for Webster. His mother doesn't defend him, but says he had a bad day. He was close to the dead teacher and is asking for understanding. Steven asks Lauren if she has anything to add. "A lot of people liked or loved Tim McMahon and most had a bad day. But Webster was the only one who spit in a teacher's face." Lauren says assault on a teacher is grounds for expulsion. The kid's lawyer says he didn't strike her. Lauren says "He spit on me. Which is worse?"

Cut to: The Morgue. Apparently, the kid he got hired there invited some friends there to "party with the body". The kid was trying to get his friends to read, so he let them touch the body. Harry promises the manager of the morgue that the kid won't do it again.

Lipshultz is relating the Mrs. Walsh story to Guber in the office. Claims that she's getting sexual pleasure from hitting the kids. Tells Scott that Mrs. Walsh is a pervert.

In the teacher's lounge, Marla is asking Milton if her foot looks swollen. Steven comes in and asks Marla if she's aware of the Supreme Court ruling about prayer in school. Marlas says the Supreme Court can kiss her @$$. Guber tells her to stay the h-e-double hockey sticks away from those assemblies. Actually, he yells at her (even tells her to SHUT UP). He storms out.

He storms INTO his office. Marilyn follows him in. He apologizes for asking her out and she says she's not comfortable dating the principle of the school. He says that he asked because McMahon's death reminded him that life is short. She asks him if he has had a chance to cry..."Excuse me?" He says he hasn't had the time to grieve for his friend. She tells him to take the time.

Harry is walking Lauren home. She tells him he didn't have to, but he wanted to. She wants to know if it's to keep her from throwing herself in front of a bus. He says it's not like her to be depressed and she says that it's the first time she's ever *really* felt like quitting. They stare for a few seconds and Harry reaches up and touches her hair. Twice. There is an akward moment, until Lauren says "It's cold." Harry agrees and says that they should keep moving. The continue walking.

Act IV

In Steven's office, McMahon's wife is in the office, with her husband's psychiatrist. Apparently, Tim had an obsession with Karen Fitzgerald and was delusional. He never had an affair with her. Uh oh.

Guber has fired Mrs. Walsh. She chases him down the hall, saying that it's unfair, that she's been a teacher for 50 years. He doesn't care. At all. Says if she doesn't vacate ASAP, he'll have the police arresst her for sexual assault.

In the expulsion hearing, Webster is suspended for two months. His mother is angry and blames the school for her son's suspension. She harpoons Lauren, telling her that she must be some great teacher, to resort to humiliation. "What a gifted teacher you must be." Louisa tells Harper that he has his first assembly waiting.

He walks in and gives a very broken speech about the loss of Tim McMahon. "Sounds like maybe you've found a better way to deal with Mr. McMahon's death than I can offer." He publicly says that Mr. McMahon didn't have an affair with a student, and he wanted to clear the air. He says he wanted to save the student from further embarrassement, and second, "Mr. McMahon's illness...I never saw it. And I was close to him. His wife never saw it. I think we need to work harder at staying connected to each other. You know folks, life...it goes by. He, um, was a good friend. As principle, I can't allow you to have prayer sessions...he was a good friend and a good man. Principle's handbook says I should stand here and tell you it's OK to cry but I shouldn't let you see me so...that's how it'll be." He walks off the stage.

Guber is in his office with Karen Fitzgerald's parents. He officially apologizes to them. The father says that what the school did was cause them to disbelieve their daughter - broke down the trust. That can't be fixed with a "sorry".

In his classroom, after hours, Harry is picking up papers. Lauren comes in and he asks her if she's feeling better. She is. She wants to know what last night was about - about him touching her hair. He says he doesn't know, that he was in the moment. Did it bother her? No, no. He says she seemed like she needed to be touched. Lauren says that she's supposed to be looking for someone for him and vice versa, but that she hasn't found anyone. Neither has he.

L: Well, if you do...
H: Lauren...you and me is a disaster.
L: I know but...
H: ...as disasters go, it would probably be one of the better ones.

They lean in for their first, chaste kiss. Harry breaks off quickly and says "I mean, it's probably not a good idea." Lauren nods and says "I know", but pulls him back towards her and they kiss lingeringly.

In the morgue, Steven is visiting McMahon's body. He speaks to him about their friendship, about how McMahon was always causing trouble, even in death. He finally cries.

Fade to black, roll credits.