Original subtitles

After heading the Hillman Arts Society for two years,

I landed an internship with the art guru, Erdine Abernathy.

And then after graduating cum laude with a BA in Art History,

I was hired as a corporate art buyer for E. H. Wright industries.

- That's quite a r�sum�. - Yes, well.

So why are you here?

Excuse me?

You should be running a gallery, not substitute teaching.

I know.

But it is my love of the little children�

that has driven me from the dog-eat-dog,

status-conscious, albeit lucrative, corporate sector

to a more fulfilling occupation.

Couldn't find a job, honey?

Please� Please hire me.

I'd love to, but I'm afraid they slashed our budget again.

Art is history.

However, the teacher for the remedial class

just took a sudden leave of absence.

I'll take it.

You got it.

You start tomorrow.

Um, just out of curiosity,

why did this teacher take such a sudden leave of absence?

The kids played a little game of keep away.

Is that all?

With her glass eye.

? I know my parents loved me ?

? Stand behind me Come what may ?

? Come what may ?

? I realize that I'm ready ?

? I'm ready ?

? 'Cause I finally heard them say ?

? I heard them say ?

- ? It's a different world ? - ? It's a different world ?

? From where you come from ?

? A different world ?

? Now, here's our chance to make it ?

? Here's our chance ?

? If we focus on our goal ?

? Focus on our goal ?

? If you dish it We can take it ?

? We can take it ?

? Just remember that you've been told ?

? That it's a different world ?

? It's a different world ?

? It's a different world ?

? It's a different world ?

? From where you come from ?

? It's a different world ?

? It's a different world ?

? From where you come from ?

? It's a different world ?

? From where you come from, yeah ?

My wife, the teacher. I never thought I'd see the day.

Who are you telling?

She's about as good with children as the Wicked Witch of the West.

Let's leave your mama out of this.

That was low.

I'm tired of feeling useless.

My life has become one endless downward spiral.

Yeah, well, why drag innocent children down with you?

Look, Jimmy Jobless.

- Hey.

I don't need your support.

I can do this.

Baby, I'm not trying to discourage you, but Joseph E. Johnston High School is

- one of the roughest schools in Virginia. - See?

Please, Dwayne. Don't worry about me, I can handle myself.

I watched Lean on Me last night.

- She's dead. - Oh, stop it, Ron.

No, she's not dead.

You got to remember something.

"Remedial" doesn't mean "slow" anymore.

It means a dumping ground for problem kids.

You can't just waltz in and expect them to respond to you.

Okay. That's where you're wrong, Dwayne.

'Cause I'm gonna be more than a teacher to these children.

I'm gonna be a parent, a guide, a counselor,

their light at the end of the tunnel.

Yes. Go, Baby! Go, Baby! Go, Baby!

- She's dead. She's dead. - She's dead.

Oh, no. Do you see those sisters?

They are too tired.

Mm-mm. Not half as tired as this table with these water spots.

Now, Lena, watch. Wipe on, wipe off.

Step off! Step off!

Hey, Lena, Charmaine.

- Hi, Dorian. - Hello, Dorian. What's up?

You, baby.

I do believe I said "Dorian".

And I forgive you.

Lena, after the game today, we're gonna have a party.

I was wondering if you want to go with me.

It's going to be ugly, man.

- I'd love to. - Huh?

I asked you that five times already.

What's he got I ain't got?

A date.

I'll see you tonight, then.

Mm! Mm, mm, mm.

"Mm-mm" nothing, Speed Racer. That is a church boy.

- So? - So?

You gonna scare him off.

Excuse me.

I know how to act like a lady.

Mm. Too bad some of us have to act.

Wipe on, wipe off.

Excuse me.

Hello.

Yo!

Yo to you, too, Mama.

Take a seat, please.

Yo, Byron, where you get your gear, Punks "R" Us?

Yeah, your pants is riding so high I thought you was wearing shorts.

Leave me alone, please?

Hey, knock it off.

"Hey"? You must be crazy!

My mama don't even talk to me like that.

Well, I ain't your mama.

Take a seat, please.

Sit down!

Now.

Don't bother thanking me.

Uh� Could you all take a seat, please?

Now.

- I bet she thinks she's cute. - Thank you.

She is.

Sub's got crazy back.

Okay, when I call your name, please answer, "Present."

- Crayton Adams. - What?

Please answer, "Present."

Crayton Adams.

What?

Elias Black.

It's Eli, and you bet not call me Elias.

- Rough room. - Thank you.

Oh-la-fay-mee Dakar.

Olufemi, Sister.

How about I just call you Lou?

You don't respect me enough as a Black man to learn my name?

My� My mistake, Olufemi.

Uh�

- Althea Hicks. - Present!

What was that?

Present, ma'am.

Ron Jackson, Jr.

That's me, baby.

And looking at you, I know I'm gonna need extra attention.

Raymond Nile.

I'm Raymond.

Nice to meet you.

And- And it's a pleasure to meet you too, Raymond.

He's only 12!

My name is�

Mrs. Gilbert-Wayne,

and I'll be your substitute teacher for the week.

Why is it necessary to preserve not one, but two slave names?

If you're asking why I've hyphenated my name,

it's to preserve my identity

and still acknowledge my hus- Where's my purse?

Dang, girl, you ugly in this picture!

Give me that wallet.

Don't try to change the subject.

You ugly in this picture.

Hardy-hardy-hee-hee-hee.

Well, guess what I found in the little outline I have for you?

You all have a test tomorrow in your American History.

So take out those books.

This one?

That would be the one.

No, man, I think she means this one.

I got another one for you.

All right, come on in here, Chunky.

Oh! Chunky!

Yo, Chunky!

The Chunkster.

Sit down, Frog Boy.

I didn't realize it was so late.

Dorian, I had a really great time tonight.

Uh, I was wondering when you were gonna ask me out.

You know, Lena,

you could have asked me out yourself.

I didn't want you thinking I was jocking the basketball star.

I would never think that.

Uh� Maybe we should stop.

You're right, Lena. We should.

Oh, I didn't mean right this second.

No, I'm sorry, Lena.

No, no, no, no. Trust me.

It's quite all right.

Lena, wait.

I understand.

We'll take things slow. Don't worry.

You're right, we should take things real slow

because sex is not to be taken lightly.

That's right, Lena. That's one of the reasons

why I don't believe in premarital sex.

- Excuse me? - I said I don't believe in premarital sex.

Oh, I get it.

Gina and Charmaine put you up to this!

- What? - All right, y'all!

Y'all got me!

- Y'all got me. - Wait, Lena.

- I'm serious. - No-

- Seriously, though, I can't even- - No, wait a minute.

This changes things?

I don't know. Uh�

It's late, and I'll talk to you about it tomorrow.

Good night.

Okay, here she comes. Y'all remember what I said.

What happened yesterday will not happen today.

What happened yesterday�

will not happen today.

"Remedial" does not mean "stupid."

You're in this class

'cause you can't act right in your other class,

and that will not happen here today.

Yes, Ms. Gilbert-Wayne.

You're young adults, and you will act as such.

Yes, ma'am.

Good.

Now, as I recall, you have a test today,

so let's start studying.

Open your books to Chapter Five.

- What happened? What's wrong? - Nothing.

I'm sorry.

I heard silence.

Everything's fine.

They just needed a little kick in the pants.

They usually kick back.

All right, class, American History.

What began the Civil�

I have finally found my calling, Dwayne.

I marched in there with fire in my eyes and bass in my voice.

You should have seen the principal's face.

Go on, baby. I'm proud of you.

Oh, this one's not right.

This isn't right, either.

Oh, this one's going to need a little tutoring, Miss Iesha.

She didn't like me at first, but now we're really bonding.

- What's going on here? - What's the matter, Miss Lean-on-me?

"Who alerted the Americans that the British were coming?"

"Peter Pan."

Wait a minute.

"What did the American Revolutionaries throw into Boston Harbor?"

"Your Mama."

I hope she can swim.

They're all like this.

They set me up, those little antichrists.

Principal Shaw, Miss Maples told me I could find you in here.

What are you doing?

Well, I had a date to go dancing with Denzel Washington�

but I decided to cancel and do the night sweep with this broom.

Grab that dustpan for me.

Um, why are you doing the night sweeping?

Budget cuts, honey.

We only have one custodian.

He's got a bad back and a good union.

So how did the first test go?

They didn't quite grasp the material.

I was talking about the test they gave you.

I failed miserably�

w-which is why I feel it necessary to tender my resignation.

Fine. Empty that on your way out.

I'm sorry if I've disappointed you.

You didn't. I knew you wouldn't make it.

Well, who could make it?

This classroom is overcrowded.

The children are totally unruly.

We've got these old textbooks

with "I love the Bee Gees" written all over it.

Got one little paragraph about Black people in it,

says we were slaves and Martin Luther King came and marched,

and that racism is a thing of the past.

They teach us that we didn't even exist.

Oh, please. You're lucky you have books at all.

Some classes don't, you know.

The pocket change they give this school,

we're lucky the kids have a place to learn and somebody to teach them.

With the few pennies that's left,

I try to feed the kids that don't get fed at home.

"New and improved" is a luxury we can't afford.

How could you let this happen?

Excuse me, Miss Joan of Arc?

You're the one quitting and after a whole day and a half. Wow.

Well, I've been here 22 years.

I've watched teachers like you come and go.

You complain, but you don't stay long enough to take care of them.

I saw your r�sum�.

You're smart.

You don't like these books?

Why don't you fill in the blanks?

There is no rule that says teachers cannot be creative.

And you cannot get to the dawn unless you make it through the night.

Well, I guess that's a problem for the next substitute.

Principal Shaw, can� can we at least get some portable heaters here?

It's very chilly.

I'll wear a sweater.

So, did you hit that or what?

Brother, I didn't try.

Okay, okay. So you're gonna play that shy, sensitive role

while you're hitting another honey.

I'm not hitting anything, man. I'm not down with that.

What you down with?

I'm not knocking any boots until I'm married, okay?

Damn, man. A brother could explode!

Look, man. You could get hit by a plane tomorrow.

You want to die a virgin or a man?

Terrell, cut it out, man.

I mean, sleeping with 100 women never made anybody a man.

No.

No, but it sure do make him happy.

Sick, man.

Girl, he's leaving. I thought you'd talk to him.

Come on, Lena. Sex is not a good enough reason to lose a man like Dorian.

I don't know what to say, okay?

He probably thinks I'm a tramp.

Just as well. You can't mix a Christian with a heathen.

Excuse me.

Lena, I just got one thing to say.

I believe in much premarital play.

Well, I hope you like playing Solitaire.

Ace, King, Queen, Jack.

I'm telling you�

Here I was thinking I was teaching you something,

and you were pulling my leg the entire time.

And I used to get upset when people said that Black people

didn't have anything to do with the history of this country.

That we were lazy.

That we weren't intelligent.

But after being with you all for a few days, who could argue?

But we never lose our sense of humor, huh, Ron?

I mean, really.

"Aunt Jemima invented the cotton gin"?

That was a good one.

You're a regular little Flip Wilson.

But the one who takes the cake is Miss Iesha.

Class, listen to this.

She did not get one answer correct on this test.

Not one.

Isn't that funny?

I knew the answers.

Hey, don't defend yourself. You got a big, fat zero.

Being stupid is so funny.

I'm not stupid.

Number one, Stephen Douglas,

number two, Robert E. Lee, number three, Eli Whitney,

and number four, The Declaration of Independence.

Number four is The Emancipation Proclamation.

Whatever. But I'm not stupid.

I know you're not stupid.

I also know why you don't want to read this book.

'Cause this book teaches us that we don't exist.

That we weren't a part of American history.

This book doesn't teach us the whole truth.

So why are we reading it?

Because it does give us a foundation,

and I guess I have to fill in the blanks.

So, why don't I teach you some stuff that's not in the book?

Like what?

Like, where do we come from?

- Slavery, ma'am? - No. Africa.

From great civilizations ruled by African kings and queens.

He's absolutely right.

There was Hannibal, Shaka Zulu, Cleopatra�

Cleopatra? Cleopatra's white.

I seen her on cable last night.

No. You saw Elizabeth Taylor.

This is really Cleopatra.

No. For real?

For real.

Dang. Look at all that gold.

That's where the rappers get it from.

Lena. Lena, I need to talk to you.

I am so sorry, Dorian, for walking off like that the other day.

It's okay. Forget what I said.

What?

Lena, come here.

Only a cornball would give up the chance to be with you.

Then let's go.

- Where we going? - My room.

Charmaine and Gina won't be back for at least ten minutes. Come on.

No, wait. Now, wait a minute.

I'm lying.

I know you are.

Look, Lena.

You see, fools like Terrell, they try to get as much as they can

before they settle down.

Now, you see, on my wedding night,

I want to give my woman a gift no one else has had.

That's what I was taught and that's what I believe.

Now, if you can't respect that, then we'll just have to be friends.

Wait a minute.

It might be nice not to have to fight a brother off every five minutes.

But, uh, you have to promise not to wear those tank tops around me,

because you look too good.

I'll try and remember that.

By the way�

nothing was really gonna happen just a minute ago.

- Just want you to know that. - Really?

Really? What kind of girl do you think I am?

But it's nice to know that you're not after me just for my body.

Help me, Lord.

Damn, I'm good.

Take a look at these test results.

Not one bad answer.

- Hey, I didn't know that. - What?

That your mama shot Abe Lincoln.

Okay, so I need a little more time with them,

but I did light a fire under their little behinds.

Yes, you did, baby. For that, you get one free massage.

I'm teaching them all kinds of things.

Shaka Zulu, Toussaint�

�Nat Turner, Cleopatra�

Okay, baby, be quiet. This is Professor Wayne's class now.

And what are you teaching me today?

Everything.

That's my favorite subject. Everything.

All you have to do to get an "A"

is scream my name out loud.

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