Original subtitles

Welcome to Degrassi's 60th Anniversary Weekend.

You can join any and all events,

but do not miss tomorrow night's formal gala spectacular.

Alumni versus teachers Ultimate Frisbee? Right on.

Oh, guessing you play?

I'm only the captain of my team in law school.

-Hmm, okay. -Liberty!

-Holly J! [chuckles] -Hi.

Holly J. Sinclair?

As in, the former student council president?

You're pretty much my idol. [chuckles] Uh, Tristan Milligan.

Wow, did you and your council organize this entire weekend yourselves?

And we considered every last detail. I'd be honored to give you a tour.

Sure. It feels like 500 years since I was last here.

[chuckles] Well, all these screens are new, and for the gala,

they'll be playing a slideshow of students past and--

-[Holly gasps] -[Tristan] Oh!

-What are you doing? -This is a sit-in.

Oh! And what's the adorable high school issue du jour? Gluten in the caf?

My boyfriend was suspended for five days for fighting.

But it wasn't his fault. He was just defending my honor.

-Can't you find a different hallway? -Tiny got five days?

After Frankie Hollingsworth got basically nothing for that drawing?

Simpson says it's because of that zero-tolerance policy or whatever,

but that shouldn't apply to knights in shining armor.

Pinky's right.

I'm gonna sit, too.

-[squeals] I always knew we'd be friends. -No, no, you... you can't do this now.

I'm sorry. Are you denying their right to protest? Mind if I join?

Guess you didn't consider every last detail.

[sighs]

This can't be happening.

[theme music playing]

♪ Whatever it takes I know I can make it through ♪

♪ And if I hold out I know I can make it through ♪

♪ Be the best, be the best The best that I can be ♪

♪ Whatever it takes ♪

♪ I know I can make it I know I can make it through ♪

Then I dance over to Winston and we announce the musical medley,

"Degrassi Through the Ages."

-How does it look so far? -Guys, this is amazing.

-[Zoë chuckles] -[under breath] This is a disaster.

So many people have worked so hard on this,

and what's the first thing the alumni are gonna see?

Winston's awkward dance moves?

-[whispering] Winston, no. -Lola's protest.

It makes our school look like we have problems.

So ask Simpson to kick them out.

How can I do that? When I was elected president,

I vowed to make Degrassi a place for everyone, and I meant it.

Lola can protest literally any other day of the year.

This is true.

Not to mention what they're saying doesn't even make sense.

That Frankie's drawing is somehow worse than Tiny getting in a huge fight?

Come on.

You're right. I'll talk to Simpson.

I can't let a few disgruntled students

stop this from being the greatest event in Degrassi history.

[grunts]

Is the sun in your eyes, or do I detect an actual smile?

This book's kinda giving me hope. People actually get past this stuff.

Hmm. So we can stop hiding out?

I mean, they're still calling me "Hollingsracist" and "Ku Klux Fran,"

but I feel like if I can get out in front of it

and show people that I'm more than... what I did, then--

Which, for the record, was just a drawing, and not a very good one.

-It offended a lot of people. -People are annoying.

Still, I miss volleyball, and I miss my friends.

Maybe if I do something good, they'll forget the bad.

Like what?

I don't know. I'm kinda waiting for the universe to present something.

[Tristan on PA] ...gala, a night to remember.

So pick up your tickets today in the foyer.

-Okay, what did I do? -No. Maya just lost her voice,

so we have no one to sing the girl part to the school song at the gala,

-so she figured you know someone. -I'll do it.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, she does some pretty sweet harmonies with me in my car.

[Peter] Okay, cool. Well, we all rehearse together tomorrow.

-I'll give you guys a text. -[Jonah] Cool.

-You really think this will work? -Can't make it any worse.

Hmm.

[chuckles]

[camera shutter clicks]

-You look great. [chuckles] -Um, what's this picture for again?

Simpson told us we're not allowed to do a sit-in in school,

so we're gonna do a protest outside the gala.

-Whoa. Like, a "protest" protest? -Yeah. That picture's for the sign.

So do you prefer "hashtag, free Tiny," or "hashtag, justice for Tiny"?

[chuckles] Neither. I don't want a protest.

I just wanna do my time and then come back to school.

But you were wrongfully suspended, and it's my fault, boo. Let me fix it.

Oh, don't even try those eyes with me on this one.

Do you know what'll happen if you put my face on those signs?

All the alumni will fall in love with you

and I'll have to fight a bunch of adult women for my man?

-It'll become the trial of Tiny Bell. -Which you'll win. You're innocent.

I did fight that dude, Lo.

And no matter what picture you choose, the other side will pick their own...

like one of me and my brother, who's in jail.

That's not going to happen.

I just wanna focus on my GPA and get into a good university.

-I don't want all this attention. -But so many people are on your side.

Your friends, randos from school, some alumni, even.

If I'm okay with my suspension, shouldn't you be, too?

[girls laughing]

We had to protest to get wheelchair ramps for Jimmy,

-if you can believe it. -Wow.

Uh... what do you think, Lo?

That lettering is so cute, but we don't need these anymore.

But we already made, like, 500 signs.

And that's real sweet, but Tiny doesn't want us to protest, so...

-Whoa. This isn't just about Tiny. -What do you mean?

It's about how this school treats someone like Tiny

differently than someone like Frankie Hollingsworth.

Frankie got punished, too. She got kicked off the volleyball team.

But Grace is right. That doesn't exactly go on her permanent record.

[Grace] Little white girls always get special treatment.

[sighs] You guys are blowing this way out of proportion.

[scoffs] If you don't think that racism is a problem at Degrassi, then prove it.

-Fine. I will. -[acoustic guitar playing]

-[Craig] ♪ When it seems like ♪ -Ooh.

♪ You have lost it all ♪

♪ And you feel like you're in free fall ♪

♪ Goin' deep into the blue ♪

♪ I will rescue you ♪

[applauding]

Is that okay... for the gala?

I have full-body chills, if that answers your question. [chuckles]

Craig is awesome.

If every set is like that, this show will be as amazing as I dreamed.

[chuckles]

Up next... Mo Mashkour with stand-up comedy.

[man] You got this, Mo.

Hey, Degrassi!

It's been two years since I went here, and everything's the same.

But also, everything's changed.

Back in my day, we had to ask girls out in person.

Now you got apps.

You could, like, Uber yourself a girlfriend right to math class.

[laughing]

Back in my day, we had protests,

but over, like, fries in the caf, or reopening a garden,

not the serious stuff they're talking about outside--

-Um... -[faint chuckling]

-What? You don't like it? -Well, I like the first part.

Yeah, well, that's just the intro.

I'm getting to the real meat and potatoes now.

-[stutters] Yeah, but it's not true. -Okay,

I may have experimented with drugs in university,

but I know I didn't hallucinate

those people painting protest signs outside.

Yeah, those are just a few angry students who don't actually represent this school.

Well, neither do I, I guess.

I quit.

[rock music playing]

♪ 'Cause no matter where I go ♪

♪ I know, I know Degrassi is my home ♪

Oh, man! Dude, that was killer!

-Should we start playing gigs again? -Yes, definitely. But how was I?

-Yeah, you were pretty good. -But, like, how good, exactly?

Man, I heard this younger generation needed constant validation, but--

Was I make-everyone-forget-my-very- public-mistake good? [chuckles]

Depends. What was your mistake?

Um, there was this prank war... with the volleyball team...

[Sav] The gorilla banner?

-That was you? -Wait, you guys heard about that?

Oh, um...

-I probably can't do this. -What? Why?

Well, what happens if we get tagged in a photo together?

-I don't know. Nothing? -[Sav] Looks like I support you.

People kinda freaked out over what you did,

and I want to get into politics one day. It's just too risky.

Yeah, he's right. I basically just got this job at the studio,

and I work with a lot of black guys.

Well, you guys can't quit. That's unfair to you.

I'll quit. [chuckles]

Nah, it's the school song. It should be sung by a current student.

You want me to sing it alone?

For what it's worth, I thought you sounded amazing.

[automated voice on phone] I'm sorry, I don't understand

"how to prove my school isn't racist."

-Ugh! Stupid phone! -That was your whole plan?

How would someone even prove that? It's impossible.

God, Grace is so mean.

Tiny and I have only been dating for a couple weeks,

and now he's going to dump me.

[Marco] I'm so glad we don't have to do exams again.

Why did he have to get suspended in the first place?

-[Marco whispering] This is so weird. -Ugh! Stupid zero-tolerance policy.

Excuse me.

Are you guys talking about the zero-tolerance policy?

We don't have to bother these nice girls, Marco.

They're probably doing homework or something. Sorry.

No, no. Wait, wait. I just listened to a podcast about it.

-It's seriously flawed. -Uh, what do you mean "flawed"?

I wouldn't get him started, hon.

Okay, so it turns out the policy is not always applied fairly.

But isn't zero tolerance, like... zero tolerance?

Not when there are exemptions.

And it turns out that a white male student

is three times more likely to be exempt from the policy

than a non-white student. Six times for girls.

-Excuse me? -Seriously?

-So the policy is racist? -And sexist, by the sounds of it.

Or there could be other structural inequalities at play,

and it might not totally be the school's fault.

Yeah, but those stats are still bonkers.

I keep telling you, you gotta listen to that podcast.

-Okay, don't make me slap you again. -[chuckles] Please. I love your hair.

[sighing] So, Grace is right?

And, uh, those are the new screens I was telling you about.

Whoa!

Man, I can't believe it's the same school.

And everyone's so much better looking, yeah?

Well, that's inappropriate for a number of reasons.

-Hey, I was talking about you, too, Dad. -Oh.

Did you suspend Tiny because he's black?

What? [stutters] Of course not.

'Cause, you know, your zero-tolerance policy is apparently very flawed.

We've talked about this five times already.

I can't take away your boyfriend's suspension.

But what if it was unfair?

-Look, I've asked you nicely-- -No! I just want the truth!

The truth is Tiny got into a fight and he got suspended.

There's nothing more to say about the subject.

Why won't anybody listen to me? I just want answers.

Look, it's a big weekend.

It's probably just not a top priority for him.

Tiny was treated unfairly. Isn't that a big deal?

Even if he was, what could we do about it?

Make people listen.

Okay, people start arriving in 20. Costumes, people. Come on, let's do this.

Holly J. [sighs happily] As you can see, everything's perfect.

It does look really great in here.

Do you have the new performance schedule for me?

Here is the final order, printed and official.

Your speech will now come after Terri MacGregor.

-Didn't I used to come after Mo? -Oh, Mo and I had creative differences.

And Manny's not on here anymore.

I was actually looking forward to hearing her sing.

Yeah, her song was kind of a downer.

[scoffs] I think it was about teen pregnancy.

-So you booted them? Wow. -No, it's... it's not like that.

They were just being really negative,

and I wanted to celebrate Degrassi in all of its awesomeness, so...

You understand, right?

[chuckles] I'm sure it'll be great. I should go over my cue cards.

All right, the fancy people are coming. Signs up. Let's do this.

I changed my mind. Give me a sign.

Oh, you're so cute when you put on your serious face.

I am serious!

-Liberty. -[Lola scoffs]

-Hey! How are you? -Good.

What's all this?

Your step-dad didn't tell you his school had a major problem?

No, it didn't come up when Spinner and I were there for dinner.

-What's the deal? -[scoffs] My boyfriend got suspended

because this school uses a totally unfair zero-tolerance policy.

And when I went to the principal to talk about it,

he refused to discuss it.

Wow, that's heavy, and I love your passion.

You know, I went topless for a protest when I went here.

-Did it work? -Um...

Um, I don't think that's what this one's about, Lo.

-Do you have some extra signs? -[Grace] Yeah.

[Emma] Awesome. Good! [Liberty] How are you?

I stand corrected. [sighs]

-Your serious face is... serious. -[chuckles]

Aw. [giggles]

Holy... Did you see that? That lady actually listened to me.

I don't think that's happened to me, like, ever. [chuckles]

Maybe he'll listen to you, too?

[sighs]

[Tiny] You said you shut this down.

-I tried. I really, really did. -And yet, here we are.

[indistinct chanting]

No, you know what?

Grace is right. This is bigger than just you.

It's my name on the signs, Lo.

But what if it was someone else's? Someone who looked like you?

What does that mean?

Tiny, I don't know how to say this, but...

it turns out that sometimes at school,

you might be treated differently because...

-you're black. -[laughs]

You think?

-You knew? -[chuckles]

Do you think that's what happened with Simpson?

I don't know. [chuckles]

I mean, I've wondered, but you never really know.

Exactly, but when I brought that up with him, he just ignored me.

You brought that up with the principal? Seriously?

Yeah, because I care about you, but he basically just told me to get lost.

Okay, I'll join the protest.

-Really? -Yeah.

[chuckles] Let's get you a sign.

Ooh!

[audience applauding]

[Zoë] Welcome to Degrassi's 60th Anniversary Gala.

I'm Zoë Rivas and I'll be your co-host for this evening's showcase,

along with my handsome sidekick, Winston Chu. [chuckles]

-[piano music playing] -Uh...

Winston, I thought we talked about this.

We can't let our relationship interfere with the show.

Well, I guess you just have to kiss me then.

-Get it over with upfront... -[audience laughing]

...and defuse the situation?

Come on, Degrassi's much more than just kissing.

[Winston] Oh, I know...

-Are you nervous? -I've got butterflies in my stomach.

Carnivorous butterflies that eat intestines.

Oh... Well, there's still time to bail.

And add "girl who ruined the gala" to my resume?

I can't.

[audience laughing]

I just... I need some air.

[Zoë] Well, no one's going to cause any trouble tonight.

[crowd chanting] Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

[Paige] Thanks for sneaking out with me.

I cannot watch Heather Sinclair's attempt at dancing. Woof!

[Spinner chuckles] No problemo.

Emma stayed outside, so I'm flying solo anyway.

-Hey, hey, you're the girl from the sign. -Spin!

Oh, God. Okay, I'm just gonna go.

[stutters] Wait. You can't just run from your mistakes, hon.

What, you've been publicly shamed, too?

We both made a lot of mistakes when we went here.

-I dated him, for instance. [chuckles] -Hey!

No, it's fair. I did a lot of dumb stuff.

-[Paige] Yeah. -Like what?

-Well, I got a boner in class. -[Paige] Mmm.

I kinda cheated on you.

-Kinda got my best friend shot... -Whoa.

And you weren't run out of the school with pitchforks and torches?

If you're gonna make mistakes, this is a great place to do it,

-as long as you learn from them. -[chuckles]

[Spinner] Yeah, there's a lot of love in these halls.

I mean, I feel like I'm being hugged just being back here.

Aw.

-So you think I can make it through? -[Paige] If you're a good person,

Degrassi always seems to give you a second chance.

Or third. Or fourth. Or... what, 500th?

-[Paige] Yeah. -[cell phone chimes]

[crowd chanting] Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

-Tolerance now! Tolerance for all! -[chuckles]

Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

[siren wailing]

-[horn honks] -[scattered chanting continues]

[boy] Just keep protesting.

Okay, let's keep it down. Everyone onto the grass.

-Now! Let's go. -What's going on?

Mr. Simpson said we're allowed to protest out here.

And you are, if you do it quietly.

-If we do that, no one will hear us! -Lo, chill, okay?

And you have to stay off of school property.

-The road is hardly school property! -Yeah, but it's the road.

You can't stop traffic or endanger yourselves.

-Let's go! -We have every right to do this!

-Can you muzzle this one? -[Lola gasps]

I'm sorry. "Muzzle"? Are you calling my friend a dog?

I'm saying you all need to move.

-Now! -Not until you apologize!

[girl] This isn't right. Harassment. This is harassment.

[indistinct radio chatter]

Okay. It's okay. Just forget it. Let's back off.

-So that's just it? Time to shut it down? -No. We haven't even been heard yet.

Well, what're we supposed to do? There's a wall of cops out here now.

[sighs] If we're not allowed to be loud enough,

then we just need another way to get our message inside, and...

-I think I have an idea. -[marching band playing]

[audience applauding]

[audience cheering]

-Thanks, guys. Good job. -[Zoë] Thank you. Thank you. [chuckles]

What a great performance by the 1982 cheerleaders.

Wow, you ladies are still so flexible. [chuckles]

[audience laughing]

Speaking of flexible, Degrassi's school song

has seen many different arrangements throughout the years.

Here with the latest and greatest version, it's Frankie Hollingsworth.

[audience applauding]

-[applause stops] -[silverware clinking]

[acoustic guitar playing]

-[students chanting] -This is baller. Will it work?

We use these to advertise our restaurant on the side of nearby buildings.

Huge, cheap billboards.

♪ The blue and gold The brave and bold ♪

♪ So many stories to be told ♪

♪ Of battles fought and victories won ♪

♪ We don't go home Until the game is done ♪

♪ We come together as a team ♪

♪ We cheer and stomp We clap and scream ♪

-♪ But no matter where I go ♪ -[audience murmuring]

♪ I know, I know ♪

-♪ Degrassi is my... ♪ -[murmuring gets louder]

Oh, God.

-[audience chattering indistinctly] -[music stops]

[feedback screeches]

Okay, let's get this back on track. This isn't how this was supposed to go.

[chattering continues]

Quiet.

[chattering continues]

-Quiet! -[chattering stops]

We're better than this! We don't laugh at others.

We don't make people feel like they're not welcome on this stage.

Yeah, unless we say something you don't like.

[faint chuckling]

Yeah, you're... you're right.

This is all my fault.

Can you just give me a couple minutes?

Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

Tolerance now! Tolerance for all!

[Tristan] Guys! Guys! Can I have your attention?

[indistinct chatter]

[sighs] Hi, everyone, um...

Look at you. [chuckles] You all look so nice.

Wow. Okay, first, I want everyone to know that I'm not mad at Degrassi.

It lets me be my crazy self. It lets me learn and grow.

I led a protest today. [chuckles]

[clapping and cheering]

I mean, where else could I do that?

And so, when I felt like my boyfriend was being treated unfairly...

that was scary.

I don't want to believe stuff like that can happen here.

And sure, it's scary to talk about racism. I get it, but...

if any school can, I think it's us. So... [inhales nervously]

let's talk about it! [chuckles]

Degrassi's pretty cool, but...

even great places can be better, right?

[woman] Right.

So yeah, I think that's it. [chuckles] Thanks!

[audience clapping and cheering]

Come on!

And that's why we don't think

the zero-tolerance policy should be used anymore.

[clicks tongue] Well, I truly don't believe it's been applied unfairly here.

But if there are concerns, then you're right.

We should look into it and we should talk about it.

On Monday, we'll form a student committee

to review the policy and maybe give a report to the school board.

You know anyone who can lead it?

What, me?

Okay, but I'm gonna need some help. [chuckles]

We'll be there.

I told you we were gonna be friends. [chuckles]

[students singing] ♪ We come together as a team... ♪

Uh, I think they're singing our song. Should we join them?

♪ We clap and scream ♪

♪ But no matter where I go ♪

-♪ I know, I know... ♪ -Hey. [sighs]

Thanks for fighting for me.

Whatever. You fought for me, too, remember?

Now we're even. [chuckles]

[students continue singing] ♪ The brave and bold ♪

♪ So many stories to be told ♪

♪ Of battles fought and victories won ♪

♪ We don't go home until the... ♪

There you are.

You should come back inside.

-So I can get laughed at again? -I don't think that'll happen.

-They're basically singing "Kumbaya." -It doesn't matter.

Everyone's already made up their minds about me.

Oh, so you've just given up?

There's nothing else you think you can do?

There is one thing. I'm never, ever going back to Degrassi.

[Frankie singing] ♪ But no matter where I go ♪

♪ I know, I know ♪

♪ Degrassi is my home ♪

[upbeat music playing]