02x09 - Season 2, Episode 9

[bunniefuu]

I know what you did.

Sent Wes, LeSean, and them to give Taylor a b*at down.

I never told them to do anything.

That's why he came back with the g*n.

[g*nsh*t]

Becca sold dr*gs to the kid who sh*t Wes.

Who do we call?

We're not calling anybody.

We can't hide this.

They want my resignation?

When a tragedy like this happens, of course there's gonna be a transition.

If you tell me to, there are things that I could find out about that school.

My son's not crazy. He's not a k*ller.

H-He was... He was pushed to do something.

I need people to understand that.

Taylor: Tell my mom it's over.

She should move on.

Esposito: She's not gonna do that, you know?

She'll listen to you.

But why would I deliver that message?

She needs to hear it from somebody.

My whole life's been nothing but a problem for her.

She would be way better off if I'd never been born.

That's self-pity.

No, that's how it is.

Every extra thing she's had to do for me, to give up because of me...

Having things wouldn't have made her life better.

All I'm doing... I'm taking responsibility.

You can't take responsibility for your mother's choices.

I'm taking it for my own.

For stealing the g*n?

Yeah.

For sh**ting the boy?

Responsibility and guilty are closely linked here.

Do you feel guilty about this incident?

What I feel...

Do you feel guilty about anything else?

You know how, um... my mom gave me up once?

I know why she did, but I, um, never really got it.

Now I do.

It's hard, but if you care about someone, you don't want to drag them down with you.

You got to... You got to let go.

How are you going to do this?

Just tell her I get it.

Anne: What did he say?

He says he gets it.

[Sighs ]

He's giving up.

He's trying to be brave.

That's not brave.

Not talking to me, not talking to a lawyer...

That's just gonna put him in jail.

Taylor's not a sh**t.

Taylor's not just a sh**t.

People need to know that.

[Keyboard keys clacking]

[Computer beeps]

Mia: We're hungry, Daddy.

We're gonna get some pizza.

Just give me one minute, hon, all right?

What are you doing?

[Sighs] I told you I was helping people.

Daddy's helping.

What is it?

Here. Come here.

See that?

That's... That's justice.

[Computer chiming]

Michael: Want something to eat?

No.

You got time.

I'm good.

I'm good.

[Door opens]

They reopened that school too soon.

[Door closes]

Michael: Just got to get back to normal.

That's all.

They're kids.

They had a classmate that was k*lled on campus.

Doing algebra doesn't make things "normal."

[Refrigerator door opens]

I don't feel well.

I'm not going to school today.

Oh, yes, you are.

But I don't feel well.

You're going to school. Now, get dressed.

We're leaving in five minutes.

Go.

You know, you don't even know if she's sick.

She's not.

You're just making her go to school.

Look, we're living our lives.

We just... We got... We got to go about our business.

[Drawer opens, closes, silverware clatters]

You're torturing her.

What do you think jail is?

Hey, look, I know you feel guilty.

[Sighs]

[Silverware clatters]

I know...

I know you don't know what's the right thing to do.

What's the alternative? That's what we got to think about... the alternative.

And we got to show Becca that we're working together to protect her.

Now, I'm gonna take her to school, and I'll check in on her all day.

Come on, Becca! Let's go!

[Toaster clicks]

[Ringing]

Sebastian: Hello?

Anee: Sebastian. It's Anne.

Thank you.

Yeah, you're welcome.

[Chuckles]

[Cellphone beeps]

[Indistinct conversations]

Kevin: Hey, something's not right.

All right, something happened.

I'm hearing you, Wes, and a bunch of others, uh, jumped Taylor.

Lesean: Who's saying stuff?

It doesn't matter who.

Did you b*at him up?

Did you b*at him up?

Yeah.

Are you for real, man? That's...

That's why he came back?

Wes is dead because you went at Taylor.

You realize that.

Dude, we did what you told us to.

What I told... I never told you a...

I never told you a thing. What are you...

You sat there talking about how b*tches need to act correct and how b*tches can get handled.

So, yeah. We handled it for you.

[Scoffs]

I mean... I mean... I mean, the boy was crazy.

He had something against this whole team since way back when, so he was gonna get a g*n, and he was gonna do what he was gonna do no matter what.

Wes is dead.

Man, look. Look!

He's gone, man.

He's dead. He's not coming back, man.

That don't mean nothing to you?

Man, we did it for you.

For you.

For me?

So you just need to chill, all right?

Leave it alone.

For me.

Just for me, hmm?

I shouldn't care as much as I do.

I know that, but I can't... not care even when I know it doesn't make any sense.

Sometimes, giving yourself a new start in the wake of a trauma is the smartest thing to do.

There is a difference between walking away and getting shoved aside.

I was in a system that made the mistakes, but the board wants to put those mistakes on me.

They want me to... sink with them to the bottom of a river.

I tried to do good things with my position, and for them to use that as an excuse to get rid of me, I...

Giving in is just admitting they're right.

I'm a lawyer.

I can only give you legal advice.

That's what I'm asking. I'm asking legal advice.

Have you spoken to anyone since the sh**ting?

About what?

About the sh**ting.

About how you might be feeling under the circumstances.

How I feel is like I'm being scapegoated, and what I'm asking is your help in doing something about it.

Look, if that boy had sh*t me, what would I have d*ed for?

If it was something of merit, then I need to make sure that something survives.

This is...

[Scoffs] This is me dealing.

My advice, legal or otherwise... [Sighs]

Settle for a good exit package and move on with your life.

[Indistinct conversations]

[Monica speaking Spanish]

-¿El muchacho te tocó?

Evy: Sí.

¿El Señor Dixon sobre lo que pasó?

[Sighs]

No.

¿Por qué no le dijiste a alguien?

Vi lo que le pasó a mi amigo.

A nadie le importo, y las cosas empeoraron, así que...

Yo no iba a decir nada.

All right, let's take two. Two out! Two out!

Come on! Come on!

Go!

Let's go. Come on, D.

[Whistle blows]

[Indistinct shouting]

There you go.

Right, right, right, right.

There you go.

Quit fouling me. Quit pushing in.

Quit fouling me!

All right, shake it off.

You can't guard me without fouling me!

Shake it off. Shake it off.

I want to see some passing, now. Come on, find your teammate.

[Whistle blows]

Give me the... Give me the ball.

Let's go. Pass it now.

[Indistinct shouting]

And one.

Do the play.

And one!

Do the play.

And one!

You can't do the play.

Switch out. Switch out. Switch out.

Stop, all right? Enough. Shake it off. Let's go.

Off, off! Come on. Let's circle the wagon.

Circle the wagon. Circle the wagon.

[Whistle blows]

Here we go.

[Indistinct shouting]

Hey.

Hey, hey!

[Groans]

Get off me.

Get up off me, gay boy!

What'd you say?

You heard me!

Hey, hey, hey.

You can get this, too!

Kevin: It ain't your fight.

Lesean: I don't need this.

I don't need y'all. To hell with y'all!

Come on, man. We're all backing the same team.

[Sighs]

Dan: Eric!

Hey. Where you going?

I'm out.

If you leave, you're done.

You think I care?

Oh, come on. LeSean was a dumbass.

Oh, I don't give a... about him.

There's nothing here.

This team is a joke.

The... team is a joke.

This whole joint is just... It's...

It's like a show that rich people put on.

They can act how they want and say what they want, but it's not real.

[Sighs] This isn't real to you?

You walk away, think you can tell me none of this is real?

[Sighs]

You... [Sighs]

You... You don't know what it's costing me to make this team work.

And you see me asking?

[Sighs]

This is my life you're talking about.

[Chuckles]

[Telephone chimes]

Mike, it's Leslie.

O'Brien: Leslie, we've got a problem.

Yeah.

It's serious.

The school servers have been hacked.

They've been...

Documents have been posted online.

What kind of documents?

E-mails, internal memos relating to the whole Taylor Blaine incident.

Where?

They're on a TOR server, and it's already flying around social media.

Have you called our I.T. manager?

I called you.

What's been posted is pretty ugly.

It makes the school look...

Let's not discuss this on the phone.

Let's meet face-to-face right away.

[Ringing]

Jake: VonnerTech.

This is Jake Marston.

Jake, it's Leslie Graham from The Leyland School.

I have just been told we've been hit with some kind of cyber att*ck.

I need you to close the firewall, shut down the server, and deny access system-wide.

I'm here. It's done.

Review the server access logs.

Find out which accounts have been accessing the data.

Yeah, we're gonna scan the servers.

We need to do a full breach review.

Find out exactly what was compromised and let me know.

Jake, call me first.

What happened?

Hey.

W-What's going on?

A fight... The basketball team, they're fighting each other.

[Door closes]

Something's going on, and Dan's not doing anything about it.

Or... Or he won't do anything.

Michael: Okay, I'll take care of it.

No, don't.

Well, if it's a problem, I will handle it.

Michael, we can't just handle things anymore.

His friend is dead, and acting like we can buy our way into making that bet...

We just need to talk to Kevin.

[Sighs]

We can talk to him all day long.

We need to get him to start talking to us.

[Knock on door]

Hey. You got a minute?

I'm in the middle of some things.

[Sighs] I-I just need a minute.

Dr. Lewis says you're going to make a statement at my review.

Yes.

Is there anything in particular you're going to talk about?

That's for the board.

[Sighs]

Dr. Lewis keeps telling me this review is, uh...

It's just standard.

They're just going to tick some boxes, and that's that.

If that's what she's telling you...

If... If... If there's any other thing I'm being set up for, I would really appreciate it if you'd let me know.

I don't want to be caught off-guard.

I mean, I-I'm asking you.

Please.

What happened in that fight between Mateo and the black student... Tre?

[Sighs] Mateo got a three-day suspension for attacking Tre... by the book.

And nothing for Tre?

Tre was the victim.

You wanted to do what was right for the victim.

Yes.

You know, I do outreach with Hispanic students.

One of the young girls I see is Evy Dominguez.

She told me Tre not only bullied her and used racial slurs, but also touched her... aggressively.

That's sexual as*ault.

She didn't... She didn't say anything to me.

Did you ever follow up with her?

I've got nearly 2,000 students, Monica.

I can't follow up on every one of them.

Mateo told you what happened.

He told you Evy was being harassed.

He didn't tell me about her being touched.

When you broke up the fight, Mateo called Tre the "N" word.

Maybe after that, you didn't want to hear anything else.

Look, I think you're a good person, I really do, but you got it wrong, and a lot of people got hurt.

I think you need to go into that review, admit fault, and admit to your own bias.

Say I'm a r*cist?

Say you made a mistake.

[Scoffs] It's not true.

There is truth in it.

There is.

You can be rigid and deny, or you can bend a little and keep your job.

If that lets you keep doing the things that are important to you, just bend, Chris.

I wasn't wrong.

I didn't know what happened to Evy.

I can't solve a problem if a student won't say anything to me.

Well, she said something to me.

What does that tell you?

[ Indistinct talking on TV]

Mia, Mercy, Daddy's gonna get you something to eat.

Daddy's gonna go for a little bit.

[Smooches]

Leslie: The reality is, the damage is done.

The school looks culpable and complicit.

Well, w-w-we'll fight this.

Fight it how? The information's out there.

From here on in, it's just water t*rture... leak by leak.

The board looks reprehensible.

You know, I-I-I look at all this, and you... [scoffs]

You have managed to keep yourself out of the dirt.

This is a moment for very difficult decisions.

You've been the school's strongest supporter and advocate.

For the school's sake, one more time, you're going to have to be a leader.

Y-You want me to... to resign?

More than that...

Other members were implicated, as well.

We need to dissolve the entire board and appoint a trustee for an interim period.

For the sake of continuity, I will stay on as headmaster.

W-W-Wait a minute, though...

It's important for the donors and the families to know that although changes are coming...

You were part of this at every step.

O'Brien: As you noted, Dr. Graham comes across as unsoiled on the record.

Officially, she lobbied for transparency with the authorities, counseling and assistance for the alleged victim, and inclusion of an openly gay athlete on his return to school.

I've put together a transition plan which I've already distributed to the parents, donors... and the press.

Retired Senator Robert Butler has agreed to act as trustee and fiduciary caretaker.

He's a respected alumnus, and the hope is his presence will calm everyone, including law enforcement and state athletic officials.

You must really be taking some pleasure in this right now.

Change is here because a student is dead.

You really think that's pleasurable?

That's not what I meant.

I know, but the problem is you and the board consistently say stupid things.

I simply wasn't stupid.

Trina: They're okay alone like that?

Sebastian: Yeah, they're fine.

Yeah, it's easier than finding a babysitter.

It's a little creepy.

Just a little bit. [Chuckles]

Single dad making do.

I mean... you know?

I-It's all good.

Do you work with computers?

Yeah, you ever have anybody say stuff about you online... nasty stuff?

People say stuff all the time.

How does that make you feel?

Makes you feel helpless?

When stuff like that happens, I do something about it.

Like what?

[Sighs]

Everybody got things, you know?

Stuff they just want to keep hid, except it's not hid.

It's... It's on their hard drive, or it's in an e-mail somewhere.

You hack people?

Isn't that against the law?

Who's to decide that?

Used to be against the law for blacks to vote.

Gay... Gays couldn't get married.

Okay, that's... that's not the same thing.

You have my information.

What are you gonna do, hack me one day?

No. You don't get it.

You got all your information online.

You don't know how vulnerable you are.

It's people like me... We're the ones who protect you.

Anne: This information coming out, it's good for us, right?

That relates to your son's allegation on sexual as*ault.

It doesn't really have any bearing on the sh**ting.

But they... T-The school forced Taylor into a bad emotional space.

They did nothing.

They did everything to make us go away.

Taylor got a g*n and sh*t a boy.

I thought you said we needed to change the narrative.

The facts are the facts.

The best we can hope for is that he's charged with involuntary manslaughter, that it's an accidental k*lling.

And then we...

That's where we need help, is in the sentencing phase.

If we can show mitigating circumstances there... state of mind or emotional distress...

Taylor might get off lightly, maybe a 10-year sentence, and he'll serve half that.

Or he could be institutionalized.

If we can't?

Then...

Just say it.

25, 30 years.

Anne: Sebastian, it's Anne. I talked to my lawyer.

That stuff you put online, I-it's not doing any good.

Now they know what kind of school it is.

Doesn't help with the sh**ting.

I need something else. I-I need more things.

I need... I need something else.

Okay.

I-It has to be more.

You understand?

There's gonna be more. That...

That's just how it starts.

Okay.

[Cellphone beeps]

[Sighs]

Dan: The boys are spinning out.

They're lost and bitter, and I can't help them.

Well, you've done more for them than they deserve.

And...

I'm telling Eric that, uh... the school, the team, they're my life.

My family is my life.

And I'm fighting for every part of it.

And that kid, he... he just stares at me like he doesn't get it.

Like... Like what matters to me... doesn't matter.

And, uh... And, y-you know... you see that in somebody...

[Clears throat] It's ugly.

It, uh...

[Chuckles] It really hurts.

[Knock on door]

Anne.

I'm Steph Sullivan, Dan Sullivan's wife.

Anne: Where did you get these?

Steph: Oh, I take photos for the school.

I-I just thought you'd like them.

Why would I want these?

They're your son.

They're pictures. I have a son.

He's in jail.

Your husband said some very hurtful things about him.

I don't know what happened the night of that party with your son and that other boy.

I know.

I don't.

But I know that... kids have been hurt.

And it's got to stop.

You know that your son was on dr*gs at the time of the sh**ting.

From what I understand, Taylor still hasn't said where he got the dr*gs from.

Do you know?

My... My husband doesn't know that I'm here.

I just wanted to talk to you, just... just one mother to another.

See, our daughter, she's... she's just like your son.

At... At heart, she's such a good person.

Your... Your daughter gave him dr*gs?

She sold dr*gs to him.

Your daughter messed up my son, and you want what?

I want you to talk to Taylor and help me to keep her from being arrested.

Why would I do that?

It wasn't her fault.

She got them from me.

So you're an addict? Is that what this is?

It was just marijuana.

They're dr*gs.

You want to be responsible, go to the police.

No, I'm trying to protect my daughter, and you understand that.

I know that you do.

Please leave.

No, I-I'll beg you. Do you want me to beg?

Get out of my house.

If you force us to, to protect Becca, she'll testify that she sold dr*gs to Taylor the night of the party and that he lied to the police about being drugged by one of the players.

That's not true.

I don't know what's true.

But I know what I'll say.

[Sighs]

Chris.

Chris: After much thought and reflection, I see that I was wrong.

I see that I could have handled the situation with Mateo Alvarez better, sooner, and with more sensitivity.

What I did not know at the time was that the altercation was not instigated merely because a male student was flirting with a female student, but because that male student had... had touched a female in an inappropriate manner.

I believe my judgment was influenced by the fact that I could not look past a racial slur directed by Mateo towards blacks.

Mateo's actions were unwarranted, but as an administrator, it was my responsibility to be more thorough.

I would like the board to know that I understand my mistakes and...

...and my biases and will adjust my responses in the future.

McCarthy: Thank you for that statement, Principal Dixon.

We appreciate your candor.

[Sighs]

We'd like to ask you...

How long was Taylor Blaine in attendance at Marshall before he sh*t another student at The Leyland School?

I think... [Sighs]

I-I'm not certain. Um...

I can check my records, but I think it was about a month.

During that period, you were aware of his situation?

I-I was aware from his mother that Taylor was involved in the allegations of as*ault at Leyland.

You knew that he was involved in an as*ault.

You knew that he had mental-health issues.

I-I didn't know he had mental-health...

What was your follow-up?

I did not know that he had mental-health issues.

His mother spoke to you.

You didn't get him into regular counseling?

[Scoffs] What counseling?

You all have cut my budget.

I have one counselor for almost 2,000 students.

I can't get them all through mental-health evaluations, and even if I could, we can't do regular follow-up.

Did you consider Taylor Blaine's case extraordinary?

No.

I-I was concerned, but at the time, as I said...

Leslie Graham, the head of The Leyland School, gave a statement to the police that you personally came to visit her regarding Taylor Blaine.

Yes, yes, I-I did.

2,000 students... You claim you don't have...

T-that's not a claim.

...the budget to follow up on all of them, and yet you personally follow up on Taylor Blaine.

What made him special?

Was it the fact that he's white?

[Chuckles]

His race didn't matter to me.

You just stood there and admitted bias.

How are you going to say race doesn't matter?

I really appreciate that you were willing to be honest and...

Good. Okay.

I've got your appreciation.

Look...

I-I'm not mad at you.

I'm just whipped.

I go in there [chuckles] ready to crawl, and they hit me up over something that happened at Leyland.

Nobody cares what blacks and Hispanics do to each other at a public school.

I care.

But you're on your way out the door.

So what does that matter?

You're a smart man at a school in transition.

You could have used this situation.

"Used"?

For your agenda.

I didn't have one.

Funding for classes, teachers, counseling...

You didn't want any of that?

Everybody's got an agenda.

Me getting pushed aside... Was that part of your agenda?

[Sighs]

[Cellphone rings]

Peter.

Peter: Hey.

I need you to come get me.

Are you okay?

It's Mom.

She keeps talking about you and talking about Dad... how we're gonna go away and things are gonna be better.

It's not better.

We don't have any more money. She spent it all already.

I want to come home.

Why'd you take Peter?

I didn't take him.

He's my son. He needed to be with me.

It just wasn't working.

He got scared of being away from home, scared of me.

I-I just got tired of it.

Bringing him back seemed like the best thing.

You gave up.

Your father's got custody.

I wasn't supposed to have Peter anyway.

You were supposed to be here with us.

You gave up on that, too.

You don't know how hard it is...

Having a gay son?

Having all the people at church whispering about me?

Must be so hard.

This isn't the life I wanted.

I didn't choose this.

But I...

I deal with it.

How do you deal with it?

I see how you act tough all the time.

How you talk about women so people won't think you're...

You did whatever you did to that boy at that party.

Curt told me about those random... dates you go on.

That how you deal with your life?

So I got all that from you.

I got an ex-husband who's nearly broke.

I got no job. I just wanted...

I just...

[Voice breaking] I just wanted one of my kids.

I don't even have that.

Mom.

[Car door closes]

[Engine starts]

♪

[Buzzer]

Taylor: I didn't think I was gonna see you again.

I needed to.

Because?

I need you to tell the truth.

I did.

I do care about you. I never wanted to...

That's not what I'm talking about.

I don't care about that.

What happened the night of the party?

You lied about being gay.

You lied about taking dr*gs, and those texts and e-mails.

I heard you took a settlement from Leyland.

Y-Yeah, I did.

I took money for my mom and for my dad.

You were protecting your family. You don't have to defend it.

It's not even about my parents.

It just got the point where somebody comes along and says...

"That boyfriend who lies to you"...

[Inhales deeply]

..."That boyfriend you keep covering up for"...

"That boyfriend who treats you like..."

"All you got to do is step back and get paid."

So, I got paid.

I'm taking care of me.

So, what really happened that night?

If you need to know...

...he did it.

I lied a-about a lot, but not that.

What's gonna happen to you now?

I thought you were done with me.

I know you don't care, but I just went through my own stuff.

Had nobody who'd listen to me.

Couldn't dump it on my parents.

But I found one person who believed me.

Well...

I'm all out of people who believe me.

That's the thing...

I believed in myself.

Mom, I know some things.

About?

I know why Wes got sh*t.

But I don't know what to do, you know?

You tell me the truth.

That's what you do.

Tell the truth.

Kevin: It was LeSean who told me.

So, I guess him, Wes, and a couple of others, they found Taylor Blaine and they got physical with him.

Ken: They b*at him?

Yeah.

Trying to teach him to be correct, I guess.

Why did they feel they had to teach him anything?

[Inhales, exhales deeply]

We were out after a game one night, and I...

I just kind of went off on him, you know, on how he's a bitch and how somebody needed to put him in his place, but I never said go b*at anybody... ever.

I just wasn't...

It's the truth. I know it is.

And if it comes to it, he'll testify to that.

Yeah.

I need to... [Sighs]

I just have to figure out the best way to handle this.

Michael: [Scoffs] Yeah, c-can we get a minute?

I-I-I'll be out.

Yeah, just give us a minute.

[Clears throat]

What do we do?

Ken: Could turn it over for investigation.

But people's trust on any of this, it's done.

Your son implicates himself, and nobody's gonna care if he meant what he said or if he was just thinking out loud.

Kevin confessed.

He got it out.

Probably be good if it ended with that.

[Keyboard keys clacking]

Sebastian: I know there are people who think the kind of stuff I do... It's...

It's against the law. It's... It's criminal.

Yeah, technically.

But I'm a white hat... hacking for justice.

What's your relationship to Taylor Blaine?

I got no relationship.

I followed the case in the media, and I could see that this kid and his single mom were getting railroaded.

That school needed to be called on it and held accountable.

Know what I'm saying?

You see, that first round, that was just a warning.

Now things are gonna get serious.

Serious how?

Further devastation for The Leyland School... exposing individuals for who they are and what they did.

Justice for Taylor Blaine.

I told my girls I was gonna do great things, and I'm gonna do them.

Yeah.

Pay attention.

You're gonna know me.

Financial and legal repercussions from the online breach could be catastrophic.

They expose the school to potential lawsuits and jeopardize not only the future of the school's capital campaign, but actually thr*aten the money we have in hand.

Unless we take immediate action, The Leyland School is in danger of having to close its doors.

To mitigate the damages and to show the wider community that we understand the breadth and depth of our missteps, I advise this board to vote to dissolve itself, according to Section 4B, Paragraph 7 of the Bylaws.

Upon dissolution, the school will go into receivership under the care of a trustee who will oversee all financial matters under my continuing guidance.

Do I hear a motion to dissolve the Board of Directors of The Leyland School and adopt the Transition Plan as outlined?

I so move.

Seconded.

All in favor, raise your hand.

Against?

♪

This board is hereby dissolved.