02x04 - Principles

[bunniefuu]

(upbeat music)

(camera shutter sound)

- It's weird.

Somebody somewhere spent

a lot of time designing something

only to have it ripped open and become garbage.

That wrapper's still a perfect work of art.

It's all in how you look at it.

And the more you look, the more you see.

- Excuse me,

excuse me.

- You don't have to yell.

- You ever heard of a garbage can?

- What do you think?

- Then use it.

- Whatever.

- Don't walk away when I'm talking to you.

- You can't tell me what to do.

- Yes, I can.

I'm your new principal and I'm warning you.

There's no room for troublemakers in my school.

You'll have lots of time to think about that

during detention.

- Just what I need, more rules.

(upbeat music)

♪ There's a devil standing on my tail ♪

♪ But I don't have to beat him ♪

♪ And there's an angel ♪

♪ That is tempting me to fail ♪

♪ But I don't really need him ♪

♪ And the waves just keep rolling along ♪

♪ we can drift if the current prevails ♪

♪ Here we are in this slow boat ♪

♪ Wishing for a sail ♪

♪ Wishing for a sail ♪

♪ Sail, sail, sail, sail, sail ♪

♪ I'm wishing ♪

♪ I'm wishing ♪

♪ I'm wishing for a sail ♪

- [PA System] And don't forget

tomorrow's basketball regionals.

Go Colts.

- Man, I'm so ready.

- Hey, what's with you?

- Nothing,

I got detention for study hall.

- I'm shocked.

(students gasp)

- My name is Mr. Pettigrew.

I'm your new principal.

I'll be making some changes to High River high.

I'm distributing a list of rules and standards.

Follow them, and we'll get along just fine.

- What was his last job?

Prison warden?

- But if you break the rules.

- Excuse me.

Yeah. What's this for?

- Throwing a volleyball in class.

Look smart, be smart.

That's my motto.

As of next week,

uniforms will be introduced to the school.

Every student will be required to wear one.

- He can't do that, can he?

- Think about how much money we're going to save

when we don't have to buy clothes all the time.

- Well, think of how geeky we're gonna look

in white shirts and flannels.

- This is an exercise in futility, don't you think?

In my last school, I swear

they distributed garbage two times a day.

- You know what?

She is right.

This is so stupid.

So if he wants us to pick up garbage for detention,

then there has to be garbage to pick up.

- So what are you in for?

- I was late.

- Oh, well, you know, you're new.

I'm sure you just got lost.

- Well, late's late.

I deserve it.

(upbeat music)

- What is that?

- Well, as president of the student council,

principal Pettigrew has asked me

to help select the uniform.

- You're kidding.

- No, and you're going to have to learn to love it.

(school bell rings)

Or you can enroll in another school.

(upbeat music)

(students chatting indistinctly)

- This is exactly my point.

Young lady, you are the type

that's going to turn this school around.

- Oh, you mean uh

punks like me?

- You were the one who was littering?

- Actually, I was taking photographs.

It's an art form, you know.

So maybe, I'm not the type that you think I am.

- Hand over the jacket.

- What?

- Leather jackets are not allowed in my school?

- No, this is mine.

- Yes it is, but you can't wear it in my school.

You're gonna have it back

at the end of the day.

(suspenseful music)

Dismissed.

(upbeat music)

- Hi,

hope you like Mac and cheese.

- Actually, I go home for lunch.

- Oh, wow.

You must live really close.

- Yeah, on Adam Street.

So have you lived here?

- Oh yeah, my whole life.

You know what?

I hope you like to party 'cause High River

can get pretty wild.

- I'll try to adjust.

My name's Portia.

- Oh, you know what?

I've never met anyone named after a car before.

- Not Porsche, Portia.

Like in Shakespeare?

- Right.

I'm Griffen, like in stupid.

- No, like in mythology.

Body of a lion, head and wings of an Eagle.

- Yeah, I was a really weird-looking baby.

- Portia.

- Wow, on a first name basis,

you must be one troublemaker.

He's a real jerk.

- I gotta go.

- All right.

Good luck with principal Pretty cruel.

- Where's my...

Who broke into my locker?

Am I supposed to be wearing this

to the assembly on Monday?

And now I'm gonna have to have it dry cleaned.

- Not if you join the revolution.

Here, sign this.

It's a petition against school uniforms.

- You're in favor of uniforms?

Then you should sign my letter.

See, we all say we want to be individuals,

but then we all dress the same anyway.

Why not just get uniforms,

we can save a little money.

- Right, I will gladly sign.

And by next week, you guys will all be

in the uniforms I chose.

(upbeat music)

- Griffen the Griffin,

what are you doing here?

- Hi, um...

oh, I sacrificed my lunch hour

to go around with this petition

against school uniforms.

- You're against school uniforms.?

- Oh yeah.

No.

Well, I can see both sides.

Which side are you on?

Actually, I don't care either way.

It's more about how Pettigrew's wrecking the school

with all these stupid rules.

- Who is it, dear?

- Griffen,

I'd like you to meet my dad.

- There are 300 students at High River high.

I see fewer than 100 signatures here.

- Sir.

- Even if this were a democracy,

that wouldn't be a majority.

And this isn't a democracy.

Uniforms save money, promote discipline,

and most important, they take the focus off fashion

and put it where it belongs,

on academics.

- Sir, here's the letter from

those of us who want uniforms.

- Thank you.

Starting Monday, No one will be allowed

in class without a uniform.

- How do you get through to this guy?

He doesn't listen to a word anyone says.

(suspenseful music)

- What are you doing?

- Just following the rules, sir.

- What rules?

- The law says that I have to go to school,

but your law says I'm not allowed to go to class

unless I'm wearing a uniform.

And I'm never wearing a uniform,

so I'm here.

- You think you're the first

who's challenged one of my decisions.

For all I care, you can stay here

till they cut you off to the old punk's home.

I'm not backing down.

- Neither am I.

(school bell rings)

(suspenseful music)

- Caitlin.

- Oh, real food.

- Just exactly how long are you planning to stay here?

- As long as it takes.

- You know, uniforms are not such a bad idea.

- Try having to wear one every day.

- Well, Mr. Pettigrew was very convincing

when he spoke to the school board.

- Whoa, wait, you approved of them?

- Well, it wasn't just me.

I mean, the whole board approved them too.

- Well, we didn't.

And we're the ones that have to wear them.

- You know, she's got a point.

I mean, students have rights too.

And I know I was in on a few protests in my day.

- No way, you?

- Hey, you can't always judge a book by its cover.

- I like uniforms.

I mean, with so many things dividing everyone,

class, color, religion,

uniforms say, "We're all learners together."

But if you're going to stay here overnight,

then I'm gonna stay with you.

- You're protesting?

- I'm keeping you company, there's a difference.

- I can't believe I'm at school on a Saturday.

- It's the tournament, man.

- What are you trying to prove anyway?

- It's the principle of the thing.

- Principal as in Pettigrew?

Or some stupid points he's trying to make?

- Both, man.

Come on, just standing up for our rights.

- I can stand up for my own rights,

thank you very much.

Besides, a lot of kids liked the idea of uniforms.

- They do?

You're really forward, aren't you?

- Yeah.

You wear a uniform when you're on a team,

makes you part of something,

something bigger than you.

It makes you proud.

At least with uniforms,

you're on a level playing field, you know.

- What?

- Not everybody can afford

to wear new styling clothes every day, man.

- What's going on here?

- Oh, the regionals are today, sir.

- All right, then.

- Sir.

- How can you stand living with him?

- You don't even know him.

- I know a dictator when I see one.

- All right, I let you have your fun

because your step mom's on the board.

- She's my cousin.

- I don't care.

Leave now or you're suspended.

- What about the uniforms?

- Monday morning.

- Well then, I guess I'm suspended.

But you're going to have a little bit

of trouble getting me out of here.

- I warned you, now the gloves come off.

- What is wrong with uniforms?

I mean, it's better than being dictated to

by some fashion magazine.

- Portia, you don't have to defend him.

Look, it's not your fault your father's a jerk.

- Thank you for clearing that up for her, Griffen.

- I have an announcement.

Until Caitlin Seeger calls off her protest,

all gym-based extracurricular activities are canceled.

No theater, no dances,

no band,

and no basketball.

High River will not be participating

in the regional tournament today.

You need the gym for the tournament

and the gym is currently occupied.

- This school always comes second.

This is our year to be number one.

- I suggest you take that up with Ms. Seeger.

Portia, are you coming?

- I'll meet you at home, Dad.

Sir.

- It's Caitlin, she's ruined everything.

- You know what?

That's it, this is nuts.

(upbeat music)

Caitlin, you have to call this thing off,

Pettigrew's canceled the tournament.

- He made that decision, that's his choice.

- Yeah, but he made it because of you.

- I'm not trying to stop anyone

from doing anything, unlike your father.

I decide what kind of clothes I wear

and there is no way that that's going to be a uniform.

- Caitlin,

they're just clothes.

- You don't understand.

- Understand what?

- Your parents bought you clothes

whenever you needed them.

All I ever wore were hand me downs.

I wanted my clothes to say something about me

so I saved up for two years to buy that leather jacket.

It's like my trademark.

And it means more to me

than any clothes you'll ever have.

(crowd murmuring indistinctly)

- Hey everybody, what's going on here?

It's more important than a basketball game.

Right now, Pettigrew has all the power.

His rules, his way.

- [Student] Yeah.

- It's just not right.

- [Student] Yes.

- Okay, Brett, maybe you think uniforms are good idea.

But what if next time he's telling us

how we can wear a hair

or what music we can listen to

or what books we can read?

Adults shouldn't tell us what we can and can't wear.

Those are rights that belong to us alone.

- [Student] He's right.

- [Student] Yeah.

- Griffen's right.

- I am?

- Yeah, look, nobody's gonna tell me how to cut my hair.

Nobody's gonna tell me to do anything I don't wanna do.

You know what?

I say we get everybody in the school in here.

I say we start a real protest.

(students cheering)

Forget the basketball tournament.

(upbeat music)

(students chatting indistinctly)

- Hey, it's too broad.

Can you lift it up.

- Hey, what's your father gonna do

when he finds out you joined the protest?

- What do you mean?

- Well, you know, takes a lot of guts

for you to stand up to him.

- Why?

Because he's such a jerk?

- Come on now, you have to agree.

With him it's either my way or the highway.

What are you doing?

- You know, my father may not always be right,

but there's only one jerk in this school.

- Portia.

- What are you doing in here?

- Your dad confiscated my jacket.

- Yeah, it's part of his job.

- That's not the way I see it.

- You know, Griffen is so frustrating.

- Yeah, he does have his jerk side,

but I think he likes you.

- Really?

Yeah, but he has no idea who my dad is,

he's totally misjudged him.

And so have you.

- Come on, his rules are completely bogus.

- No, they're not.

He makes them for a reason.

His last school was one of the worst in the country.

He started school breakfast, peer monitoring.

When he was principal there,

the dropout rate went way down.

My dad's a good guy, Caitlin.

Not perfect,

but good.

(calm music)

- Portia, your mother is worried.

Come home with me.

I'm okay.

But dad, I have to do this.

I mean, I believe in what we're fighting for.

- I made some cheese sandwiches for you,

with that mustard you like.

- Thanks, dad.

I love you.

- Love you too.

- He's letting you stay?

- Griffen, you know...

- I'm sorry.

- What?

- If someone talked about my dad

the way I talked about yours,

I'd be mad too.

I'm sorry.

- Apology accepted.

- Caitlin, I'm going to try one last time

to make you listen to reason.

- Actually, that would be the first time.

- The first time for what?

- The first time for reason,

all I've heard from you so far are rules.

Portia told me what you did

for your other school and maybe she's right.

Maybe we should get to know you

and see what you can do for our school.

But you need to get to know us

before you can decide what kind of freedom

we can or can't handle.

That's all we're asking.

- What sorts of freedom are we talking about here?

- Well, for starters,

the freedom to decide for ourselves

what we can or can't wear.

- I might consider a dress code committee.

- With student input?

- And parents and teachers.

- Deal,

and I'm wearing my leather jacket.

- So I see.

(upbeat music)

- Did I miss something?

- Just the fashion police

and they want to talk to you about that outfit.

For some people, image is everything.

But image is only half the story.

(camera shutter sound)

The thing about the full story is,

you have to be willing to see it.

And sometimes, that takes time.

(camera shutter sound)

(upbeat music)

♪ Wishing for a sail ♪

♪ Wishing for a sail ♪

♪ Sail, sail, sail, sail, sail ♪

♪ Wishing for a sail ♪

♪ Sail, sail, sail, sail, sail ♪

♪ All right ♪

♪ I'm wishing ♪

♪ I'm wishing ♪

♪ I'm wishing ♪

♪ I'm wishing ♪

♪ I'm wishing for a sail ♪