02x05 - #ThrowbackThursday

[bunniefuu]

Welcome to Degrassi's
th 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 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, 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 dr*gs 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 k*ller!

- 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 w*r...
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 r*cist."

- 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 r*cist?
- 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 .
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
th 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 sh*t...
- 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, th?

- [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 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 ♪