The kids are standing looking out of the window, looking at the protesters. Miss Grant comes in and tells them to sit down.
Lydia
People, I will be teaching this class in the absence of Miss Sherwood. Could you please tell me what you were discussing?
Doris
Poetry of the 60s
Holly
Bob Dylan.
Lydia
Bob Dylan, well I think you could safely call him a poet.
Nicole
We were discussing how he expressed himself through his music
Jesse
Yeah like "Blowin in the Wind". It wasn't fun but it said something.
Leroy
Yeah it said something about peace. That's what he wanted so he took a stand.
Lydia
Well actually Leroy, he sat down.
Chris
Sat down?
Lydia
A lot of people did. Including me
Leroy
Miss Grant you sat down?
Lydia
I had to.
Danny
Well why?
Lydia
For better education....the right to go to ballet class... even to go to the movies.
Chris
That whole sit in idea was Martin Luther Kings' right?
Lydia
Yes, Dr King. I think you could safely call him a poet too. He was the first American leader to implement the sit-in as a method of social change in this country. Actually, he got the idea from Mahatma Gandhi, the concept of passive resistance.
Danny
That's like not fighting back right?
Lydia
Well Danny, there's many ways of fighting back. You can throw a punch or a brick or pick up a gun. Or you can sit very still and hold on very tightly to your inner convictions and try to change the world that way.
We see scenes of the kids moving through the hall to the music of Simon and Garfunkel, "Sound of Silence". When they reach the main foyer they stand.
Doris
What are you waiting for? Sit down.
We're going to sit here until they let us do our show.
Scenes of the clock ticking around as the kids stay sitting.
Chris
I don't know if this is going to work Doris. We've been sitting here for hours.
Danny
Yeah, what do we do now?
Doris
We sit some more.
Just then, Mr Morloch comes out of his office. Mr Shorofsky is behind him.
Morloch
Ok kids, now this is just silly.
Doris
It may seem silly to you Mr Morloch, but it's not to us.
Morloch
How long are you going to keep this up?
Chris
As long as it takes.
Morloch
OK, I know how you feel, but you know what's gonna happen? You're all going to get tired, your parents are going to get worried and in the end you're all just going to go home.
Doris
Don't count on it!
Morloch
OK, I understand, you want Miss Sherwood to come back.
Chris
We want more than that Mr Morloch. We want the right to say something about our futures.
Morloch
Well I don't think you're going to get it this way.
Shorofsky
Well I do. Move over!
He sits down to the cheers of the kids.