particularly Leonna Barrett, the mother of one of the expelled students, who presses the mayor to oust Clark. Clark's radicalism brings him into conflict with his own faculty, notably: Mr. Darnell, an English teacher, whom Clark suspends for picking up a piece of trash during a recital of the school song; Mrs. Elliot, a music teacher, whom Clark fires for being insubordinate after he cancels a long-planned choral event (the school's upcoming annual Lincoln Center concert). Napier lectures Clark over these incidents, demanding that he act as a team player; Clark subsequently re-instates Mr. Darnell. Unfortunately, a practice basic skills test fails to garner enough passing students. Clark confronts his staff for their failure to educate their students, and to prepare them for the world. Clark institutes a tutorial program to strengthen academic skills; he also encourages remedial reading courses on Saturdays, so that parents may attend alongside their children if they want (or need) to. When the day for the minimum basic skills test finally arrives, the students are much better prepared and filled with a sense of self-worth. Before the scores can be calculated, the fire chief raids the school and discovers the chained doors. Clark is arrested for violating fire safety codes. That evening, the students gather at the meeting of the Paterson Board of Education, where school board member Leonna is leading the call for Clark's removal. The students demand that Clark be released from jail and retained as principal. The mayor has Clark released from jail, so that he may urge the children to return home for their own safety. He is interrupted by assistant principal Ms. Levias, who reports that more than 75% of the students have passed the basic skills test. He announces the results over his megaphone. As a result, the school's current administration remains intact. Clark is allowed to keep his job as principal, as he cheerfully informs the mayor that "You can tell the State to go to hell." The students celebrate by breaking into their school song. The film ends with the senior students, including Sams, graduating high school (amid the closing credits); Clark hands them their diplomas. Cast Morgan Freeman as Joe Louis Clark Beverly Todd as Mrs. Joan Levias Robert Guillaume as Dr. Frank Napier Alan North as Mayor Don Bottman (based on Frank X. Graves Jr.) Lynne Thigpen as Leonna Barrett Robin Bartlett as Mrs. Elliott