One parent has a personal vendetta against Evan. At least that's how Evan perceives the situation. Linda has targeted him in the past. When she makes noise again, he prepares for battle. Every time she makes a complaint, Evan's job is on the line. She has enough power and sway over the school board to seemingly make anything happen. She doesn't even have to make that threat. Grant just allows her to do whatever she wants. He puts up no resistance to her maneuvers. Evan wants to feel supported by his administrator. He never gets it. In fact, Grant always views Evan as a problem. And yes, sometimes Evan makes things into a bigger deal than they need to be. In this instance, he's right to given a failing grade to the entire class. That's the amount of work they put into their essays. They all tried to cheat. They didn't read the book. They just tried to summarized it based on a TikTok video. It's blatantly obvious. They don't even try to hide their deception. They believe it's impossible for them to fail. They don't even have to try to convince Evan that he made a mistake. They are entitled. That's a direct reflection of their parents who immediately blame Evan instead of their children for the grades.
A perfectly reasonable solution is readily available the entire time. Evan made a statement. He wanted his students to learn a lesson. Now, they can redo their essays in the hopes of doing better. They stay longer on this topic because it's worth doing right. They can't just move on to the next item on the lesson plan. Being in the classroom means being prepared to make changes. Evan can't stand by a rigid schedule no matter what. That doesn't account for what the actual students are ready to do. It's all about the motions of learning for Linda. She wants everyone to adhere to her way of life. She fights change every step of the way. When she wants something, she gets it. She demands it. Everyone has to listen to her. Evan knew this battle would be tough. He's resistant to offering a second chance because Linda is the one leading the charge against him. It's personal. As a result, he doesn't think clearly. It dawns on him after awhile that they are all essentially feeling the same way. He reflects on that. Cooler heads prevail. It's also a lot of drama getting to that point.
Linda doesn't technically have the power to arrange an observation of Evan's class or stage a town hall to discuss problems at the school. Again, Grant lets her get away with it all. He doesn't want to risk losing his own job. He wants to believe he is the biggest supporter of his staff. He suggests anyone who replaces him will be even worse. He's complying without any resistance though. That means he just accepts all of this as the status quo. His limits are pushed without anyone actually having to stand firm in their beliefs and morals. He lets them have it. It's useless for Evan to try to argue his side of the situation too. Linda is the vocal advocate. She knows how to persuade the other parents. She weaponizes their fears to get precisely what she wants. She knows how to go to battle. She doesn't have to do that often with Grant. With Evan though, she has to take that next step. She no longer blames him for her older son coming out. She's fine keeping that part of her life outside of Austin. In this town though, she needs to maintain her perfectly crafted image. That includes intimidating Evan with a shotgun. He can't threatened her. He doesn't know how to blackmail or strike a deal of mutually assured destruction. Instead, an honest conversation without the personality theatrics is what is needed to resolve the situation.
This should be a conversation happening between the teacher and the students. Evan should better communicate his intent on giving these grades. This is what the students earned. They can try again or just accept failure. That's the choice. It places the burden and responsibility on them. Evan deals with so many distractions. He's observant and aware of the lengths the kids will go to in order to get out of hard work. That isn't teaching them anything. Sure, it proves how crafty they are. They are flexing their control. They are aided by their parents. That's the new dichotomy around education. People are up in arms about what they want to impose on the classroom. More people are engaged in what is being taught. The rules make it incredibly tough to actually adapt and provide meaning to every student enrolled. Instead, the teachers have to make the best of what they have available. It requires them to actually be aware and acknowledge the situation. Gwen refuses to believe her students cheat. Even when she obtains evidence, she suffers. She falls through the ceiling. It's outrageous. It shows how ridiculous the storytelling can at times be. The heart remains the same. These people are trying their best. They fail because they don't express their emotions in a healthy and functional way. They are trusted to mold the minds of these students. Yet they are still learning how to behave in these roles as well.
