Radical

Get out of here! Scram!

C'mon!

Shut her up!

What are you looking at?! I want you in front!

Move it, Chepe!

I'm coming.

Three... Two...

One...

Let's go!

Out in front, Chepe!

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

Shoes on, now.

- I'm not telling you again. - I'm coming!

Hurry up, everyone.

What are you doing?

Chepe?

Chepe!

Two besos, two chocolate conchas,

and two ojos de buey. How many is that?

A dozen.

Today is a big day, why not make it two dozen?

Yeah, right?

Can I?

Hurry, come on.

Good morning my loves.

Everyone had a good breakfast?

Everyone except for Papa. He only took coffee.

Straight home after school, right?

Yes.

Where were you?

Hop on.

Better you get off here.

Chepe, do I have to go?

What did we agree?

Just for a few days.

Right, after that no one will come poking around.

And then I can work with you, no?

We'll see, Nico.

- Morning, Director. - Good morning.

Stay close to the others.

- Look, toys! - Hey, get back here.

WELCOME BACK STUDENTS!

Silence!

Silence, please.

Silence is the foundation of obedience.

Obedience is the foundation of discipline,

Obedience is the foundation of discipline, and discipline is the foundation of learning.

and discipline is the foundation of learning.

So, let's review our rules, shall we?

Yeah!

- Good morning. - I brought enough for everyone.

I'm glad to see that everyone -

Uh... Mr. Juárez?

Well, that almost everyone is here.

As you know, Mrs. Álvarez gave birth to a baby boy,

and two days ago decided to become a full-time mother.

Fortunately, we found Mr. Juárez,

He's from here in Matamoros,

and he kindly took the job at the last-minute.

He's got a pulse, he's hired.

There's not much I can say you don't already know, so I'll be

brief

Although primary education is mandatory and free,

over half of our sixth graders

are dropping out. We are failing.

According to our ENLACE test scores we are the very worst.

I'm sure you're all aware of this by now,

this year they approved an incentive bonus

for those who meet certain score thresholds.

If that can motivate us to do our jobs just a little bit

better.

Let's not forget our kids, okay?

So... Let's have a good year, shall we?

Do you smell that? Smells like something.

It smells like... trash.

Hurry up! Quickly now!

- We don't have much time! - What happened to the desks?

- Those aren't desks. - Why are they upside down?

They're lifeboats!

And that's not the floor...

It's the ocean!

Each boat can only hold the same number of passengers.

Those who don't get into a boat will drown.

But be careful -

If any boat has more passengers than the others it will sink

and everyone on board will drown.

There's 23 of us here and only six boats,

so, figure it out. Ready? Let's go!

Five... four...

Get in! - Three... two....!

One!

Come on!

Don't worry! I'll save you!

Help!

Help me! Please! Someone help me!

Help... me...

Now eight boats!

What the hell is going on here?!

There's one last passenger! Save him!

Five, four, three, two!

No, he's too fat! We won't float!

He'll sink the boat!

Wait wait -

Why would he sink it?

Here's an interesting question.

What makes a boat float?

Or what determines how much weight a boat can hold?

Anyone know?

No one?

Do you know?

No... I don't know either.

Yeah I don't know either.

Where do we find answers to things we don't know?

How about the Internet?!

- I believe there's a computer lab? - Yes.

It's out of service at the moment.

Okay.

Where else can we find answers?

We ask the teacher.

We tried that but as you've seen We don't know very much.

How about books?

Is the library in service?

To the library! Let's go!

Where's the library?

Come on, let's go!

- May I help you? - Yes please... Mrs. Florita.

We don't have any class visits scheduled today.

You don't have anything scheduled for today.

Procedure requires notifying the library at least one day in

advance,

with desired reference materials identified in advance.

Yeah, yeah, but we'll be quick. Where are the encyclopedias?

- They're here in back, BUT - - Come on!

This way. - Hey!

No running, please.

1974.

What did we come for?

Boats, barcos...

Oh, man.

There's no 'B'.

There's no 'B'. Where else can we look?

How about 'F', for flotation?

You know what?

We don't need the encyclopedia.

You can figure this out on your own.

Tell me.

Why do...

Why do things float?

Anyone?

Somebody. Just take a guess.

It doesn't matter if you're wrong,

what matters is that you try.

what matters is that you try. In fact, I'd prefer you get it wrong.

In fact, I'd prefer you get it wrong.

Yeah, because when we make mistakes

we learn what we did wrong...

...and that can help us learn what's right.

But, how will we get good grades?

What do grades matter?

We need good grades to graduate,

and so that our parents don't get mad at us.

That's all?

Fine, that's easy.

As of now, you all get a 10.

At the end of the year, when you get your report cards, you're

all going to find there: your 10!

I promise.

Really. Got it?

Now we can get back to the important stuff.

Who wants to be wrong first?

Come on, who?

No one?

Have you ever had a class like that before?

I've never had a teacher like that.

- What were we supposed to learn? - About boats, obviously.

Do you think?

Walk with us, Romeo? - What?

Don't worry, I can keep a secret.

No, it's just that...

Have you noticed that Paloma seems different this year?

Um, it's called puberty.

Heavy, no? Could be real silver.

You can replace the mirror.

Besides, I'm keeping it.

What do you want for it?

- Do you think he meant it? - Why would he lie about something

like that?

like that? Remember what he said? He wants us to make mistakes.

Remember what he said? He wants us to make mistakes.

If we don't have to be right, it's okay if we're wrong,

and if it's okay to be wrong, we can't get a bad grade.

I've never had a 10 before.

Papa, your nose.

It's nothing.

Come help me unload.

Ok.

Fifteen minutes of cartoons while I make lunch,

and then it's homework time.

Aren't you working the night shift, mama?

What are you doing up?