Character List:
McArthur Knighte: Successful student. Pretty athletic, has lots of friends.
Johhny Walker: Pretty good student. Good friends with McArthur.
Andy Nakamura: Big geek. Loves to watch anime and play DigiHockey. Doesn’t care about school a whole lot.
Hank Marino: Also big geek. Loves playing MTG and DnD. Makes conspiracy theories about the government. Doesn’t care about school a whole lot.
Mr. Smith: The 7th and 8th grade Academic Dean.
Max Miller: Extremely focused student. Always tries really hard on school. Shy, isn’t really friends with anyone, but everyone is kind of fine with him.
Jane Johnson: McArthur’s other best friend. Very ambitious.
Thug one, two, and three: McArthur’s big friends.
Mrs. Walker: Degrassi High School principal. Johnny’s mother.
NARRATOR steps onto stage.
NARRATOR
This is a story of Degrassi High School in Greenville, South Carolina. It is a story of the student council and the class president position. It is the story of McArthur Knighte and his fall from a great student to being expelled. Here, McArthur is walking with his friend, Johnny, on the first day of 12th Grade.
NARRATOR walks off. School scene is set up.
MCARTHUR is walking with his best friend, JOHNNY.
MCARTHUR
Hey, Johnny, are you excited for school?
JOHNNY
It’s gonna be hard, but yeah. It’s a really important year: last year of high school. I feel a good vibe for this year.
ANDY NAKAMURA and HANK MARINO, two of the ‘geek’ kids at the school, walk
over.
ANDY
Hey, McArthur, did you know about student council elections?
HANK
We think you have a shot at president.
MCARTHUR
Uhh… why exactly are you telling me this?
ANDY
Johnny, you’re not going to win anything. But, as they say, power corrupts, so maybe it’s for the best.
MCARTHUR
Shut up! I don’t care about your stupid predictions! You do this every year.
JOHNNY
Maybe we should go to our lockers…
MCARTHUR
Okay.
MCARTHUR is walking to his locker when MR. SMITH walks over.
- SMITH
Hey, McArthur. I have some good news for you.
MCARTHUR
What is it, Mr. Smith?
- SMITH
You have been named the student council for this year. It is a very important leadership role, and we think you deserve it.
MCARTHUR realizes that one of the things ANDY and HANK had said was right.
MCARTHUR
And who was appointed class president?
- SMITH
The person appointed class president was Max Miller. He has worked so hard the last couple of years.
MCARTHUR
(deflated)
Oh. Okay.
MCARTHUR walks to his first class. Later that day, MCARTHUR talks with his other
best friend, JANE.
JANE
You got appointed to student council? Great! Who’s president? You, right?
MCARTHUR
Uh… no, it was Max Miller.
JANE
What?! You are so much of a better leader than he is! We need to do something about this!
MCARTHUR
Like, what?
JANE
(whispers)
Max never signs out of his computer after school. We can go onto his Gmail and send really bad emails to all of the teachers!
MCARTHUR
No! I could never do something like that!
JANE
You deserve class president more than him! How could someone that shy and quiet be a student leader? They need someone who is a natural leader, like you. Besides, do you know how important this position actually is? Besides just being important for this school, colleges like Yale and Harvard look at this when they award scholarships.
MCARTHUR
I have always wanted to get into an Ivy League college.
NARRATOR
After school on the first day, Max has left his computer in the computer rack but hasn’t signed out of it. McArthur and Jane are the only kids left at school.
MCARTHUR
I really feel bad about doing this.
JANE
Fine! Just let me do it.
JANE sends the emails on MAX’S account, and she and MCARTHUR go home.
The next day, everyone is at their lockers getting their stuff. MR. SMITH walks up to
MAX.
- SMITH
Max, what on earth were those emails about?
MAX
(nervously)
W-what emails?
- SMITH
The emails you sent last night to all of the teachers. They were full of threats to the teachers as well as just being outright disrespectful. The governing board of the school has decided that we cannot tolerate this behavior. We have decided to suspend you for a couple days to get your act together. Unfortunately, we also need to strip you of your title as class president.
MAX
B-but I didn’t-
- SMITH
No buts.
- SMITH walks over to MCARTHUR, who is at his locker.
- SMITH
McArthur, I have some news for you.
McArthur: What?
- SMITH
Due to unfortunate disciplinary issues, Max Miller will be suspended for a couple of days. Because we no longer think he is fit to be class president, you will be the new president.
MCARTHUR
O-okay. Thanks, Mr. Smith.
MCARTHUR goes to JANE, who is standing by her locker.
JANE
What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.
MCARTHUR
(whispers)
Max got suspended, and Mr. Smith made me class president.
JANE
Awesome! Our plan worked!
MCARTHUR
(weakly)
Yeah. Great.
JOHNNY walks up to MCARTHUR and JANE.
JOHNNY
Did you guys hear the news about Max and the emails?
MCARTHUR
Y-yeah. It’s really too bad. Wait, how do you know about the emails?
JOHNNY
I overheard Mr. Smith talking to Max. How do you know?
MCARTHUR
(panics)
Uhh… Same reason. See you later!
JOHNNY
Uh, okay. See you later!
JOHNNY walks off and soliloquies.
JOHNNY
I still can’t get over what happened to Max. He would never do something like that, unless he got framed… but who would ever do that? No one has a grudge against Max, so the only reason someone would have done it would be if they wanted to become class president. But the person would have to be pretty confident that they could become president, and the only person I know who would think that would be… McArthur! It can’t be, but… the way he talked to me today was so weird. And, on top of it all, the geeks told him he would be class president! Jane’s always been ambitious. I bet she nudged him into this!
JOHNNY walks to class. During lunch, MCARTHUR is eating alone when ANDY and
HANK walk over.
ANDY
So, McArthur, we told you you would become president.
MCARTHUR
Yeah, I guess you were right.
HANK
We’re always right!
MCARTHUR finishes lunch and walks to his next class while soliloquising.
MCARTHUR
What they said all came true… maybe I am the best for the job like Jane said. I deserve it. Everyone else thinks so. Luckily, we got away with framing Max, and no one heard us planning. Although… Wait! Johnny never takes anything for granted. He knew about the emails, too. He’ll probably suspect that something’s up. I have to tell Jane!
MCARTHUR goes to class. At the end of the day, MCARTHUR and JANE meet up.
MCARTHUR
We need to make sure Johnny doesn’t tell on us.
JANE
You’re right. How, though?
MCARTHUR
I’ll send some of my friends to go beat him up. They’ll tell him to stay quiet, or they’ll come back.
JANE
Are you sure? That sounds horrible. He’s your best friend.
MCARTHUR
You’re right… but, I just, we- we don’t have another choice. I hate what’s happened to us. To think that just a couple of days ago, Johnny and I were hanging out.
MCARTHUR walks over to some of his friends.
MCARTHUR
I need you guys to beat up Johnny after school. Tell him to keep his mouth shut about Max. Got it?
THUGS ONE, TWO, AND THREE
Got it!
The next day MCARTHUR meets up with his thugs.
MCARTHUR
How’d it go?
THUG THREE
We beat him up so bad. He has at least one broken bone. He’s not coming to school today.
MCARTHUR
Did he see your faces?
THUG ONE
I-I’m not sure. He might have.
MCARTHUR
(under his breath)
Shoot.
MCARTHUR
(to the thugs)
Keep your mouths shut. I don’t want anyone hearing about this.
THUGS ONE, TWO, AND THREE
Yes, Sir.
MCARTHUR walks to JANE.
MCARTHUR
I can’t believe all the bad things we’ve done.
JANE
(starts crying)
I know. I feel so bad about doing this. I wish we would have never done it.
MCARTHUR
How did this all happen?
JANE
I don’t know.
JOHNNY is lying in bed at the hospital. His mom (who is the principal of Degrassi) is
standing next to him.
MRS. WALKER
Johnny, now that you’re feeling a little better, I need you to tell me who beat you up.
JOHNNY
It was… some random guys. I don’t know exactly who they were. But I know who sent them.
MRS. WALKER
Who?
JOHNNY
I-It was McArthur.
MRS. WALKER
What?! Isn’t he one of your best friends?
JOHNNY
Not anymore. There’s a lot I have to explain. You know how McArthur didn’t get class president? This kid, Max, did. So, I guess McArthur really wanted president. You know Emailgate with Max?
MRS. WALKER
Yes. I still can’t believe he would do something like that.
JOHNNY
Well, that’s because he didn’t. McArthur framed him. Then, since he suspected me of knowing what he was up to, he sent the bullies after me.
MRS. WALKER
We have to do something about this!
JOHNNY
I just can’t believe my best friend would do this to me.
Scene changes to the next morning at school. MRS. WALKER walks into her office, right
next to MR. SMITH’S. He is already there.
MRS. WALKER
Mr. Smith, I have something very important I need to inform you of.
- SMITH
What?
MRS. WALKER
We wrongly suspended a student.
- SMITH
You mean Max?
MRS. WALKER
Yes. He was framed.
- SMITH
By whom?
MRS. WALKER
McArthur Knighte.
- SMITH
That would explain a lot. How do you know?
MRS. WALKER
My son was beat up the other day by some thugs McArthur sent. He was beat up because he suspected McArthur.
- SMITH
Was McArthur working alone or in a team?
JANE walks in and starts crying.
JANE
(sobbing)
I did it! I did it! I framed Max! He didn’t really send the emails! I –
She faints.
MRS. WALKER
Well, I guess there’s one accomplice.
MCARTHUR is standing by his locker when MR. SMITH comes over. He doesn’t look
happy.
- SMITH
McArthur, Principal Walker has summoned you to her office.
MCARTHUR
(super nervous)
O-okay…
- SMITH
Immediately.
MCARTHUR goes to MRS. WALKER’S office.
MRS. WALKER
McArthur John Knighte, I accuse you of impersonating another student, conspiring to get them suspended, and sending your friends to assault another student. My son.
MCARTHUR
Uhhh… w-what about J-Jane?
MRS. WALKER
Ms. Johnson gave herself up earlier this morning, but she gave no mention of you. Now, were you working with anyone else?
MCARTHUR
(guiltily)
N-no. W-what will our punishment be?
MRS. WALKER
You will both be expelled.
MCARTHUR is in shock.
Scene clears.
NARRATOR
So, you have now heard the story of the fall of McArthur Knighte. In the aftermath of McArthur and Jane being expelled, Max’s suspension ended immediately, and he was restored as class president. Once Johnny healed, he replaced McArthur on the student council.
JOHNNY is in his hospital bed after learning that MCARTHUR and JANE were expelled.
JOHNNY
By the expulsion of my friends, something wicked this way ends.