Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-three" O.A.D. 10/29/01
"You're a big dick!" Lipschultz to a student.
The start of a new year at Winslow High brings many a change to the faculty and student body. Danny Hanson (Michael Rapaport) is the hottest new teacher to join the high school ranks and doesn't hesitate in making first impressions with students and other teachers. His classroom's conversations venture into masturbation while going toe-to-toe with Marla on the merits, or lack there of, of being fat.
Harry Senate brings some new flavor to Winslow High as well when he invites lawyer friend, Ronnie Cooke (Jeri Ryan) to guest lecture on the law. While in class, a fight breaks out between two rival gang students, giving Ronnie a first-hand look at the reality of public high school and igniting a fire inside her that she hasn't felt in years. Harry quickly diffuses the dispute, but when the boys are tight lipped about the skirmish, he has them box (with gloves) while he and Ronnie judge. The boys beat the crap out of each other, but end up not resorting to off-campus gang violence.
Meanwhile, some overweight students approach Marla and ask her to sponsor their newly formed "Fat Club." Marla flies off the handle as she takes anyone's notion of her being fat as a personal insult. She ultimately decides to sponsor the club but realizes she needs to reevaluate her own personal physical condition.
In science class, Jeremy Peters brings in a human hand to dissect. While stating that he borrowed it from a medical student, Marilyn restarts her personal investigation into what happened with Jeremy's mother. She and Danny Hanson finally decide to pay her a visit and find her conveniently missing a hand. The mystery of how she lost the hand is still up in the air as she claims it was a gardening accident much to the skepticism of Marilyn and Danny.
Back at the school, Ronnie decides to pay Principal Harper a visit. After lecturing for Harry Senate, she decides to give up law and do what she says will make her feel alive: teach!
Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-four" O.A.D. 11/5/01
"You show - you go" Steven to a pregnant student.
First impressions are never easy as Ronnie's first day doesn't go exactly as planned. After another teacher leaves, she's thrown into a remedial class with delinquent and struggling students. She does begin making a dent though as her tough as nails approach seems to be getting to her closed minded class.
Unfortunately for Ronnie however, the other teachers don't take kindly to her being an uncredentialed educator. The teachers have a meeting to protest her being there, but it's broken up when Ronnie enters and thanks them all for being so warm and welcoming to her. Ronnie isn't the only new face in the classrooms though. Jeremy Peters' mother becomes a teacher's assistant and is subsequently labeled "the hook lady" because of her prosthetic hand.
Scott is adamantly opposed to Ms. Peters being in the school, but when he finds out that they are seeing the same therapist, she opens up and tells him the real story of how she lost her hand making him more sympathetic. It turns out that Jeremy finally snapped and locked her up in the basement. She accidentally cut her hand off with a chainsaw while trying to escape.
Lauren meanwhile is mentoring a student, Denise, who has an interview with Princeton. When she faints during her meeting, it turns out that Denise is pregnant. She and Lauren fight to keep her in school, but Steven holds to the school's policy of once she shows, she goes. Denise winds up having an abortion and it hits Steven hard.
Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-five" O.A.D. 11/12/01
"You're a douche bag!" Lipschultz to a student.
Lipschultz continues his yearly antics by choosing which new student to harangue. When he calls the student a douche bag however, he crosses the line. The students take the issue to Danny Hanson who decides to help the kids out and assigns a class project to "sue Lipschultz!" Danny enlists Ronnie's former lawyer expertise and helps guide the class as they hand the suit to a shocked Lipschultz.
Harry Senate meanwhile receives great news. The one student he's helped countless times from getting him off the streets, to finding him jobs, to helping with class work, got accepted into Williams College. It turns out however, that the student bought his college essay off the Internet revoking the acceptance. Harry personally drives all the way to Williams to plead with the admissions advisor to give the student a second chance. He comes back and tells the student that it's the last time he's ever doing anything for him as the job really takes its toll on Harry.
Scott continues dating Ms. Peters outside of school but gets frigid at the moment of intimacy. When he finally does kiss her, she accidentally cuts his cheek with her hook. He lets it go but is then nearly killed by a planter falling off her upstairs window. The next day in school, Scott reprimands Jeremy Peters for the attempt on his head and lets Jeremy know he'll be taking a particular interest in his activities now that he's dating his mother.
In the meantime, Harper asks Marla to give a lecture about gun safety because the students respond well to her. Steven also tries to smooth over his disagreement with Denise, the A-student who had an abortion. She blows him off making him reconsider his role as a leader in the school. It's not until Lauren lets him know how he makes the teachers want to be better does he again realize his importance to the school.
Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-six" O.A.D. 11/19/01
"You killed a goat?" Steven Harper to his daughter Brooke.
A sex advice column in the school newspaper is has parents in an uproar when the latest column tells students about breast orgasms. Steven continues to avoid the issue, but is caught avoiding parents and will be forced to deal with it. Meanwhile, Steven's daughter Brooke, gets expelled from her private school because she killed the school mascot: a goat. Steven and his ex-wife decide to have Brooke go to Winslow where Steven can watch her a little more closely.
Danny Hanson's class continues pursuing Lipschultz as they bring him into court. The students argue for the case not to be dismissed, but Scott (representing Harvey) successfully persuades the judge to throw the case out. The class is disappointed, but the judge took the case under advisement, giving the students confidence that their point was in fact made.
In Ronnie's class, the students have a lack of appreciation for Shakespeare. To help, her boyfriend volunteers to come into class and perform a monologue for her students. Ronnie is very reluctant, but can't persuade him otherwise. He comes into the class, but all the students can do is laugh.
Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-seven" O.A.D. 11/26/01
"I can live with failing; I can't live with not trying." Lauren's student Kara.
Lauren's student Kara gets a record deal but has to drop out of school to pursue her music career. Lauren helps her find an attorney and an agent but gets yelled at by Kara's parents for supporting her dropping out. Lauren assures them that she only wanted her to be safe guarded "if" she dropped out.
Elsewhere, Danny Hanson comes home a little early from school and finds his fiancé having an affair with another man. Danny loses it and knocks the man unconscious by throwing a phone at his head. He gets arrested and thrown in jail. The police eventually let him out as they decide not to charge him criminally. Ronnie helps him in case of any other legal ramifications and also tells him he needs to talk to his fiancé, if for nothing else but closure.
Scott meanwhile continues dating Meredith Peters, although he remains frigid. When she tells him to ravage her, he responds by saying "it's a school night." Offended by his response, Meredith tells Scott that they should stop seeing each other. Scott offers to go to therapy together and they wind up reconciling while picking out a prosthetic hand for Meredith.
The Dear Hellen column rears its ugly head yet again and leaves Steven at his wits end. He finally finds out who the perpetrator is however: Louisa. Steven reprimands her for committing fraud by posing as a student. He now has to decide whether his recent pattern of doling out second chances will include Louisa as well.
Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-eight" O.A.D. 12/03/01
"You want me to have a funeral for my hand?" Meredith .
Scott goes on the warpath when some students steal Meredith's hook. He's even more enraged when he finds what they did with it. He comes upon a cardboard cutout of himself with the hook lodged in his rear. Scott grabs the hook, storms into Meredith's class, slams it down and singles out specific students to be interrogated later. Meredith is broken up about the whole incident and her therapist feels that she needs closure with her old hand. He tells her to have a funeral for it and in doing so, mourn for the limb.
Meanwhile, an angry parent comes into Steven's office with the police in tow. He's brought them to arrest the student who's been sleeping with his underage daughter. Scott and Steven decide to let them arrest the student during class to set an example for the school. Ronnie is enraged when they haul the student away and vows to fight on the student's behalf. She eventually convinces the parents to drop the suit, but is weighed down by the hardships of what teaching really means.
Louisa, still walking on thin ice, confronts Steven, still apologizing. He tells her that she's psychologically damaged and needs help. She then decides to return to music and enlists Marilyn and Marla to start a small band.
While a group of students dance in the hallways, a student goes into a seizure for taking PMA, a drug 10-30 times stronger then ecstasy. As a result, Danny Hanson lectures his class on drug use and tells them that they shouldn't be so stupid by putting things in their bodies when they don't know what it is. This lecture prompts Brooke, Steven's daughter, to buy a drug testing kit. Unfortunately for her, she gets stopped by the police and they find the kit. When Steven and his ex-wife find out, they lecture Brooke together but also use the opportunity to both get closer to their daughter and perhaps reconcile with each other on some level.
Boston Public "Chapter Twenty-nine" O.A.D. 12/10/01
With the holidays fast approaching at Winslow High, both the faculty and students exhibit the same range of emotions from anxiety and sorrow to cheerfulness and excitement. Marla, Marilyn and Louisa add to the holiday cheer by performing for the school at the holiday pageant. They get everyone on their feet with their incredibly rocking performance.
Steven's holiday emotions turn towards his family. After a small school function, Steven and his ex-wife Luanna come home together and steal a kiss, giving Brooke the idea that they may be getting back together. When Steven and Luanna approach her on the idea, they tell her it's not going to happen. After some serious afterthought, Steven and Luanna readdress the option of getting back together, not just for Brooke's sake, but their own. The whole family gets together to decorate the Christmas tree, giving Brooke hope that they can be a family once again.
Scott meanwhile, is still grappling with his relationship with Meredith. They go shopping for a prosthetic hand together but Meredith winds up choosing the less expensive option. When Scott buys her the top of the line model for Christmas, she tells him that she's falling in love with him. The only problem is that Scott catches Jeremy making out with another male student, confirming his homosexuality, and causing Scott to decide whether or not to tell Meredith.
Harry Senate decides to take a special interest in one of his students, when the student writes an explicitly emotional essay about death. Harry feels that the student may be suicidal but finds out later that he has leukemia instead. Harry continues to be concerned however and as it turns out, the student is coming out of remission but doesn't want to tell his family until after the holidays.
Danny Hanson continues to help his student, Debbie, in her post graduation pursuits. When he finds out she didn't get into Boston University on early acceptance, he goes to her house and tells her he's going to make it his mission to get her in. Because of all the special attention he's been giving her, Debbie begins to develop a crush on him and comes clean by writing him a Christmas card divulging her feelings for him.
Ronnie's holiday is coming near as she feels lonely in her heart. She tells her boyfriend Mathew that she needs to move on. Rather then accepting defeat though, Mathew decides to sing her a song during the holiday pageant in front of the whole school. If nothing else, he brightens up her holiday mood.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty" O.A.D. 1/7/02
Working late at night, Steven is visited by a lawyer who tells him a former student, Wesley, from Winslow has been sentenced to death and asked for Steven to be there when he dies. Steven doesn't remember the student, but decides to visit him in Delaware. After speaking with Wesley, Steven decides initially to attend the execution. However, he's later visited by the victim's father who requests Steven not attend for fear that Wesley is seeking redemption through Steven. After visiting with his own daughter, Steven realizes that he can't attend, knowing how he would feel if he were the father in this situation.
Scott and Meredith's relationship continues to progress only to find snag after snag. This week, Scott is finally confronted with Jeremy's homosexuality. Scott decides not to inform Meredith about it, but when she finds out, she stops speaking to him and berates Jeremy. Scott confronts her finally and puts her in her place. He also begins establishing a relationship with Jeremy, having earned his trust by not interfering with his private life. In the meantime, Scott is also hampered by the homosexual content of the school play and for the fact that art funding for the school was cut in half because of the play's content.
Ronnie, still establishing herself at Winslow, finds herself struggling with a student that has a severe case of A.D.D. She confronts the parents and finds out that the student is incredibly gifted musically when he's not taking Ritalin, but when he's on the drug it extinguishes his gifts. Ronnie convinces the student and the parents to put him back on the drug, but also helps stimulate his musical talent by having him practice with Marilyn, Marla and Louisa's rock band.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty One" O.A.D. 1/14/02
This week at Winslow, a district-wide contest arises and the school must select a faculty member to write and deliver a speech on "what teaching means to them." The winner is awarded $250,000. A random drawing is put together and Steven inadvertently picks Lipschultz to speak. The entire faculty is concerned with what Harvey will say, so Steven makes Lauren and Marla rehearse him until he's ready. Regardless of the practice, he embarrasses himself and the school, but due to not enough contestants entering, he gets to the finals by default.
Meanwhile, back at the school, a rumor is flying around that Danny is having an affair with his student Debbie Nixon. Her mother even comes in complaining to Steven. Steven is forced to investigate the matter himself, but after coming up with nothing, it's revealed that Danny has been spending time after school with Debbie, but he's been going to the local YMCA to help kids with cerebral palsy.
In Marilyn's class, she gives her students a photo essay project. One student though, takes pictures of some naked kids playing in a shower. Suspicions are raised as far as the intent of the picture and forces Marilyn to call Social Services. It turns out that the student baby-sits the kids and when he found them randomly showering together and having a good time, he took the picture to symbolize innocence. He was trying to reveal how skin color, religion, size, none of these things mattered and this was how life was supposed to be. Unfortunately, the kids are now getting an early lesson in judgement.
Scott continues to try and get Jeremy to accept him as Meredith's boyfriend. After a heart to heart conversation, he walks away more hurt and offended then anything else. Meredith suggests that Scott come into therapy with she and Jeremy. While in the session, Jeremy has a breakthrough. Scott is relieved to hear that Jeremy isn't angry with him, but with his mother. He also tried to drop the planter on her, not Scott. Jeremy tells his mother how unaffectionate she is, and how much it hurts him to see that she can actually be affectionate with Scott. She and Jeremy reconcile, but they are still unable to make any physical bond.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Two" O.A.D. 1/21/02
When Lauren gets tickets to the New York Philharmonic Symphony, she invites Scott to attend with her, knowing his passion for classical music. Meredith gets incredibly jealous though and threatens Lauren, causing Scott to give up the ticket and creating a rift between he and Meredith.
Meanwhile, Lipschultz makes the finals of the grant-offered speech contest. Steven however, tells him he's not allowed to speak for fear that he'll embarrass the school. Marla convinces Steven to change his mind though and allow Harvey to go on. Harvey doesn't disappoint as he speaks from the heart and comes in third place. He also garners the respect of his fellow teachers.
For the first time in his teaching career, Danny Hanson doesn't know what to tell his students. In light of recent events, terrorism, war, etc., his students begin inquiring about god and why they can't have religion in school. Danny is scared because he can't answer the questions and turns to Steven for help. Steven takes him under his wing and finally establishes a relationship with the erratic teacher while helping Danny cope with the idea that teachers are simply human.
Ronnie meanwhile, confronts a student, Melissa, who falls down the stairs in the hallway. She finds out that Melissa is pregnant, but when she inquires about the father, she becomes tight-lipped. It turns out that the girl threw herself down the stairs because she's carrying her parent's baby as a surrogate mother. Ronnie calls social services and much to the dismay of the family, places Melissa in a foster home.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Three" O.A.D. 1/21/02
Leaving school late one evening, Ronnie and Danny walk out to the parking lot together and happen upon a car with the windows all steamed up. Danny, all-too curious decides to open the door to see what's going on inside. In the car he finds a stunned and semi-clothed Brooke Harper, with an older man. The next day at school, Ronnie tells Danny that she ran the plates on the car and found out it's registered to a 27-year-old man. Danny and Ronnie feel they have to tell Steven and finally relay the information. Steven confronts Brooke and demands to meet the man she's seeing. She brings the guy in to meet Steven, but Steven threatens to kill him (softly). Brooke returns later to tell Steven that she broke it off with the guy, but that she no longer can take going to the same school where her father is the principal. Steven finally breaks down and tells Brooke how much she means to him and how her coming to Winslow feels like a second chance for him as a father. Brooke decides to stay, and their relationship grows by leaps and bounds as a result.
Meanwhile, Senate, sick of being treated like a second class citizen and also sick of his students being treated the same way, decides to challenge Scott's debate team to a debate. Guber thinks it's preposterous, but accepts the challenge in hope of putting Senate in his place once and for all. Both Scott and Harry work their teams to exhaustion, getting them ready for the debate. Lauren questions Harry as to whether he's doing this as a vendetta against Scott or in the best interest of his students.
The two teams debate and Harry's team surprisingly holds it's own against Scott's, but Scott accuses him of using cheap tricks. When the voting comes in, Scott's team wins, but barely. Senate's class is devastated, but Harry picks them back up by telling them they can no longer be called underachievers because they took two days of research and practice and turned out a team that nearly won. Now no one can call them anything bad ever again.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Four" O.A.D. 2/18/02
Tragedy strikes Winslow High when seven students on their way to a rave are killed by a drunk driver running a red light. When Steven arrives on the scene, he initially thinks that Brooke was involved in the crash. He nearly collapses, but finds out she was not with them. Brooke, however, has a very difficult time dealing with her best friend dying, and as a result, denounces religion as "crap." Danny Hanson tells Steven that he's concerned about Brooke and Steven confronts her and consoles her.
To help his students, Lipschultz confides that he was George Washington in his past life. Lauren and Steven are concerned that he's totally lost it. But when Harvey allows his class to challenge him on the claim, he stifles them all with every correct answer to George Washington trivia.
Ronnie is totally devastated by the crash. Her A.D.D. student, Zach, was killed in the accident. She feels that if she never got him to start taking his Ritalin, then he never would have been invited on a date and consequently never involved in the crash. She loses it in front of her class and even contemplates quitting. Fortunately she has Senate to turn her back. Senate though has troubles of his own. When he fails one of his students, forcing him to repeat senior year, the student attacks him. Harry fights back and sends the kid to the hospital. After everything settles down, Harry convinces the student to return to get his diploma and even offers to have the student live with him. He's denied, but once again reveals his ability to reach even the most troubled of kids.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Five" O.A.D. 2/04/02
One of Lauren's student's, Austin, approaches her after class with a notebook he claims to have found off school grounds. The notebook contains satanic verses and a plot to attack the school. Lauren thanks Austin and alerts Steven and Scott. They immediately treat the notebook as a credible threat and call the police to come and investigate. While searching an abandoned house by the school, the police come across a large stash of knives, gun shells and bomb making equipment. Steven instantly puts the school in a lockdown, but when explosives are actually found in the basement, they evacuate the entire school. Austin is hailed as a hero, but while watching the news footage, Lauren hears him mention satanic masks and is convinced that he couldn't have known about the masks in the house unless he was inside. She notifies the police who take a handwriting sample from Austin. It matches and Austin is arrested for plotting to attack the school. Lauren questions him as to why he would plan such an atrocity, Austin tells her it's because he's always picked on and wanted someone to look to him in a different light - thus posing as the hero.
Meanwhile, in Marla's class, some popular girls are caught bullying another girl in class. Marla takes it upon herself to remedy the situation and reprimands the popular girls. She then goes on a personal crusade to rid bullying from Winslow and makes impassioned speeches to each class on what bullying means and does to people. The popular girls end up apologizing and the rest of the school gets a serious wake-up call to bullying in light of Austin's almost-attack on the school.
Danny Hanson, still working with cerebral palsy kids, is approached by one of the kids' parents. They want their son, Hunter, to attend Winslow and ask Danny to help make it happen. Danny does everything in his power to get Hunter into school but everything seems to always fall just short. It turns out though, that the parents used Danny to set up the school. There is a disabilities act that claims if the public high school is unable to meet the handicap requirements of a student, then that school must pay for the student to attend a school that can meet them. Steven and Scott immediately realize they were defrauded and Danny berates the family for their lack of integrity. He imparts his final teaching to Hunter that all the brains in the world don't mean anything if you have no integrity.
Amidst all the tension and controversy in the school, the teachers decide to have a talent show to boost school morale. All the teachers take part, including Guber and Steven. The show is a hit, especially the duet of Marilyn and Lipschultz. At the end, the students are supposed to do a skit as well, but instead, Debbie Nixon comes to the podium and decides to show the student's appreciation for the teachers by rewarding all of them with diplomas for showing how much they truly care about the school.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Six" O.A.D. 2/11/02
Harry's student, Max, is in the hospital dying of cancer. Harry continues pushing Max however, giving him homework and trying to get him into college and also hope for a reason to live. He even has his own students get tested for bone marrow matches. The worse Max gets, the worse Harry's psyche becomes. Just as a bone marrow match is made and Harry's hopes are arisen, Max dies in surgery. Harry is totally devastated and contemplates quitting. He even hands a letter of resignation to Steven. It's not until another of his students, Jamaal, tells Harry how much the class resents him for quitting and makes Harry realize what an impact he truly has, does he realize that quitting may not be the right answer. Ronnie confronts him as well, and for the first time, Harry breaks down and cries in her arms.
Meanwhile, Brooke Harper and Jeremy Peters begin dating. Meredith couldn't be more pleased to initially hear that her son may not be gay. But when she hears that he's dating Brooke, she seems put off by the idea. Meredith then gives so much attention to Jeremy and Brooke as a couple, inviting them to dinner, plays, etc., that she ends up driving Jeremy away from the relationship. Scott confronts Meredith and tells her he won't be spending the night at her house because he thinks she's a bigot.
Lauren confronts an anorexic student when she finds out she's been stuffing pennies in her panties to fake her own weight. Lauren realizes she got the weight-gaining tip from a pro-ano (pro-anorexic) Web site. Lauren gets Scott to force the girl to remove the site from the school's servers. Lauren then confronts the original girl's parents and forces them to confront the issue of their daughter's eating disorder.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Seven" O.A.D. 2/25/02
When African-American classmates begin calling each other the "n-word" in Hanson's class, a fight breaks out and Danny decides to turn the incident into a learning experience. He tells his students to read Randall Kennedy's book "nigger," so the class can discuss and debate the power of the word in it's historical significance. News of the subject matter quickly spreads through the school and Marla goes on the warpath demanding Steven fire Danny for even saying the word out loud. Steven tells Danny to stop the discussion entirely, but when Danny's class persists, he's forced to continue the debate. Steven threatens to fire Danny for defying him, but Danny then turns the tables and tells Steven that he has the right to tell him not to teach the class, but he doesn't have the right to tell the students to stop questioning. He then challenges Steven to teach it himself. Steven takes over and reopens the dialogue.
Meanwhile, Ronnie gives her class a project to find out what it's like to be homeless. She soon realizes that one of her students is actually homeless and lives with her mom in a van. Ronnie convinces her student to try living in transitional housing, but when she and her mother enroll, they threaten to take her and put her in a foster home. Ronnie is outraged and threatens to sue Social Services, but ultimately writes a check to pay for the first month of rent to get her student off the street.
Back in school, Lipschultz is in trouble again when a family threatens to sue him for giving their son an unfavorable recommendation to college. Scott, surprisingly, backs Harvey though and stands by his statements. When the college calls Scott however, to see whether Harvey's words hold any merit, like Harvey, Scott told the school the truth and that Harvey's words are meaningless. Harvey then asks Scott if he should quit, but Scott dodges the issue and tells him he can't answer that.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty Eight" O.A.D. 3/11/02
Mikki, an 18-year-old Winslow student, tricks Harper and the administration into allowing "Barely 18," a racy Maxim-like magazine to come to the school to shoot provocative photos of her. Ronnie, who stumbles upon the shoot, pleads with Mikki not to pose for the magazine, saying it is a decision she will regret for the rest of her life. Ronnie confides in Mikki that she was approached in college to pose for a pictorial, but thankfully decided against it. Later, Ronnie reveals to Senate that she actually went through with the shoot, but the photos were never published. Ronnie and Senate share a moment, but nothing materializes from it.
Meanwhile, back at school, a student approaches Guber with information that Meredith hit her with her prosthesis during an argument. After some investigating, Guber reluctantly admits that he believes the student and fires Meredith. As a result, Guber and Meredith's relationship seems to be terminated as well.
Also at the school, one of Lauren's students has an emotional break-down. The break-down was apparently brought on by stress, caused from Lauren pushing too hard. Harper brings both Marilyn and Lauren into his office after finding out that their students have had the most stress-related incidents in the school. Later, when Lauren visits the student in the hospital, the student tells her that she's scared of Lauren, and that she's not the only student afraid, causing Lauren to reevaluate her teaching methods.
Boston Public "Chapter Thirty-nine" O.A.D. 3/18/02
Ronnie catches a doped-up Winslow student, Bobby Z, smashing her car window, looking for money. Bobby pleads with Ronnie not to turn him in, explaining that he needs $2,000 to pay a drug dealer who has threatened to kill his younger brother. Against her better judgement and Senate's warning, Ronnie loans Bobby the money, only to find out later that he has no brother. Later, Ronnie and Senate find Bobby passed out in the school locker room and are barely able to save his life after he overdoses on drugs. Ronnie contemplates quitting, but in the same fashion that she helped Harry, he returns the favor and consoles her during this hard period in her short-lived teaching career.
Meanwhile, at the school, Harper tells the teachers that they need to start addressing the issues of drugs in a more constructive way after learning that members of the baseball team have been using steroids. Steven has Marla lecture the parents about the issues of drugs - most especially diet pills, supplements and other easy-to-get, over-the-counter types.
In Marilyn's class, a student approaches her about an online chat she and a friend had been having with a teacher from Winslow. They tell Marilyn that the teacher is the chemistry professor, Dr. Harris. Despite the girls' insistence that they pursued the relationship and that Dr. Harris didn't know who they were, Harper considers firing him. But Dr. Harris, who has been humiliated and ostracized, resigns instead.
Boston Public "Chapter Forty" O.A.D. 4/22/02
Dana Poole returns to Winslow, this time as a mature, sexy college freshman, for a class project. Still attracted to Dana, Senate goes against his better judgement and allows her to spend the week observing and interviewing him.
Meanwhile, Lester, a 58-year-old African American, shows up at Winslow and tells Lipschultz that he's his son via a one-night stand just before Lipschultz went off to war. Lipschultz accepts Lester and is embraced by his family, which includes numerous grandchildren.
Also at the school, more accusations against teachers continue to fly. First, Hanson is accused of giving Debbie special favors by giving her a heads-up about an up-coming test. In addition, Guber accuses Lauren of giving "inside information" to her A and B students, convincing Lauren that the administration is in fact out to get her.
Boston Public "Chapter Forty-one" O.A.D. 4/29/02
Ronnie throws a surprise party for Harry at her apartment with the teachers from Winslow, but everyone is shocked when he arrives with Dana Poole. After some intense questioning from Harper and his peers, Senate claims that he ran into Dana at Starbucks. When Dana learns of the lie, she informs everyone that she and Harry are on their third date. An upset Ronnie tells Harry her feelings for him, but Senate dodges her accusation that he's afraid of letting anyone get too close to him.
The party is further thrown into chaos when Lipschultz snoops in Harper's briefcase and learns that he has applied for a headmaster job at another school and has recommended Marla as his replacement. Scott is totally crushed upon hearing the news.
The party almost completely spirals out of control when Meredith shows up unexpectedly - Ronnie invited her while she was still dating Scott. She leaves however, after Steven calls her a psycho and Danny Hanson thinks she committed suicide. Meanwhile, Lauren feels her peers are ganging up on her when they accuse her of being a perfectionist who insists that her way is the only way. A chance encounter in the bathroom brings Lauren and Scott together as Scott divulges how much he appreciates the way Lauren is so meticulous and caring in her every endeavor.
The party ends on an upbeat note though, as everyone puts aside their differences and dances the night away.
Boston Public "Chapter Forty-two" O.A.D. 5/6/02
It's prom time at Winslow High, but things aren't exactly festive. Ronnie's student Natalie, who was once homeless, is thrilled to be going to the dance. But then she learns that her date, Jason, only asked her as a bet and went so far to vandalize the prom decorations so he would be barred from going.
The faculty is also outraged when a group of beautiful girls auctions themselves off as prom dates to lonely, dateless classmates. Meanwhile, Marla's old high school boyfriend returns to Winslow to ask her to the prom they never got to go to the first time. She turns him down initially when she finds out Harvey told the man that she was dying. But he persists and Marla eventually gives in.
The biggest issue facing the prom comes from a transgender male student who wants to run for Prom Queen. There is a myriad of protests from students, but Harper allows the student to run. The gay student goes on to win Prom Queen and the students of Winslow High cheer on the accomplishment.
Meanwhile, Guber finally musters the courage to ask Lauren to the prom. He gets himself so worked up, that when she actually says yes, he passes out. They wind up going together and have a famously good time.
Boston Public "Chapter Forty-three" O.A.D. 5/13/02
Jamaal turns to Senate for help when his brother Amaad shoots a convenience store clerk after the clerk refuses to sell him beer. Senate urges Jamaal to go to the police immediately and turn himself in since he was present at the shooting and could be charged with murder. Senate asks Ronnie for help, but the two can not convince Jamaal to turn himself in. Convinced it's in Jamaal's best interest, Senate makes the agonizing decision to call the police. Jamaal is booked for murder. While Senate is working late in the dungeon, Amaad confronts him for turning in Jamaal. Senate reaches for his cell phone to call the police but is stabbed with a knife after a short scuffle.
Meanwhile, Marilyn and Lauren worry their student Rachel has cancer after she constantly suffers from stomach flu and begins to lose her hair. But when Lipschultz tells them Rachel eats her own hair, they realize she suffers from Tricholtillomania, an impulse control disorder.
Also at the school, Hanson get in trouble for writing a letter to the parents of his obese students, urging them to show concern for their children's health.
Boston Public "Chapter Forty-four" O.A.D. 5/20/02
After Ronnie spots Amaad dashing past her in the hallway at Winslow High, she frantically runs to Senate's classroom and finds him on the floor, bleeding profusely from knife wounds. Senate is rushed to the hospital, where he desperately clings to life.
At Winslow, students and teachers hold a vigil, while Harper remains at Harry's side, leaving Scott in charge of the school. Ronnie pleads with Jamaal to turn in his brother. She reminds him that Harry was always there for him no matter what.
Meanwhile, Lauren asks Scott to comfort her in this time of need and their relationship turns romantic. Back at the hospital, Harry finally comes to and is bound for recovery. Ronnie is with him when he does, and she finally divulges that she loves him. They share an embrace as Steven looks on, crying over the fact that his friend is alive and well.