Boston Public Quotations

Boston Public was a television series, created by David E. Kelley, about the personal and professional lives of teachers working at a public high school in Boston.

Chapter One [1.1]

Scott Guber: Where's Ms. Hendricks?

Student: We think she's dead, sir.

Scott Guber: And why do you think that, Ms. Washington?

[Student points to words on a chalkboard: GONE TO KILL MYSELF, HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!!!]

Steven Harper: We do not help kids one by one here. Too many of them, too few of us. We serve masses, hoping more of them make it than don't. And our best results, like it or not, come with policy.

Student: Jefferson used to sleep with his slaves. The book don't say nothin' about that. They don't even say how he even had slaves. Washington neither. So I don't see why I should bust my black ass reading about a bunch of lies.

Harvey Lipschultz: Well, you see Mr. Jackson, my job is to see that you get your black ass into college. And whether these things in these books be lies or not, your achievement tests that you will be taking are standardized. And you'll have to know all these untruths in order for you to pass them, and how many slaves Jefferson had sex with will not be on the test. And if you fail American History, Mr. Jackson, you'll be sitting here again next year. And you'll have to listen all over again to what my shriveled, white, Jewish ass has to say.

Harry Senate: Anyone I suppose could contribute to a shelter or help the needy, but it takes a true American to dedicate himself to firearms. And you know what? We need people like you. Our country's getting a bad rep just because we kill each other. Well, that's manly... shooting people. United States, this is were men live. Australia — all their stupid bragging about how tough they are in the outback. They get about... 15 gun homicides a year. What the hell is that? We get ten thousand. The Japanese are even more pathetic. In 1999, for kids between 15 and 19, they didn't have one handgun murder, not one! We had over five thousand! Our teenagers are tough, but it can't happen unless we get the guns out there into their hands. And for that we need committed, good people like all of you. Look at these idiots in Washington who think it's wrong for teenagers to have assault rifles. And the stupid Democrats think we should have ten-day waiting periods. What happens if you need to kill somebody today? Next thing the government will try to crack down on incest and we won't be able to breed future NRA members. I mean, we are talking about the toothless illiterates that make this country great. This is America. Get a gun!

Mr. Harrelson: You told my son that giving him the ball is not the answer. Best he learn that now. Best he learn that in eighth grade, or seventh grade, or even sooner, don't you think, Ms. Davis? Now maybe I failed some things as his dad, but this school failed him, too. These teachers here kept promoting him, didn't they? This school never got him the message. And now you're trying to send it? Now when college scouts are coming, now when football is about to deliver him an education at the University, now you people want to rise up and deliver him the message that athletics ain't everything?

Chapter Two [1.2]

Harvey Lipschultz: All through history, when men look at women, they want to have sex. Now, God did this on purpose to ensure the survival of the human species. And he also gave women lumps, known as breasts, to inspire in man the penile urge to procreate. Now, this was very good for mankind, but not for womankind. Now, how could she succeed in this world, and how could she be respected for all her values, when men just want to mount her? Research eventually showed that it was those dangling bouncing breasts that cause special excitement to the man's blood flow. It was determined that the brassiere could stop this dangling, bouncing motion. The man would be less likely to objectify the woman and she would have a fighting chance at equality. You must harness your bosoms in order to squash the discrimination by the male gonads. This country can never maximize its potential until you can achieve equality. That's why I must make a rule, right here, and right now: wear a bra, for the good of the country.

Dana Poole: I'm not getting expelled. Guber decided to give me a three-day suspension... Did you have anything to do with it?

Harry: Listen to me. Whether or not I did, here's how it's gonna be. You come to me ever again, ever, and try to extort me for anything, I don't care if it's even a hall pass, I'm going to Harper and Guber myself and I'm going to tell them everything. You got that?

Dana Poole: Why would you do that?

Harry: Because I made a mistake with you, Dana, and I'm not going to make another one.

Superintendant Marsha Shinn: "Dragon Lady"? Is that what they call me?

Steven Harper: Only when you're in the room.

Harvey Lipschultz: My granddaughter Karen, who I thought was you for a second, is just as mischievous with her computer. You two would probably get along.

Cheryl Holt: Does she go here?

Harvey Lipschultz: No. She lives in Weymouth. Hardly ever leaves the house. Always with her computer. Knows how to make those virus things that make the websites crash. I know very little about those things. But she wouldn't stop at anything.

Lauren Davis: Three siblings. Two are doctors, the other's an investment banker. And to my parents, I'm the one who didn't make anything of herself. I can still hear my father's words: "What a waste, Lauren. You are so smart. You could actually be somebody." Something we battle every day is disrespect. We get it from the kids because it comes from the parents. And look at what we make!

Steven Harper: You know what your problem is, Lauren? You don't have any idea how powerful you are. Things you say in that classroom some of those kids are going to remember fifty years from now, even if you've forgotten by the sound of the next bell. Do you like being a teacher?

Lauren Davis: I love it.

Steven Harper: Then what are you complaining about?

Chapter Three [1.3]

Harvey Lipschultz: [to Marla] The kids are already afraid of you because they think you have mental problems. I mean that as a compliment.

Harry Senate: The assignment was the read the book. Did anybody read the book?

[Silence.]

Harry Senate: Jamal, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Jamal: Not a teacher.

Harry Senate: You know, as a teacher, it would be inappropriate for me to tell you that you're a total screw-up. So what I want you to do is go home and ask your father, as a favor to me, to tell you that you're a total screw-up. I bet you can't wait to get out into the real world because you're all going to be rich. Companies are going to pay you a ton of money to sit there like lumps and do nothing all day. I want all my books back. Just leave them right here on my desk on your way out because, well, unlike a mind, a book is a terrible thing to waste.

Kevin Riley: Think before you speak, Harvey.

Marla Hendricks: Then he'd be mute.

Harvey Lipschultz: [to the football players] When I was a young boy, there was this baseball player. And the players didn't want him to play because he was different. But when he finally did make it into the game, they found that he could hit and run and catch better than all of them. His name was Jackie Robinson. And he paved the way for the black man to get into the game of baseball, making it a better game. What if it were to turn out that this homosexual could run faster, hit harder and throw that football straighter? We won't know that. We won't know that unless that first team of courage invites him to join the game. And I would like to think that that team of courage lives right here at Winslow High. Gentlemen, there is nothing more American than football. Be proud. Welcome the gay linebacker into your shower.

Marla Hendricks: [to the school board] Let me tell you something, let me tell all of you something. The reason I've had it is because I have to go into a room day after day after damn day and try to break through to a bunch of damn kids who don't want to listen, don't want to learn, and don't want to give me the decency of being quiet. Mr. Senate shot off a gun? I woulda rolled in a big cannon if I knew where to get one. I'd have tried anything. And you show me a teacher who doesn't almost lose his or her mind sometimes, and I'll show you a teacher who's not trying. I can show you some parents who aren't. You send them off to school thinking: job's done. It's up to the teachers now. Well, it doesn't work that way. You got to get in on this, too. Kids coming in every day singing that jingle: those who can't do, teach. They get that from their parents! Well, let me tell you, we're in there doing every damn day, and a lot of the doing we do is parenting! You want to compare failures? Step right up! Who's first?

Chapter Four [1.4]

Kevin Riley: [discussing Louisa Fenn's inviting Buttle out on a date] But do you want to go out with her?

Milton Buttle: She's female. She's breathing. I'm going through a non-picky phase.

Chapter Five [1.5]

Lauren Davis: [on counseling freshmen on birth control] I started preaching abstinence. I'm telling you I felt the habit growing on my head as the words left my mouth.

Marla Hendricks: I have four cheeks, Harry. Pick one and bite it.

Marla Hendricks: Are you gonna say grace?

Harry Senate: Yep. I'm going to thank God that I'm not you.

Chapter Six [1.6]

Harry Senate: Lauren, you and I are a disaster.

Lauren Davis: I know.

Harry Senate: As disasters go, it'd probably be one of the better ones.

[They kiss.]

Harry Senate: I mean, it's really not a good idea.

Lauren Davis: I know.

[They kiss again.]

Chapter Nine [1.9]

Lauren Davis: I wanna go dancing. Women have sex with men to go dancing.

Harry Senate: Men go dancing with women to have sex and we've already done that. So why do we need to go dancing?

Chapter Forty [2.18]

Marla Hendricks: Harvey, Helen is dead. And as for your reputation... it's in worse shape than Helen.

Chapter Forty-Nine [3.5]

Mr. Johnson: You wanna know why I got no money? [plays a piano solo] I get music, and I get how seductive it can be. It's like your guts are telling you "This is what I was meant to do." It's almost spiritual. What could be better then that?

Chapter Fifty-Seven [3.13]

Kimberly Woods: [on the phone with Ronnie] Sheila broke into my apartment.

Ronnie Cooke: You're sure someone was in your apartment?

[Kimberly looks at obscene graffiti on the wall.]

Kimberly Woods: Yes, I'm sure.

Chapter Sixty-Two [3.18]

Scott Guber: The little man has been spotted on school grounds. I've got out an all-points bulletin.

Steven Harper: How'd he get past security?

Scott Guber: Went right under them!

Chapter Sixty-Nine [4.3]

Harvey Lipschultz: I should have asked him to bless me.

Danny Hanson: You're Jewish, Harvey. You don't believe in Christ.

Harvey Lipschultz: I've been wrong before! Why not hedge my bets?

Marla Hendricks: Just because a white boy can sing doesn’t make him Jesus.

Ronnie Cooke: [referring to Mike]] I need to get his parents in here tomorrow first thing.

Mike: My father is God and my mother is the Virgin Mary. I don’t think they are available.

Cast

Chi McBride - Steven Harper
Anthony Heald - Scott Guber
Loretta Devine - Marla Hendricks
Nicky Katt - Harry Senate
Sharon Leal - Marylin Sudor
Fyvush Finkel - Harvey Lipschultz
Jeri Ryan - Ronnie Cooke [Seasons 2-4]
Michael Rapaport - Danny Hanson [Seasons 2-4]
Jessalyn Gilsig - Lauren Davis [Seasons 1-2]
Rashida Jones - Louisa [Seasons 1-2]
Joey Slotnick - Milton Buttle [Season 1]
Thomas McCarthy - Coach Kevin Riley [Season 1]
Bianca Kajlich - Lisa Grier [Season 1]
Leslie Jordan - Dr. Harris [Season 2]
Kathy Baker - Mrs. Meredith Peters [Season 2]
Michelle Monaghan - Kimberly Woods [Season 3]
Jon Abrahams - Zach Fischer [Season 3]
Joey McIntyre - Colin Flynn [Season 3]
Cara DeLizia - Marcie Kendall [Season 3]
China Jesusita Shavers - Brooke Harper [Season 3]
Sarah Thompson - Dana Poole
John Francis Daley - Anthony Ward
Debbi Morgan - Superintendant Marsha Shinn
Lamya Jezek - Sheryl Holt

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