God's Not Dead 2 (2016)

Robin Givens: Principal Kinney

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Quotes 

• Principal Kinney : Grace, I just have to hear it from you. Did this happen?

  Grace Wesley : If you're asking whether I responded to a student's question, yes. If you're asking whether her question and my answer both referenced Jesus as it was relevant to the history lesson we were discussing, again I'd have to say yes.

• Brooke Thawley : You wanted to see me?

  Principal Kinney : Ms. Wesley is currently under disciplinary review. All of her classes have been reassigned until things are settled. I don't want you to have any contact with her. None whatsoever, either on or off school property.

  Brooke Thawley : Do I have any say in this?

  Principal Kinney : No. I've already discussed things with your father and he agrees.

  Brooke Thawley : Since when does my dad care?

  Principal Kinney : Brooke, the important thing for you to remember is you've done nothing wrong.

  Brooke Thawley : Neither did Ms. Wesley. All she did was answer a question.

  Principal Kinney : Ms. Wesley's answer was not in line with school policy.

  Brooke Thawley : Really? I mean, aren't we allowed to say what we believe? When did that change?

• Principal Kinney : [after offering Grace a deal to avoid any further legal action]  I know her. She's not gonna go for it.

  Superintendent Jim Powell : How do we make this go away and not get blood on our hands?

  School Attorney : That's the easy part. We let the ACLU do it. They'll file suit against Ms. Wesley, and if she's found liable, which she will be, then we fire her for cause.

  Superintendent Jim Powell : But the school district will certainly be named as a co-defendant. We don't have the financial wherewithal to fight that.

  School Attorney : They've already been in touch. They aren't interested in punishing the school. They want her.

  Superintendent Jim Powell : Are you sure?

  School Attorney : Trust me. They've been dreaming of a case like this.

  Tom Endler : [returning with Grace]  While Ms. Wesley apologizes for any inconvenience her actions may have caused, Ms. Wesley stands by her statements, and she does not retract or recant them, either in full or in part.

  Superintendent Jim Powell : So noted. Having little choice, this board recommends continued suspension, henceforth without pay, pending review by a court of competent jurisdiction to determine whether or not Ms. Wesley violated local, state, or federal guidelines. This proceeding is adjourned.

• Principal Kinney : [seeing students protesting outside the school]  Brooke, you need to stop this immediately. Brooke, this is the last time I'm gonna tell you. If you don't stop this right now, there are gonna be some consequences.

  Marlene : Actually, I don't think that there will, because this is a sidewalk, which is public property. My dad's a lawyer.

  Principal Kinney : Well, actually, this sidewalk is on school property. I suggest you girls aren't late for class.

• Tom Endler : In your orientation at the beginning of the semester, your memo to the staff stressed diversity and tolerance, did it not?

  Principal Kinney : Yes.

  Tom Endler : Well, would it be fair to say that except for Christianity, all other forms of diversity are welcome?

  Pete Kane : Objection! Your Honor!

  Tom Endler : I will withdraw the question.

  Judge Stennis : Mr. Endler, you seem to have a penchant for injecting commentary where it doesn't belong. You would do well to avoid further provocation of this court.

  Tom Endler : I apologize, Your Honor. I'll look to curtail it in the future.

• Tom Endler : Ms. Kinney, can you tell me the full name of the high school over which you preside?

  Principal Kinney : Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Memorial High School.

  Tom Endler : I noticed that the name fails to mention Dr. King's title as Reverend Doctor.

  Principal Kinney : It's his work in the field of civil rights that we prefer to highlight.

  Tom Endler : But that's the whole point. You consider his faith and politics to be separate things, but I don't, and he certainly wouldn't have.

  Pete Kane : Objection, Your Honor. Counsel is testifying.

  Judge Stennis : Sustained. Jury's instructed to ignore Mr. Endler's preceding remarks.

• Tom Endler : Ms. Kinney, are you familiar with Dr. King's letter from the Birmingham Jail?

  Principal Kinney : Yes, it's a seminal piece of civil rights history.

  Tom Endler : In that letter, Dr. King makes numerous faith-based references, does he not?

  Principal Kinney : Offhand, I don't recall.

  Tom Endler : Allow me to refresh your memory. He cites the example of the three youths from the Book of Daniel who were tossed into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to worship him. Elsewhere, he urges action with Jesus, and here, I quote, "Extremist love." And in his speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop," he stated that he just wanted to do God's will. Is this coming back to you now?

  Principal Kinney : Yes.

  Tom Endler : In your opinion, would Ms. Wesley, had she chosen to do so, have been allowed to present the examples that I just mentioned in her class?

  Pete Kane : Objection. Speculative.

  Judge Stennis : I'm going to allow it. Overruled. Witness may answer.

  Principal Kinney : No. If it were up to me, she would not have been allowed.

  Tom Endler : Why not?

  Principal Kinney : Because those examples are too closely associated with faith.

  Tom Endler : In other words, they're... they're facts, but they're just facts that are too dangerous for discussion?

  Principal Kinney : The word I would use would be "controversial".

  Tom Endler : But aren't facts just facts? I mean, there's nothing controversial about two plus two equaling four, or E=MC squared, or the date man landed on the moon. So, why the controversy about these facts?

  Principal Kinney : I think the fact that we're all here today speaks for itself.

• Pete Kane : Principal Kinney, what was the school district's final determination?

  Principal Kinney : Well, Grace has been suspended without pay pending the result of this trial.

  Pete Kane : Hmm. Isn't it rather unusual, leaving it up to a third party to determine whether Ms. Wesley is fired?

  Principal Kinney : We've decided to accept the court's interpretation of wrongdoing either way.

• Pete Kane : Ms. Kinney, I understand that you attended a service at Ms. Wesley's church a short while ago. Is that correct?

  Principal Kinney : Yes, that's correct. It was an event honoring several students who attend that church for their community service.

  Pete Kane : Mm-hmm. And who was it that invited you to that service?

  Principal Kinney : Grace Wesley.

  Pete Kane : I see. And where were you when this invitation was extended?

  Principal Kinney : At my office.

  Pete Kane : On school grounds?

  Principal Kinney : Yes.

  Pete Kane : During work hours?

  Principal Kinney : Yes.

  Pete Kane : Thank you. Oh, one last question. Is it true that Ms. Wesley accepts donations for a faith-based charity, Convoy of Hope, right there in the classroom?

  Principal Kinney : Yes, she does.

  Pete Kane : Thank you again. No further questions, Your Honor.