Nothing But The Truth

A memo from Dr. Doane to Ms. Narwin informs Ms. Narwin her request for funding has been denied because all funds have already been distributed. The last grant went to the music teacher so she could attend a course on marching band techniques. Dr. Doane is excited about the prospect of having a good marching band at athletics events, since the superintendent is such a big fan of sports. Dr. Doane closes by telling Ms. Narwin how much she admires Ms. Narwin and wants to do anything she can (short of providing funding for professional development) to support her.

The next item is a transcript of a conversation between Coach Jamison, the track coach, and Philip. Philip, it turns out, is ineligible to run track because he has a D in Ms. Narwin’s English class. The coach encourages Philip to ask for extra work, to study, and to work out things with Ms. Narwin.

When Philip complains that he did not know about the rule, the coach tells him the rule has been around for a long time and that a “rule is a rule. It isn’t always easy,” and that “sometimes you have to go along to get along. That’s the whole thing about sports. Go with the flow”(24). Philip follows up by claiming the teacher just does not like him personally. Jamison insists that Philip needs to work this out because the team needs him.

Philip’s parents are concerned about his low grade in English. Mrs. Malloy says that Philip told her the grade is low because Ms. Narwin dislikes him. She asks her husband to talk to Philip. Maybe, they speculate, Philip is upset that he did not make the track team, or perhaps he is worried about them getting a divorce based on his question to his mother a week prior.

Later that evening, Mr. Malloy attempts to find out why Philip seems so moody these days. Philip claims again that Ms. Narwin is out to get him. He adds that she is a boring teacher and that no one understands the material in her course because of her teaching style.

When Mr. Malloy asks how track is going, Philip tells his father that he is no longer interested in track. Mr. Malloy, who purchased expensive running shoes for Philip and once aspired to be a runner himself, is shocked and disappointed. Philip responds by telling his father that he is not like his father.

A letter from Ms. Narwin to her sister, Anita, reveals that Ms. Narwin is disappointed over not receiving the grant. She writes, “I suppose marching bands make a big show. Bread and circuses, Anita. Bread and circuses. That’s all it is. I don’t think I’ve ever been so angry!”(30-31). She feels disrespected and believes the superintendent’s only concerns are the budget and keeping his job.

Later that evening, Philip reflects in his diary on how tense the conversation was with his father. Philip is angry that he will not be able to participate in track, which starts the next day, and that he will be placed in Ms. Narwin’s homeroom. Just before midnight that night, Mr. Malloy tells his wife about his conversation with Philip. She is as surprised as her husband is but praises him for attempting to talk to their son.

The chapter opens with the transcript of a conversation between Philip and Ken Barchet, Philip’s friend who has managed to make the track team. Philip tells Ken that he has been moved to Ms. Narwin’s class for homeroom, which he hates. Ken thinks Ms. Narwin is fine and reminds him that it is just homeroom. Philip also has her for English, and he wants to get transferred out of both because he does not like the teacher.

The next item is a transcript of what happens when Philip goes to Ms. Narwin’s homeroom that first morning. He hums as the national anthem plays. When Ms. Narwin asks him to stop, Philip replies that Mr. Lunser had no problem with the humming. She insists that he stop, however. Later that morning, Ms. Narwin tells a fellow teacher that Philip Malloy hummed loudly instead of listening silently and respectfully as required during the national anthem. The teacher responds by saying that Philip is always there with a wisecrack but does not always do his work. The term will eventually be over, he reminds Ms. Narwin, and the two head for the coffee.

At lunch later that day, Philip talks with a classmate, Todd Becker, about his day. When Todd finds out Philip is now in Ms. Narwin’s homeroom, he tells Philip that he likes Ms. Narwin. Philip responds that he dislikes Ms. Narwin and that she asked him to stop him singing the national anthem that morning. Philip continues his story, but Todd is confused when Philip claims to have been humming instead of singing and wonders aloud what Philip did to bother Ms. Narwin. Later that afternoon, Philip makes a wisecrack in Ms. Narwin’s class. Philip is in a foul mood on the bus ride home that afternoon, and Allison inquires what is wrong with him. When Allison asks if Philip tried out for the track team, he snaps at her.

After class that day, Ms. Narwin asks Mr. Lunser, Philip’s former homeroom teacher, if he allows students to sing the national anthem in his homeroom. He assures her that he would never allow such a thing, since it is against the rules. Later that evening, the Malloys ask Philip if he has changed his mind about trying out for the track team. Philip changes the subject by telling his parents that Ms. Narwin yelled at him for humming the national anthem during homeroom. When Mr. Malloy seems somewhat incredulous about this claim, Philip leaves, and Mrs. Malloy tells her husband that he should listen to his son and be more supportive.

In a letter to her sister, Ms. Narwin describes the defiant behavior in her homeroom that morning. Philip writes in his diary that he is angry with Miss Narwin and wishes he could hit her. Meanwhile, Allison gossips to her friend about how angry Philip was when she tried to speak with him earlier that day.

Late that evening, Mr. Malloy tries to talk to Philip once again. He discovers that his son is reading the novel The Outsiders. Mr. Malloy tells Philip that he believes Ms. Narwin’s decision to stop him from singing the national anthem is wrong and promises that he and his wife will support Philip if he wants to pursue the matter. In fact, Mr. Malloy promises to talk to Ted Griffen, a neighbor who is running for the school board, to see if there’s anything he can do. It is important, Mr. Malloy tells Philip, to stand up for one’s rights.

In homeroom, Philip once again hums during the playing of the national anthem, and Ms. Narwin kicks him out of the classroom and sends him to the assistant principal’s office. Philip tells Dr. Palleni, the assistant principal, that Ms. Narwin does not like him and will not allow him to sing the national anthem. The assistant principal reminds Philip that according to the district memo, he is not allowed to sing the national anthem while it is played, so Ms. Narwin was within the rules when she made him leave class. Philip asks to be put in another homeroom and English class, but the assistant principal advises Philip, “‘To get along you have to go along’”(52).

Later that afternoon, Mr. Malloy has a tense conversation with his boss, who is upset because he blames Mr. Malloy for errors in a contract bid that cost the company some money. Back at the school, Dr. Doane meets with Ms.Narwin and tells her that although she was sorry to deny the request for funds to attend a graduate class, she believes that Ms. Narwin is such a good teacher and gets such good outcomes for her students on standardized tests that she didn’t really need the course after all.

That evening before dinner, Mr. Malloy tells his wife about how upset his boss was with him. At dinner Philip tells his parents that he was once again kicked out of class for singing the national anthem during homeroom and that he spoke with the assistant principal about what happened. When he tells his parents that the assistant principal sided with the teacher, Mr. Malloy reminds Philip that it is important to stand up for what one believes.

Late that evening, Ms. Narwin writes to her sister that she is grateful for the compliment the principal gave her earlier that day and feels “lucky”(58) that she is so appreciated. In his diary, Philip writes that he is lucky that his parents are willing to support him.

The next morning in homeroom, Philip hums the national anthem during announcements again. When Miss Narwin asks him to stop and tells him that he is being “disrespectful”(59), Philip responds by telling his teacher that she is the one who is disrespectful and that he was just “‘being patriotic. That’s all. It’s a free country. You have no right to stop me. I was just singing to myself’”(59). Ms. Narwin kicks him out of class again and sends him to the assistant principal’s office. Dr. Palleni reminds Philip about their conversation the previous day. After talking with Ms. Narwin to confirm what happened, Dr. Palleni suspends Philip over Ms. Narwin’s objection. The assistant principal calls Mrs. Malloy to pick up Philip, upsetting her, since leaving her job is frowned upon. She calls Mr. Malloy, who in turn is upset with his wife for doing so given the pressure he already faces at work.

Dr. Palleni writes a memo to inform Philip that he will be moved to Mr. Lunser for homeroom again. That afternoon in a meeting with Mrs. Malloy and Phillip, Dr. Palleni tells her that what is expected of students is cooperation and rule-following. By humming during the national anthem, Philip violated those rules. Philip can apologize still, Dr. Palleni tells them, but Philip refuses to do so. The assistant principal ends the discussion. Afterward, Mrs. Malloy questions Philip, and she learns that her husband told Philip he should stick up for himself. Perhaps, she says, she should have sent Philip to Washington Academy, a private school.

Still later that afternoon, Dr. Palleni sends a memo to Ms. Narwin to let her know that Philip has been suspended and will be sent back to his old homeroom when he returns. Dr. Palleni also sends a memo to Mr. Lunser to inform him that Philip is returning to his homeroom because of behavior he believes may be the result of problems at home. Dr. Palleni sends a third memo to Principal Doane, informing her of his actions and his suspicion that the trouble is the result of some unknown conflict between Philip and Ms. Narwin. Near lunch that same day, Dr. Palleni tells Ms. Narwin in person about the changes, and she expresses misgivings about him suspending Philip when there is still hope that he can be reached.

Philip discusses the suspension with Ken and Allison, who seems surprised that Philip believes Ms. Narwin to be at fault. Meanwhile, Ms. Narwin writes a letter to her sister about her interest in a whole language approach to language arts and her suspicion that something at home is causing the problems with Philip. She writes, “Our society is always asking schools to do what is not done at home”(78), but she still hopes to be able to talk to Philip when he returns from the suspension.

During dinner, Philip shares his version of what happened with Ms. Narwin. He claims that in Mr. Lunser’s class, he was virtually encouraged to sing during the anthem, but that Ms. Narwin threw him out of class for the same actions. Mr. Malloy wonders why Philip was suspended for singing, but his wife reminds him that there is a rule about singing during the anthem. Mr. Malloy tells Philip that they should consult Ted Griffen, a neighbor who is running for school board, a body designed to “[k]eep the schools in line” according to Mr. Malloy (80).

After dinner, Mr. Malloy and Philip talk to Ted Griffen, who is outraged by Philip’s story. He tells the Malloys that he knows Jennifer Stewart, a reporter for the local paper, and would like Philip to tell her what happened. Philip should not worry about the interview, since all Ted requests is that he tell the truth.

Philip tells the reporter that the other students dislike Ms. Narwin and that she kicked him out of class for singing the national anthem because singing it is against the rules. As he listens, Mr. Griffen gets worked up and tells the reporter she can quote him as saying, “‘This is a school, an American school. Parents have a right to expect that certain things, like values, will be taught. Community values. Things I believe in. I mean that. Sincerely’”(85-86). Late that night, Philip writes that he feels bad and worried about how quickly the conflict with Ms. Narwin has blown up. “But everybody says I was right,” he writes (86).