Another school year is off to a booming start at Winslow High School -- an urban high school outside of Boston. Principal Steven Harper spends his days putting out fires, defending his faculty and just trying to keep it together.
Last week's bra protest has resulted in school unity. All the girls have decided to go braless in a show of solidarity with Dana Poole. As bras flap ceremoniously from every other locker, Principal Harper juggles a variety of other issues.
Principal Harper's job is in jeopardy and an impending school board meeting has him on edge. Still, he can't help but get involved when Anthony Ward is found hanging upside down from the roof. It turns out the entire soccer team has ganged up on little Anthony since he thwarted their attempts to download answers for a test. Harper's decision to suspend the entire team, and thereby forfeit the soccer season, only adds fuel to Superintendent Marla Shinn's fire.
Rehearsals are in full swing for the annual charity show. Marilyn is dismayed to learn that the main skit the students have prepared is a spoof of the Winslow High faculty -- complete with a gun-toting Senate and Buttle stuck inside a donkey!
It's Thanksgiving week, but no one seems particularly grateful. Guber, for example, is still upset over his onstage serenade at the charity show. Football player Jason Harrelson broke bully Malcolm White's arm during a fight in the hall. Buttle is starring in yet another Sheryl Holt original online humiliation cartoon. Last, but not least, Lauren discovered a senior sex posse which awards senior guys points for sex.
A popular and beloved teacher, Mr. McMahon, has a heart attack and dies at school. A close friend of the deceased, Principal Harper overcomes his own grief to help his students cope with the loss. To make matters worse, it appears that McMahon had been having an affair with a female senior, Karen Fitzgerald.
Life seems to be one big lawsuit for Principal Harper. First, Mrs. Walsh, who was fired for spanking her students, sues for wrongful termination. Then, after Harper suspends Sheryl Holt for offensive content on her Web site, she sues to get the suspension overturned. Guber's brother, George, is representing Winslow High, but can't seem to defend himself against Guber. George set Guber up on a blind date with a touchy-feely masseuse, only for Guber to discover (mid-massage) that she's a call girl! Lauren isn't much luckier in love. Things are going well with Senate, but holt45.com has exclusive footage of them making out. Seems Sheryl wanted some retaliation for her suspension. Plus, Lauren gets knocked out by a launched breast implant. A female student had implant samples in her locker and her boyfriend thought it would be funny to launch one. Lauren was in the wrong hallway at the wrong time, and has the black eye to prove it. While Marylin counsels the girl on her self-image, Lauren
Buttle encounters a beautiful college sophomore, Lisa, who shares his passion for Shakespeare. Intrigued by his knowledge of the bard, Lisa decides to sleep with Buttle and the two engage in an afternoon of earth-shattering sex.
The first day back at school has barely begun when the police show up looking for a murder suspect. A botched robbery has gone down a few blocks away and the panicked assailant, wearing a Winslow High letterman's jacket, shot and killed a man before heading towards school grounds.
Sheryl Holt breaks the news about Milton and Lisa's secret affair on her Web site. Suspicious, Harper confronts Buttle about his sexual involvement, but Milton disavows any wrongdoing, claiming that he and Lisa have started a ""Shakespeare Club."" Concerned about his friend, Riley decides to keep quiet for now, but begs Buttle to stop seeing his new ""girlfriend.""
Coach Riley has a serious crush on Marylin Sudor but is nervous about asking her out due to their racial differences. But when he and Buttle ask Ms. Sudor how she and Ms. Hendricks feel about dating white men, Marylin mistakenly assumes Coach wants to ask Marla out. Riley's ""infatuation"" with Marla appears on Sheryl Holt's Web site and Ms. Hendricks becomes extremely excited about the prospect of dating Coach.
As Senate approaches the school grounds, he saves a student from being attacked by gang members. After numerous attempts, Harry finally manages to get the boy to reveal that he is a member of the Crips and is attempting to leave the group because he killed a rival gang member.
When Coach Riley is fired for withholding information about Buttle's affair, he hires Attorneys Ellenor Frutt and Jimmy Berluti. The stress of the lawsuit has Guber and Harper at each other's throats. Lauren discovers that Harry had dated another co-worker before her. The crossover starts on The Practice S05E14 The Day After (I).
Lauren finds Harry hasn't told his friend about her. Six teachers resign and Marla must teach a class she doesn't know how to. Scott wins a contest to be a guest conductor and asks Marilyn out when she is too nice to him. Steven and Harry look for a missing teacher.
Harry advises Tyronn to leave town when he is shot at. Harvey sends Scott on a two-hour drive for a non-existing conducting opportunity. A student accuses the cheerleading teacher of touching her in inappropriate ways.
Security tapes of the girls' shower room are missing... with footage of Lauren on them. Marla sends her entire class to the principal's office. Anthony's hit list is found. Lauren and Harry break up.
A student's mother complains about bus fumes to Steven. The tape of Lauren showering ends up on Sheryl Holt's webpage. Harry gets in trouble for knowing Tyronn was a murderer. Scott becomes Lisa Grier's co-teacher for her Shakespearre class.
Scott fires an art teacher twice. Christine Banks dies of a heart attack after winning a wrestling match. Harry finds out Dana Poole has become a stripper. Marla insults janitors and she finds one of her student's father is a janitor.
While heading to work, Lauren's car breaks downs. She gets so frustrated with it that she starts jumping up and down on it and smashing the windows with a baseball bat. Suddenly, an old student of hers appears named Daniel Evans who thanks her for changing his life. He shows her a history text book he has written and she is very impressed. He asks her out for a drink, and she immediately says yes. After, they head to her place and have a night of passion. The next day she tells Marilyn, who finds it a little immoral. Lauren cannot get past how great the sex was. Lauren admits she finds it a total turn on when Daniel calls her Ms. Davis.
Lauren continues her realtionship with Daniel. Marilyn finds out that Jeremy's mother is locking her son in the basement for punishment. Steven can't date a student's mother. Kevin punches an opponent ina debate.
Steven's remarks prevent Scott from getting a job as a headmaster. Lauren finds out Daniel is stalking her. Marla worries when a convicted sex offender asks a younger girl to the senior prom. Marilyn suspects Jeremy has done something to his mother.
Lauren gets a gun to protect herself from Daniel. Jeremy won't tell Marilyn what happened to his mother. Scott gives Winslow High's first student to get accepted to Harvard an F.