""Life begins when the dog is dead and the kids have left home."" "A German saying" "MS. MULLER MUST GO" "If we're not home by 7:30 Exactly." "In the upper fridge compartment." "Either organic turkey breast or tofu sausages." "Whatever he prefers." "On the other hand, make both." "Let him decide." "Okay." "Let me talk to him, okay?" "Hey Lukas, it's Mum." "We'll be home soon." "You hear me, Lukas?" "You hear Mum?" "Sweetheart, are you" "Hey, I wanted to know if everything's okay." " Yeah." "Good idea." "But we just left home ten minutes ago." "Who's that?" " Fritz's mum." "That little slime ball." " No, Patrick." "None of that!" "Yeah sure, I'll behave." "Must you smoke on schoolgrounds?" " Do you see any pupils?" "If anyone can do it, you can." "After all, it's not the first time you've fired someone." "That you've urged someone to leave." "It's kind of fun, isn't it?" " No." "A little bit?" " No." "A teeny bit?" " No!" "She's our daughter's primary school teacher." "It's no fun!" "Okay, just a little bit." "What's wrong?" " You really enjoy it." "Stop!" " How sick can you be!" " Drop it!" "Or go in yourself!" "I'm serious!" "Go in there and do it yourself!" "Cut it out." " Come here." "Hi." "I'm Wolf." " Patrick." " Hi." "We've met." " Hi." "Who's missing?" " Marek's dad." "Just his mailbox." " Maybe he's stuck in traffic." "On Saturday afternoon?" " He's chickened out." "He talks big at first." "But when things matter he doesn't have the guts." "What about that" " Julia's mum?" "I'm afraid she can't come." "Babysitter didn't show up?" "What a crap excuse!" "Whatever!" "Let's go in there and get it over with." "YURI GAGARIN PRIMARY SCHOOL" "This is the last thing I'll do for those parents." " You're spokeswoman!" " I meant afterwards." "We should have axed her long ago." "Transfers come out in three months." "By then, that loser will have ruined our kids' futures forever." " We know that." "We gotta stand as one." "Either like it or lump it." "I ask just one favour." "Let me do the talking." "And when I've made our point, I don't want any of you to repeat it." "No big speeches." " Why are you looking at me?" "And don't talk about your own children." "And please, please, no emotional outbursts." "I think someone's coming." " At last." "Hello." "What's up?" "Parent-teacher meeting." " I wasn't informed." "Now you are." " Ms. muller's class." "Christa or Ute?" "Christa or Ute Miiller?" "How should I know?" " Ute muller." " Yeah, Ute." "Then wait until Ms. MUIIer is here." " Listen here." "I know this is your job." "And I assume all the sockets work." "But it isn't our problem if Ms. Miiller forgot to inform you." "Hi there." " Hi." " Hello." "She's a bit overworked." "Hey, that car!" "You can't park there!" "Just the facts!" "It's a poor learning environment." "Exam results are going downhill." "Too much homework." "And she seems a bit psycho." "But I'll only say that if necessary." "Did I forget anything?" " The discussion groups where the kids talk about home are like brainwashing, Stasi methods." "That's trivial." " It's not!" "You wouldn't know!" "I didn't mean that the Stasi is trivial." "What did I just tell you?" "We can't say that kind of thing." "But the discussion groups really burden Janine." "We agreed to omit personal complaints." "So muller doesn't start explaining stuff." "None of that educational approach." " But we must let her speak." "She had her chance." "That's why" " H.P." "What?" " Hans Peter." "Exactly." "Hans Peter met with her, and nothing came of it." "Except that "the class is loud." Janine isn't loud." "For the last time, Wolf, stop talking about Janine!" "She just sat out the talk with your husband." "She doesn't take us seriously." "Parents are a nasty side effect of kids, and kids are a side effect of her job." "That's the way it is." " Let's not make a monster of her." "We were quite happy with her." "Right?" " But now she cries in class, goes to therapy and badmouths our kids." "Probably menopause." " Nothing wrong with that, but it's her problem." "I'm relieved you have nothing against menopause." "I just meant, I have nothing against her." " It's open." "It sounded like you do." "A bit chilly here." "I'll put the heating on." "Nice, isn't it'?" " Yeah." "Which one did Fritz make?" "The whole group." "Wow!" " And Lukas?" "I don't remember exactly." "We should agree on one thing beforehand." "No personal attacks." "She's probably under pressure anyway." "I mean, as a teacher." " She went into it with her eyes open!" "Absolutely." "We don't want to humiliate her." "At her age it could mean the end of her career." "Jobless, especially in eastern Germany." "It's a nightmare." "We're not firing her." "We're urging here to give up the class." "Unemployment is just as bad in the west." " Yeah, sure." "May I remind you that every East German had work." "Everyone perhaps." "But real work?" " Very funny." "Yeah" " She's coming." "Do we need the flowers?" "She's had the kids from the start, so we show our thanks." "It's good manners." "Firing someone, then giving them flowers is somehow cynical." "First flowers, then firing them is stupid too." "I repeat:" "We aren't firing her." "I will simply give her a bouquet of flowers." "Nothing more." "As the mother of the top student she's allowed to, isn't she?" " I came, okay?" "Yeah." "I support you, because I said it's important to stick together." "No, it's important you're here and not just the parents of underperformers." "I wouldn't say that." " But that's what I'm saying." "Now let's focus on the main point." "Ms. muller must go." "And I don't care if she takes a trip round the world or goes on benefits, or if she leaves with the flowers or not." "Now let's do something crazy and get goal-oriented." "Agreed?" "Okay." "I don't think "underachiever" is the right word for Janine." "Hello, everybody." " Hello, Ms. Mijller." "I'm not late, am I?" "One or two minutes is okay." "I welcome you to our parent-teacher meeting." "I'm sorry I had to postpone it twice, but I'm a bit keyed up at the moment." "Okay." "Are we all present?" " One father is missing." "He can't be reached." "If you like, we can begin." "But we can also wait a bit." " I don't think he's coming." "We could wait two minutes." "So we don't have to say everything twice." " You're right." "Here you are." "A little compensation for waiting." "Help yourselves." "We shouldn't wait too long." "Okay." "Then I'll take the opportunity to say a few things before we get to the point." "Okay?" "I've had the class for quite a while now." "And it's a great pleasure to be teaching your kids." "Most of them are attentive, diligent students who take responsibility who usually take responsibility for each other." "Yes." "Last week we completed our environmental project." "I think it turned out really nicely." "Have you taken a look yet?" " Yes, we did." "Very nice." " Okay." "And I hope I'll see you soon on Culture Day with our choir." "All the children are really enjoying it." "That's what I have to say." "I don't know, but" " Beforehand I'd like to give you this here." "I'm also involved in education and know how difficult it is to motivate children and teach them something." " That's" "You're very Thank you." "All of you." "Thank you." "I hope they don't wilt before I get home." "Ms. Milller," "I'll get straight to the point." "Most of the kids' exams results have deteriorated dramatically." "The learning environment is bad." "And the class is very unruly, something you are apparently unable to deal with." "And that is particularly alarming, because at the end of next term the kids get a transfer that determines their future school." "The course will be set." "We no longer trust your teaching skills." "So we have come to the conclusion that the only solution is to urge you to stop teaching this class." "We believe you are attached to the kids, so it wasn't an easy decision to make, especially considering your merits in the past years." "Arts and crafts" "We can only judge the present situation, and it is unacceptable." "Have you informed the principal?" " No, we haven't, so you can find an excuse for leaving which doesn't harm your reputation." "We leave it completely up to you how you explain it." "Officially we won't tell a soul." " Yes, it has nothing to do with our feelings for you as a human being." "You are certainly a wonderful teacher for the younger students, but" "The environmental project is very nice, but it just doesn't fit." "Okay" "You all got together and came to this conclusion." "Yes, and I want to emphasize, we are speaking on behalf of all the parents." "Almost all of them." "A large majority who made this decision together." "And where are the other parents?" "Yes, well, we thought it would be easier for you if not all the parents were here." "It's not about the decision-making process now." "The decision has been made." " Late enough." "Why are you telling me now?" "Why wasn't I informed during the decision-making process, so that I had the chance to respond?" " Yes, uh" "My husband talked to you three weeks ago and voiced our concerns." "You had sufficient time to respond to the accusations." "What accusations?" "We had coffee together." "And I told him why I thought the class was noisy." "To which he replied, "That happens sometimes."" "Then he had a look at your daughter's project." "He told me a different story." " Possibly." "But that's how it was." "And if our chat was so important then your husband should be here to help us determine why we perceived it so differently." " He has an appointment." "Oh?" "My professional future is being decided here, and your husband has an appointment?" " She's right." "He should be here to clear this up." "it would only be fair." "Okay." "That's how it is." "Let's discuss the reasons." "Mrs. Jeskow, what exactly are Lukas' problems?" " We won't discuss individual children." "There must be enough time for that, don't you think?" "Lukas had problems initially." "But during the environmental project he seemed much happier." "He also seems to enjoy the choir." "Isn't he gradually settling in?" "Ms. Mfiller, that's not the point." " I want to answer her." "It's important to me." " Okay." "He isn't settling in at all." "Things are getting worse." "At first other kids asked him over but not anymore." "He sits at home every afternoon with his Nintendo." "Nobody ever calls him and they don't even let him play football." "He was well integrated at his old school. it was a Montessori class." "At the end of the holidays he always looked forward to school." "But now he just cries on his bed, begging to go back to Cologne." "I can't even talk about it, because it breaks my heart." "Maybe we don't need to go into such detail." "And he never gets invited to birthdays." "Never." "We wonder what the school is doing to integrate him." "At school nobody cares about him." "It's like a foreign country to him." " I wouldn't go that far." "But if this continues he'll end up at a vocational school." "And we hate to think what that means." " He'll be sitting next to skinheads." "He actually needs remedial teaching." " I'll comment, but let's go on first." "Fritz is fine, isn't he?" "I don't have the feeling the noise bothers him." " Fritz didn't invite him." " Fritz didn't celebrate." "Ms. Milller, we aren't going to discuss every child." "I don't mind." "I have a lot to say." "Fritz has always been a good student, but you still feel the class needs a new teacher." "Yes, well" "When so many other kids are having trouble" " But not Fritz." "Not Fritz." " Good, then let's find out why the other children are having problems and what might be the cause." "No, Ms. Mfiller, a misunderstanding." "Nobody wants special treatment for their child." "It's the general atmosphere." "And that has to do with a deficient educational concept which, to be blunt, obviously has to do with you." "I was planning to talk to you in the next few days, Mrs. H6fel, because Laura is difficult." "I know that, but we are now talking about your deficient concept." "I have a concept." " Then it's the wrong one." "Excuse me, but I'm a trained teacher." "I know my students and the curriculum." "I have to teach my subjects in an interesting and lively way." "That takes up much of my free time." " Teachers have enough of that." "But not every student is equally good." "This is a school, you know, and what counts is achievement, willingness to learn and intelligence." "And I'll be glad to discuss that and the way you as parents can help to fulfil the school's educational mandate." "But I refuse to let you question my qualifications." "That makes me want to puke!" "You talk like some big shot!" "Disgusting!" "I refuse to listen any longer!" "Mr. Heider, I won't let you scream at me!" "Now you know what it's like." "You scream at the kids." " What?" "Wolf, don't overdo it." " You all just butter up to her." "Our kids are unhappy." "My Janine comes home, and she's so confused that she can't even do simple arithmetic." "She just sits around and says she's stupid." "And she goes to school with stomach pain." "I work with her as much as possible to keep her hanging on." "Willingness to learn, diligence" "Ms. Milller." "Two days." "We worked for two days on that fucking chestnut figure, so you wouldn't be disappointed." "Willingness to learn, diligence!" "Ms. MLiller, they are children, and they're being terrorised!" "And I am, too!" "Here." "This is reality, Ms. Mijller." "We don't want you anymore!" "You're finished!" "Let me make one thing clear." "This list here, it won't help you one single bit." "The decision is still made by the principal or the school board." "As parents you have no say whatsoever." "We haven't reached the point where parents can simply dump a teacher." "There's a clearly defined procedure." "If you think I'm going to give up my class, just because you suddenly feel the need to put me down, then you're badly mistaken." "I am still a government official, Mr. Heider, and not your maid!" "Don't think you can intimidate us." "This is a free country." "What you do is GDR youth camp and not modern teaching." "My lessons are modern." "I buy material for lessons with my own money." "I established the choir." "I teach additional remedial lessons." " What's the use if you're untalented?" "I refuse to listen to this any longer." "If a person's wrong for their job, fire them." "School is no different." " Stop!" "Just a moment, Ms. Mflller." "Please." "This is going completely wrong." "No." " Yes." " We're doing this in your interest too." " What do you know about my interests?" " We know you're very conscientious." "But it's no disgrace to admit you're overworked or burned out." "Teachers often suffer from burnout." "Pardon me?" " We actually didn't want to mention that." "But we happen to know that you're seeing a therapist." "That shows you're aware of the problem." " When it reaches the point that you break out in tears in front of a class as an adult, then you should perhaps take a break." "And that's exactly what we urge you to do." "What therapist?" "Lukas said that recently you left class early for therapy." "Oh, he said that, did he?" "Yes, he said it innocently." "He has no idea what it means." "So those are your reasons?" " I can imagine it's unpleasant for you." "I have to go to physiotherapy because of my back." "I'm not burned out." "I have back problems." "No law against back problems, is there?" "And you cried because of your back problems?" "You stay out of this, Mr. Heider." "I cried, Mr. and Mrs. Jeskow, because your son, who spread this nonsense about me, kept shooting me with paper wads until one of them hit me in the eye." "That hurts." "And I wanted him to know it." "That he sees what it means when you hurt someone." "That he sees he isn't alone in this world." "There are other people too." "Your son goes crazy when he isn't in the limelight." "He can't sit still for 30 seconds." "If I used the time I spend with him for other kids, then our learning environment would be better." "Because he isn't challenged." "That happens to highly gifted kids." "He isn't highly gifted." "He has ADD." " What?" " He doesn't even remember what he learned last year." "Just ask the other teachers." "We gave him time to make the adjustment." "But it's a general problem." "Your son is one of the main reasons that the class hasn't worked well since this school year started." "I thought that's why we're here today." "Aside from Fritz, you are the parents of the children who cause me the biggest problems." "Take your daughter," "Mr. Heider." "I noticed long ago that Janine doesn't do her homework alone." "When I ask her something in class, she hasn't the faintest idea." "So if you do her homework you should make sure that your daughter is nearby." " Why hasn't she any idea?" " Quiet!" "Let's all be quiet for one minute." "Because in every lesson she is busy worshipping Laura, who thinks participation is for nerds and who is busy playing with her I-thingy phone." "If they ever pick up a pen, it's only to write "in" and "out" lists." "Your daughter's belly ache isn't from school." "She's afraid of Laura's moods." "And if Laura wasn't absent so much," "Janine would be even poorer at school." "Which brings me to you, Mrs. H6fel." "These are the sick notes that Laura handed in over the past two weeks." "Is this your signature?" "If it is, then you know that Laura was absent for ten days last term." "If not, then you should spend a bit more time with your daughter." "Children who want to learn like Fritz will learn things." "But school isn't able to compensate for everything." "First take a look at yourselves before you hold me responsible for your own mistakes." "Wow." "She can't just run off." "No way!" "Wolf, stay here, please." "You've already clone enough damage." " Me?" "if I hadn't clone some straight talking, we'd have got nowhere." " And where did it get us?" "I can't tell whose side you're on." " This was screwed up from the start." "I hope she doesn't attempt suicide." "I mean, she's obviously unstable enough." "I don't dare think of it." " She won't kill herself." "She'll go to the principal and tattle." "And that means bad news for us." "Legally, we look like fools." "Mljller is right." "Marina" "Not now, please." "No one's ever said that about my child." "No one is allowed to say that." "I won't permit it." "Lukas doesn't have ADD." " Honey" "I'm going back to Cologne." "I can't live here." "What kind of people live here?" "How low can you get!" " Pardon me?" "Marina, I've been here for ten years." "You need goodwill." "Whining won't help." "The East Germans do enough of that." "What's it got to do with the east?" "It would've been different in the west." "Easier." "Who made herself the spokesperson?" "I'm your representative, because you elected me by ballot." "Already forgotten?" "None of you wanted to be nominated." "And I should have turned it down." " That's right." "Oh, suddenly so combative?" "I asked you to let me do the talking." "Sure." "West Germans talk, and East Germans shut up?" "I said it loud and clear." "And then?" "One changed sides and one lost it." "When there's trouble, people here get so primitive." "Is it long-term damage to your workers' and peasants' genes?" "Or where's it from?" " Sure, it's our fault, huh?" "And easily insulted." "Would you please stop snivelling?" "It's so annoying." "No, I won't!" "And how often did I say?" "Not your own child, Wolf!" "Of course." "Everyone but you made a mistake." "If I hadn't put my foot down, we'd never know who causes the problems in class." "It's your daughter and that clown with ADD!" "Just a minute." "Let me make it perfectly clear." "No matter what Mfiller says, Lukas doesn't have ADD." "And he isn't the class clown." "Highly gifted is what they said at Montessori." "Highly gifted." "Katya, you seem to be the most com-headed." "Do you think that Lukas is the class clown?" "Well, I've heard that he's difficult." "What?" "Do you realise what he puts up with?" "He's bullied" "Honey" " Kids ostracise him." "One kid called him a West German asshole!" "West German asshole!" " Who did?" " Doesn't matter." "Who did?" "Who?" " Doesn't matter." " Here." " Honey" "Laura said it." "West Germans ostracise West Germans." "That's a brand new dimension." "She picked it up somewhere." "She doesn't know what it means." "Once again it clearly shows us which kids are a problem." " Cool it, Wolf." " And what's this?" "Forged notes." " Stop waving that paper around!" "It's bugging me." "It's an alarm signal!" "I can't help it if your daughter's too stupid to do it." "My daughter isn't stupid!" "She forgot her bag." "She'll be back." " I refuse to see her." "I can't guarantee her safety." "A woman who badmouths her students is intolerable!" "Tomorrow we'll all go and see the principal." "Or I'll call the school board and discredit the whole school." "Alone, if necessary." " Maybe she went home and will be back tomorrow." "Without her keys?" "Every normal woman has her keys in her handbag." "Could one of you stand watch at the door?" " Gladly." "MENOPAUSE" " SO WHAT?" "That means we wait." "I bet she's waiting two doors down, and on Monday our kids will" "Can't you be quiet, Wolf?" "I have to think." "Thank you." "I believe we all agree on the following:" "If we don't settle this today, it will be a strategic disaster." "We can't let her talk to the principal till we're done with her." "No way." " That means, if she is still at school" " Yes." "We have to look for her." " Exactly." "Someone must stay here in case she comes." " I'll stay." "I'll wait with you." " I'll manage alone, Wolf." "Marina." "Please!" "We should split up." "You two go that way in the direction of the gym." "And we'll check the swimming pool." "Listen." "Do you hear that, too?" "She's in the principal's office." "He's ill." "Really?" " Yeah." "Has she completely lost her sense of reality?" "She's really lost it." "Elegant, sip beer and eat caviar" "I'm doing my thing." "Don't care what the others say." "Have you seen Ms. Mfiller?" " Isn't she with you?" "Have you seen her or not?" " What happened?" "Nothing happened." " Why are you looking for her?" " None of your business." "If you see her, tell her to go back to the classroom." " As soon as possible." "Okay?" "Thanks." "Forged notes at that age." "Quite alarming." "Listen, I haven't the slightest desire to talk about my charming, wayward daughter." "Okay?" "Ms. Mfiller?" "I will no longer let Janine come under any harmful influence." "My daughter doesn't force your daughter to tag along behind her." "They're in the same study group." "Janine is caring and helps others." "But kids like yours just use her." "Your daughter is glad to escape your free-time terror and play computer games with Laura." " Computer games?" "I thought they're a study group." " Computer games, which is fine." "Ms. Milller!" "I'm serious." "I'm taking Lukas out of this school." "At once." "Let's discuss it at home." "I don't think you understood what she said about our child." "Marina, let's be realistic." " No, I've tried that long enough." "I've been to every night school class and action group," "I'm a reading helper and a tree helper." "I've clone all I canto be accepted." "You really have, clear." "Stop talking to me as if I was an idiot." "I'm not, Marina." "Ms. Milller!" "I've put up with it all, but if Lukas is suffering, if that wonderful child is unhappy, then that's it." "We're leaving." "You can do as you please." " We can't." "I don't give a damn." " Marina, I didn't choose Dresden." "And I won't just give up my job." "Okay?" "Ms. Milller!" "You'd sacrifice our child for that?" "Computer games make you dumb." "The endorphins delete what you learn." "They don't make you dumb." "They make you normal." "I get dizzy listening to everything your daughter has to do." "Maths Olympics, English for Kids and brain jogging as a reward?" "No wonder her brain can't absorb anything else." " She enjoys it." "You enjoy it." "Nobody else does." "Find a job, buy a dog, but leave your poor kid alone." "I've wanted to tell you that for ages." "No problem." "I get on well with my daughter." "It isn't all that easy for me." " That's good." "We'll continue on the ground floor." "She isn't upstairs." "Yeah, I'll see if Katja's okay." "Just a second." "I'll be right with you." " Okay." "I have friends in Cologne." "I get along with people there." "I chat with the baker, nobody acts like I want to steal a roll." "Would you stop singing the fucking praises of Cologne, Marina!" "Or try to earn money with your translations!" "In that case we can go back at once." "That's it." "I refuse to go on benefits, just so our son has someone to play football with." "And I don't fucking care if the baker's friendly or not." "What counts is that rolls cost money, and I earn money here." "So we'll stay here." "Everything else is a luxury." "A philistine and a macho." "You're an irresistible combination." "Just get out of your do-gooder ghetto." "Back to reality." "That's where I live." "And sometimes it's a dark and draughty place." " I work too." "I mean real work." "Don't start crying again!" "I don't believe it!" "I'm sorry." "I" "But you provoked me." " I'd love to live in the real world with a happy child." " Yes." "I run around all day trying to understand everyone." "But no more." "I want to be understood too for once." "I want to live with people who are just like me." "I" "I I want to go back home." "I want our son to be taught by teachers who respect him and help him to enjoy going to school." "I don't want a teacher who calls him a maladjusted class clown." "Promise me that woman will never teach our son again, not a single day." "Honey" " Promise?" "Hi." " Hi." "I can leave if you'd prefer not to spend a few minutes with me." "It's okay." "I didn't come to blame you for anything." "You should know me by now." "Okay." "I accept that it was no longer possible for you." "I was hoping you noticed." "So there's no reason to avoid each other." "Okay." "Although I had every reason to feel hurt." "Not angry, but hurt." "Because I had the impression we are closer." "Were closer." "At least, close enough for us not to end it by text message." "Would you have preferred a long email your wife could read?" "If you'd really wanted, you wouldn't just have snubbed me." "I could have understood if you weren't so cold:" "Finito!" "Over and out!" "Now you are blaming me." " I'm just stating facts." "We could have clone it differently how we broke up." "I'm getting some cocoa." "I realise it was difficult, especially at the end." "But it wasn't my fault the kids fell out." " I didn't say it was." "If you'd really wanted to, we could have found a way for the kids to make up." "We shouldn't always give in to kids." "Our kids never got on well." "The whole time." "Fritz thinks girls are dumb." "It's normal at that age." "And Janine hated it." "She wanted to be with Laura." " I won't let her see that brat again." "We should be glad they didn't notice anything." "By the way," "Fritz despises you." " Okay, but a kid must accept his mum has a boyfriend." "Sure, but not you!" "But" "I swore never to get involved with a married man again." "And I'm too old for an affair on the back seat of a Opel Astra or on an old cottage sofa." "We never got caught." " But we're no longer 16." "Sorry I couldn't offer you more." " It's okay." "Hello?" "I don't think it's on." "Just a sec." "Oh great." " Let me try." "Go ahead." "I got that far too." "I thought our relationship was intense and romantic." "And now you say it was uncomfortable and strenuous." "You are strenuous" "Wolf." "Meeting now and then when we had time" "But you were constantly jealous." "Yeah?" "And constantly spying on me." " I was in the cafe by chance." "You called too often and were careless in front of the kids." "And worst of all, you tried to parent Fritz." "When a kid doesn't say hello it bothers me." "And he should hear it from a man." " Yes, but not from you." "What's wrong with me?" " You're married and have a child." "I can't leave Heidrun." " Nobody wants you to." "But we have to work it out somehow." "Other people with kids have affairs." "How do they do it'?" "What sort of stupid question is that?" "I still haven't heard a reason that convinces me." " I'm sorry for you." "Was it at least fun sleeping with me?" "Just stop talking about it." "It's better that way." "Believe me." "Goddamn it!" "Take it!" "Quick!" "Hurry!" "C'mon, give it to me!" "Hurry, Wolf, please." "I don't believe this." "Take it, take it" "Hello?" "Hello?" "To the janitor, if that's you!" "There are still parents here!" "Turn on the light!" "Shit!" "It's been ages." "Patrick Jeskow wins possession, and" "Jeskow, Jeskow, Jeskow." "And" "Rebound!" "Come on, join me!" "Yeah." "Hey" "Yes." "Foul!" "Again!" "Hello?" "Ms. Mfiller?" "Hey, Laura, know where I am?" "Your new pool." "It's really nice." "Now we finally know where the EU's money goes." "You don't have to understand that." "What's up?" "Oh, sweetheart." "How should I know where they are?" "I'm not your maid." "Ask your brother." "Just a second." "Why is Dad letting you watch DVDs in the afternoon?" "Give him to me, please." "What?" "When was that?" "And where did he go?" "Hey, I gotta go now." "I'll call back a bit later Bye." "What an asshole." "Did you turn your phone off to feel safer?" "Hey, I'm in the process of ironing out the shit you got us all into." "I asked you to look after the kids, and what did you do?" "You fucked off!" "Now I ask myself, as a loving wife, why did he do that?" "And why did he turn off his phone?" "I have no idea." "Except maybe the slut called you again, or you called her." "And if that's the reason and you have no credible excuse from your wild and woolly man's world, an excuse I would never think of, then the shit's gonna hit the fan tonight." "It's me again." "I'll be done in half an hour and we'll both come home, and you'll give me a credible excuse why you weren't home." "I can't wait." "Looking forward to it." "Oh fuck!" "Oh shit!" "Want some cocoa?" "Thanks, I've already had some." ""At night when I go to sleep," "14 angels gather round" "I know." "I can't sing either." "But who cares." "Heidrun has an office party tonight." "25 years of Tourist Info Saxony, with a buffet and entertainment." "Maybe I should go there now." "At least no one will tell me I'm an imbecile." "A party pooper maybe." "That I'm not funny." "I mean, they probably think I'm an imbecile, but at least they don't tell me." "They're right, you know." "I'm not even capable of raising a primary school kid." "What should I do?" "Should I tell her to be just as inconsiderate as the other kids?" "Those little tri-lingual vultures." "They'll run right over my little Janine." "What will happen when they come into power?" "What are we breeding?" "You think too much about it." "You can talk." "You have a job and a child that gets straight A's." "It isn't important." " Only someone without that problem can say that." "I'd be glad if Fritz brought home a bad grade for once, if I could find out what he was thinking about." "Why?" "What's wrong with him?" "I don't know." "I can't get close to him at all." "He lives in his own world." "He doesn't need me or anyone." "And I don't have the feeling that it makes him happy." "But I" "I can't do anything." "I don't care about his grades." "I won't care about the grades either once Janine's made it to grammar school." "But she has to qualify." "Then I'll let her be." " Let her be right now, okay?" "My God, she's a normal little girl." "If she worships Laura, so be it." "She'll find out soon enough." "Just stop trying to control everything and everyone." " I can't." "I'm more afraid of that damn report card than Janine." "I can't sleep at night." "Okay." "Come on." "What?" "What's up?" "Come on, let's change that." "Oh shit!" "Oh no." "Fucking shit." "What are you doing here?" "What are you doing here?" " Looking for Ms. Miiller." "In the water?" " No, I lost my phone." "It isn't a public pool." " I know." "Thanks." "You can leave now." "Go on, or you'll be charged with harassment." "That car out there" " Yeah I'll take care of it." "And don't worry." "I'll turn off the light." "Take a look." "Her file is in there." "Take a look at the grades." "I can't do that." "And she'd notice that someone looked in her bag." "I took everything out before, didn't I?" "Can't you check and tell me?" " Don't be such a wimp!" "Yeah." " Yeah." " I know." "Hurry up." "She could be here any minute." "Well?" "What's wrong?" " Her grades haven't got worse." "She's good." " And you were so worried." "With grades like that she must participate." "And Laura, that little beast, hasn't thrown her off course either." "My little Janine will go to grammar school." "You should have trusted her." "Sorry." "What?" " All the crap I did, the way I was acting." "It's okay." "You pulled me out of it." "Thank you." "I've already said it, and I'll say it again without any ulterior motives." "As a farewell." "That we never had." "You are a wonderful fantastic woman." "You won't sing again, will you?" " No, just invite you to dinner." "I can't." " How about a beer?" "Just for half an hour." "Then we'll go our own ways, and I won't mention us again." " Wolf..." "I don't want to." "Come here." "It feels so good." "Just one last favour." "But only if you like." "Please, don't get angry." " Wolf, there's no way I'll" "No, no, no." "Let me look at you." "Just for a moment." "Okay." "Here you are." "No." "I mean your breasts." "Could I see your beautiful breasts again?" "Just for a moment." "You can't be serious." "Sorry." "Forget it." "I shouldn't have asked." "One last time." "Then never again." "I promise." "And only from a safe distance." "Oh!" "Ha!" "Keep it up, kids." "You're young." "Enjoy life." "We aren't doing anything." " None of my business." "But it's nice." "We're all adults." "And you?" "What happened?" " Listen here, Wolf." "I won't talk about it now or at any time in the future." "So there's no need to pursue the subject." "Mijller has vanished." "Fine." "Let's get to work." "God knows I have other problems." "Why didn't I think of it before?" "Where are the grades?" " What grades?" "Don't tell me you didn't look." " No." "Yes." " Briefly." "Okay." "Well?" "Better than expected." "Much better." "Well?" " I don't get it." "Bad?" "Good." "Much too good." "Why did Miiller criticise our kids like that when the grades are so good?" "Is she bluffing?" " Well, who cares?" "As long as Laura qualifies for grammar school." "Then she'll go to a private school, and they'll get her through somehow." "Maybe it'll be better after puberty." "Maybe she'll get everything over with sooner, if she goes through it now." "What's wrong?" "Why not tell it like it is?" "She isn't the brightest kid." "I have no illusions." "Sometimes I wish I had an autist like your Fritz." "Oh, a slip of the tongue." "Sorry." "I'm just so pissed off with my husband." "He says she doesn't participate, when, in fact, he doesn't talk." "Maybe she misunderstood him." " No." "You can't send him off alone." "He oozes charm and doesn't know what's going on." "He screws like a champion, but he's a dumb-ass as a father." "Nothing I can do." "In any case, we have to call off the operation." "What?" "Our kids won't get better grades from any other teacher." "Why are you staring?" "If she gives that rat pack grades like that, we have to keep her." "We don't want to take any risks." "I believe that another teacher could also give Janine good grades." "Wolfie, it would be so sweet, if it weren't so sad." "I'm serious." "So?" "You want to take the chance?" "Okay." "Incredible." "This lousy clay takes a turn for the better." "Awesome." " What about all the stuff we accused her of?" "How will that work out?" " I work for the government." "You wouldn't believe what can be revoked." "It's just a question of how and who." "And I'm so happy that you were so unsupportive." "No, I wasn't." " Then objective, if you prefer that." "In any case, only you can do it." "The rest of us went out too far on a limb." "You created this mess, and you want me to sort it out?" " More or less." "If you hadn't told me to take a look, it wouldn't be necessary." "That is so illogical, Wolf." "All you have to say is that as we talked we realised how dedicated and passionate she is about teaching kids, what great personal commitment, etc." "And we're glad we had this heart-to-heart talk." "And now that everything's been said and solved, we have a" "A new foundation of trust?" " More or less." "She'll never believe us." " She has to." "She'll be happy when we don't mention that she badmouthed our kids." "You think she's a good teacher anyway, don't you?" "Well?" " Nothing." "She's gone." "All the better." "You see, we have a little change in strategy." "Mijller is staying." " What?" "She was nice enough to leave her grade list here." "There's no reason to fire her." "The grades are okay." "Really?" " We'd be stupid to dismiss her." " But she's a lunatic." "Yes, but her grades are good." "And that's all we can ask." "I'm satisfied." "What grades does Lukas have?" " Look for yourselves." "Where's the grade list?" " In her handbag." "Uh, Patrick." " Hurry." "Who knows when she'll come?" "Stop it, Patrick!" "I don't want to know the grades." "What?" " Yes, you understood what I said." "Okay, I'll take a look." "Then we'll discuss your misgivings." "If you cherish your family's happiness you'll leave that bag alone." " I'm doing it for Lukas!" "It says whether he's qualified for grammar school." "We just agreed on something." "And grades make no difference." " Yes, but" "You promised me." " I know, but" "My God!" "By summer he'll be rid of her!" "Be pragmatic!" "I'm not pragmatic!" "And when you say pragmatic you only mean opportunistic." "Could you clear that up in bed?" "Your whining is getting us nowhere!" "That's not whining!" "Those are principles!" "Ever heard the word?" "Principles!" "They include expecting more from school than a lunatic who gives good grades." "Get away from it." " You realise how childish you are?" "How childish is it to kick a teacher out and then take her back in again?" "If our kids acted like that we'd say they were badly brought up." "She has a point." "Have you all completely lost your minds?" "What planet are you on'?" "I came here, because I want Laura to attend grammar school." "That's the point." "Nothing else." "That's our goal!" "The learning environment is lousy, Miiller is weird, but who cares!" "She gives these brats good grades they don't deserve." "We should feel relieved." "Another teacher might grade the kids objectively." "And our little darlings would end up where they'd go to the dogs." "And when they ask us why we didn't prevent that, you'll say it was against your moral principles." "I wonder what they'll say." "Have fun!" "They'll say you were out of your mind!" "And they'll be right." "Since when are parents objective?" "What bullshit!" "If you want to be good people, join Amnesty." "But don't let your kids pay for it." "With that attitude you could have joined the SS 70 years ago." "No wonder your kid is totally deranged." "I'm leaving." "Are you coming?" " No." "You let them insult me like that?" " I heard you insult the others." "Has anything I've been telling you sunk in at all?" " Stop morally blackmailing us!" "That's all you can do!" "Every fucking thing is a question of morals." "Always harping on about principles!" "You are so intoxicated with your esoteric, organic-food-shop attitude that you're no longer aware of what's going on around you." "All I expect from my son is that he gets into grammar school!" "And that he somehow, somehow gets his school qualifications." "So he can buy his own rolls, to use your silly metaphor." "He needn't buy the whole bakery." "Do you even know what rolls used to cost?" "Do you have a job, Wolf?" " What are you getting at?" "I asked if you have a job." " No." "What's that got to do with it?" "Very simple." "No job, no work, no opinion." "You don't have a voice." "Stop it!" "Patrick." "Stop it!" "Have you gone crazy?" "Stop it!" "Patrick!" "Patrick, stop it, please!" "Patrick!" "You gotta polish your function as role models." "The housewives and the unemployed are moral." "And the working people are pragmatic." "Now ask yourselves why." " Aha." "And me?" " You you haven't said anything you think." "At least not so concisely that I remember." "Which doesn't mean a thing." "I'm going to pack my bags." " You'll be grateful." " I don't think so." "And I'll take this with me." " Leave it here." "If you get any closer I'll kick you where it really hurts!" "Hasta la vista baby!" "L III" "I'll deal with that later." "How does it look, Wolf?" "A vocational school for Janine or not?" "I've never run into an asshole like you before." " That's possible." "Should Mfiller leave or not?" " She should stay." "Even if I have the same opinion as someone like you." " Great." "Katja?" "Mijller's coming." "Good evening, Ms. Milller." "Yes" " It was an accident." "We'll pay for it, of course." "Most importantly, you're back." "Yes, but" "Thank you for waiting." "We didn't feel like the conversation was over." " No." "No, it wasn't." "I, uh..." "I had to gather myself a bit." "I lost my temper." "And I'd like to apologise." "I'm sorry, very sorry." "We talked about everything again." "Maybe Katja could sum up what we've decided." "Katja, didn't you want to say something?" "Me?" "No." "Why?" "Patrick can say something." "Why me?" "Marina could talk about principles." "Maybe it's better if I start." "Principles, that's a good cue." "Have a seat." "I'd like to elaborate a bit." "Don't worry, everyone here does that." "I've been a teacher for more than 20 years, and I love my job." "I know I don't always do things right." "I'm sometimes not fair to the kids, but I keep learning too." "With every class, with every child anew." "Because school has changed in recent years." "On the whole, children are more restless." "They can't concentrate so well." "They suffer from more pressure." "And that doesn't only have to do with their parents." "It has to do with ever-changing demands." "I try to react to those changes." "For example, with the chat groups." "I certainly didn't start them to get involved in your personal lives." "I wanted the students to help organise the lessons." "Regarding grades, I know that you aren't happy with them." "You told me so." "But I don't have much leeway when I grade a child." "I assure you that all the grades are fair." "Even if you naturally judge your child's potential differently." "Does that apply to Lukas' grades?" "As fair as the others?" "Yes, of course." "Why?" "Just wondered." "But sometimes I'm at the end of my tether." "And then I'm just angry." "I have to admit it." "That's just how it is." "For example with Lukas, when he hits other kids or acts up." "But when I hear what he says in the chat groups my anger vanishes at once." "Lukas hits other kids?" "Yes, I let you know." "I gave Lukas and Fritz letters to take home." "I didn't get any." " I didn't either." "We had two mediation sessions recently." "Fritz gets beaten up by Lukas?" "Yes, it's been going on for a few weeks." "Lukas said Fritz is always bragging about his good grades." "Sorry, Katja." "Why does he beat him up?" "He never did that before." "He used to bite, remember?" "Ms. Milller, what did Janine talk about?" "I promised the kids not to tell others what is said." "You asked me not to discuss individual children." "And I'd like to comply with that request now." "Of course." "I'm certainly not flawless, and we can discuss everything." "But my principles, my educational principles are not up for negotiation." "For that reason I refuse to discuss them." "As long as I have the feeling that I adhere to my principles, no one can force me to give up my class." "That's why I'm giving up the class." "Not giving it up." " I'm giving up the class." "I'm giving it up, because I violated my own principles today." "I got carried away and spoke badly about the kids." "That's inexcusable." "I can't let that happen, not as a teacher." "The only explanation I have is that this class is too demanding for me." "I suggest that I arrange a meeting with the principal for next Tuesday to ask him to relieve me of my duties in this class for reasons of health." "Ms. Milller, I" "I did you an injustice." "I'm sorry." "I am really sorry." "Ms. muller, now don't get carried away." "We were ready to forget everything before you made your lovely speech." "You see, I believe it's all just a big mistake." "Our conversation went completely wrong which was partly our fault." "Particularly our fault." " Particularly our fault." "But now we all realise how dedicated you are to your job." "That was moving." "Impressive." "Really." " Oh yeah." "Like I didn't know how sophisticated your concepts are." "Between you and me as pious gals, you don't have to feel ashamed for griping." "Each of us regularly thinks they have a little monster at home." "Right?" "Not really." "Kids get on our nerves." "It's a fact." "But now we can talk." "We are better acquainted." "This evening revived my trust in your skills." "Any other opinions?" "I speak on behalf of everyone when I say Ms. Mfiller should go on teaching?" "What about the other parents?" "You have that list." "Let that be our problem." "We'll sway them somehow." "Yes, but" "I want you to know some kids will get poor grades this year." "And I told you why." "We got the picture." " You have little leeway." "Yes, well" "If this is a vote in favour of my teaching methods and my educational criteria," "then I may be willing to reconsider my decision possibly." "My dear Ms. Miiller." "We trust you." "So you may as well trust us a bit too." "Who wants Ms. Mfiller to stay?" "No, I'm sorry." "This is going way too fast." "Talk to the other parents first." " My dear Ms. Miiller, let me put it another way." "Let us forget all those nasty words." "Let us forget the whole dispute." "We appeal to you for the benefit of our children." "Please, Ms. Miiller." "Please stay." "Thank you." "Thank you." "I am" "Sorry." "I..." "You have wonderful children." "In the future we should try to work more closely together." "Maybe" "I didn't take into account how much this transfer report burdens all of you." "Maybe yes, maybe," "I could help you by telling you the grades for participation, so you know where your child stands, and you can work with them." "You don't have to." " It isn't necessary, Ms. Mijller." "No, I owe it to you." "But I'd like to emphasize that there are children for whose development it's better to be happy at a vocational school than unhappy at a grammar school." " Sure." "That's okay, Ms. Mijller." "Just let it be." "I guess" "I really have to." "How stupid." "I only have last year's grade list with me." "Oh Well" "We can talk about it during my consultation hour." "Okay." "Yes, well if you have no further questions, I'd like to go now." "I live out of town and don't want to get home so late." "Ibefieve we've cleared things up, haven't we?" "Okay" "Thank you for this heart-to-heart talk." "And thank you for your trust." "And I think the learning atmosphere we'll sort it out, won't we?" "Okay, I'll be on my way." "BYE. bye." "Hey!" "Oh fuck!" "Fritz Grabowski, grammar school diploma, incapacitated the central processor of the Federal Investigation Service." "Laura H6fel, finished 5th form, organises raves and parties." "She earns much more than her mother." "Janine Heider, finished 5th form, studies political science, charged with obstructing justice." "Lukas Jeskow, finished 4th form, wins an Olympic gold medal in 2024 in the 8-man scull." "Subtitles:" "John R. Middleton"