Up the Down Staircase

Sylvia Barrett arrives for her first day, only to find the classroom in disarray. The room has a broken window and two broken chairs, signaling a rough start. She faces a crowd of restless students as she tries to establish authority.

As the year begins, the class is crowded and undisciplined. Two students stand out: Alice Blake, who fancies the new teacher, and Joe Farone, a bright but delinquent pupil on probation. The chaos sets the tone for Sylvia's early challenges.

After class, Sylvia talks with Paul Barringer, and the school vice-principal Mr. McHabe arrives to discuss Joe’s skipped classes and Sylvia’s missing daily attendance records. The administration signals that her methods will be scrutinized. The tension between responsibilities and teaching approach grows.

Linda arrives late to class, revealing that she has been abused by her father. Concerned, Sylvia asks Ella Friedenberg, the guidance counselor, to obtain the PRCs (permanent record cards) for several students. This sets up the theme of hidden troubles among the students.

Sylvia keeps Joe after class to discuss his record, but he slips away. They meet again on the staircase, and Sylvia reports him for carrying a switch knife. The incident deepens the mentor-student tension and foreshadows trouble ahead.

Paul Barringer openly disagrees with Sylvia's calm, student-centered approach to teaching. Beatrice Schachter, an older teacher, takes Sylvia under her wing, offering guidance as tensions rise with the administration. The mentorship marks a shift in Sylvia's confidence.

At a school dance, Barringer asks to dance with Sylvia, but she declines. He instead dances with Alice, who has warmed to Sylvia. The moment intensifies the unspoken tensions among the trio.

Alice slips Sylvia a love letter, hoping for favors or attention. Barringer corrects the grammar and spelling, a cold reminder of professional boundaries that upsets Alice. The scene highlights the emotional stakes for the students.

During a Dickens lesson, Alice, who has skipped class, throws herself from a window, aided by a ledge that breaks her fall. The dramatic moment shocks the school and underscores the fragility of the students, overshadowing Sylvia's lesson.

Sylvia learns of Alice's suicide attempt and blames herself for not recognizing the danger. Principal Bester reinstates Joe into Sylvia's class, signaling that discipline and reform will continue under her guidance. The stakes for Sylvia heighten as she tries to save her students.

During midterms, Joe earns a high grade on his paper, which rekindles Sylvia's belief in her ability to reach even the most troubled student. The moment validates her teaching approach in her own eyes. It also fuels a mix of pride and concern about his future.

Late one night, Sylvia hosts a parent-teacher conference with several parents. Joe arrives and tries to seduce her, but she firmly refuses. The encounter crystallizes the professional boundary she must maintain and the personal risk she faces.

The next day, Sylvia informs the principal of her intent to resign. Principal Bester accepts her resignation and asks her to complete the proper paperwork, signaling a potential exit from the school.

In winter, Sylvia stages a mock trial, with Jose Rodriguez acting as a shy, transitioning student and new judge. Jose handles himself with newfound self-assurance and later tells Sylvia that her class is the best he has attended. Moved by the progress, Sylvia chooses to stay at Calvin Coolidge High.