LuluandJudyGeesoncontinuetheirearlierrolesandcometothefarewellparty.Thackerayannouncesthatheisleavingforaninner-cityschoolinChicagowherehewillteachagain.InChicago,hemeetsaformercolleaguewhoistheprincipaloftheschool.ThackeraylearnsthatthereisanAclasswithgoodstudentsandanH(for"horror")classfortheno-gooders.HeconvincestheprincipaltolethimtaketheHclassasaHistoryteacher.HisnewpupilsareHispanic,BlackandWhitekidswhoarenoisy,unrulyandengagedindestructivebehaviours.LikeinLondon,hestartsbyteachingthemsomemanners.HeaddressesthemasMrXorMissY,andexpectstobecalledMrThackerayorSir(hencethetitles)ccc
Littlebylittlehelearnstheirpersonalstories:Wilsieisagangleaderwhoprotectshisyoungerbrother.Anotherisablackfemalewhobattlesagainstdoubleprejudice.Thewhitekidisgrowingwithoutparentsandhidesthistoavoidbeingfostered.
WealsoknowabitofMrThackeray'sstory.AsateenagerinGuyana,hefellinlovewithaChicagogirlwhosefatherhadcometobuildamall.TheylostcontactandhewenttoBritaintostudy,becameateacherandgotmarried.Heisnowawidowerbutdecidedtotakethisteachingopportunitytofindhisearlierlove.
Atschoolhesetsouttoteachthesetroubledkidsoftheirtruepotentialiftheytaketheirfateintheirhands.Heteachesaboutthenon-violentresistanceofthehistoricfightersofcivilrights.WhenhediscoversWilsiesmugglingagunintotheschool,heconfrontshimandconvinceshimtoyieldthegun.MrThackeraydeliversittotheschoolpolicemanasafoundobject.
Later,thepolicepressureshimtogivethenameofthearmedkid,sincethegunwasinvolvedinacopkilling.Herefusestogiveupthenameofthestudentandhastoleavetheschool.
Meanwhile,oneofhispupilshastakenajobinanewspaperanddecidestoinvestigateontheoldChicagoloveofThackeray's.Thegirlarrangesanappointmentforhim.Thackeraymeetsthesonofhisformerloveinahospital.Hismotherisill.Thackeraylearnsthatshelovedhimbackbutherfatherretainedallhisletters,becauseshehadgottenpregnant,sothatyoungmanhehadjustmetishisson.
ThackeraylearnsthatWilsieishiddenbecausehethinksthatthepoliceareafterhim.HisbrothertakesThackeraytothehideawaytoexplaintherealsituationandavoidthatWilsieruinshislife.Throughcourageandtalking,theteacherconvincesWilsietoyieldhisnewgunandconfrontsarivalgangthathadcometofightWilsie.Wilsieandthefriendwhohadgothimthegunexplainthemselvesattheprecinct.
Thekidshavebeendoinga"standin"andforcetheprincipaltoaccepttheirbelovedteacherback.
UnliketheBritishfilm,thereisnoinfatuationwithhimamonghispupils,butafellowteacher(SaundraSantiago)admireshim.
Thefilmendswiththegraduationceremonyanddance.MrThackerayannouncesthatheisnotgoingbacktoBritainbutstayingatChicagototeachthenewgeneration.
--Wikipedia
