All language subtitles for American.Crime.S02E08.1080p.WEB-DL.DD5.1.H.264-NTb_track3_eng

SEBASTIAN: My name's Sebastian,
and I've been following

what's going on
with your son.

ANNE:
Don't call me anymore.

[ Cellphone keys clicking ]

TODD: What do you like?
Give, take?

I just want to make out.

[ Grunts ]

[ Both grunting ]

Eric, he is gay.
He tried to kill himself.

Did you ever touch him?

Geez. How could you...?

My head really hurts.
Do you have anything?

I have some oxy.

But don't gulp them
'cause they have a kick.

TAYLOR: Is Dr. Graham
gonna be back soon?

GRACE: She's probably still
speaking right about now.

Hey, what are you
doing here, huh?

You little bitch.

[ Gunshot ]

KIKI:
There was such an incongruency

of being in the school
and hearing gunfire,

just this sound
that violates that space...

that it -- it -- it just didn't
belong there and made no sense.

The birth of my children
would be very significant,

but that event, you know,
it impacted me as a father,

a husband, a parent,
a teacher, um...

uh, a citizen, uh, a-a-a friend.

I-It changed -- it -- it -- it
touched every aspect of my life.

It's very hard
to get people to understand

what mass trauma is like.

If you haven't been through it,

there's really no way
to adequately describe it.

I assumed someone
had done something stupid

and brought a gun and possibly
even shot the gun

but not shot a person.

That is just...

sucking up power
wherever you can get it

and maybe even, preferably,
from the least powerful.

And I say all that,
and I still love Dylan.

MAN: Tell me about that.
Why do you love Dylan?

'Cause I love
all of my students.

DAN:
All of us have been hurt.

We've...

We've all been wounded,

and all of us,
we -- we -- we deal in tragedy

i-in our own way.

Two days ago, a former student

came to our school with a gun

and killed Wes Baxter.

Uh, Wes was a --
he was a fellow classmate.

He was a teammate.

He was a friend.

And when we lost him...

we lost a part of ourselves.

And for me, it was like...

[ Sighs ]

[ Sniffles ]

Uh, for me, it was like
I lost a child.

Uh...

I-I wasn't 100% sure about
re-opening Leyland this soon.

It's really hard to return
to a place

where a tragedy happened,
you know, 'cause we want to...

you know, we want to be home,

where we're safe, with family.

And then I thought, you know,
the Leyland community,

we -- we are family.

And assembling here
this morning,

it's not gonna heal all wounds,
but gathering together,

acknowledging
to each other that...

that we have each other
to lean on, it -- it helps.

Look, if...

If we don't love each other --

and I mean really
love each other --

this -- this is what happens.

Uh, it's -- it's...

Talking about, you know, uh,
love and responsibility

and doing right, I mean,
that's -- that's easy.

This is, uh...

What happened here...

Hate and death
and guns in schools...

People say
this is the new normal.

Is this the normal we want?

It's up to us.

My name is Sheryl Moore,

and I'm the mother
of A.J. Betts.

A.J. made a statement
that was very poignant.

He said, "Mom, I just can't
go to this school anymore

where people are
hurting my feelings

and making me cry every day
because I'm gay."

And I said,
"A.J., do you want me

to pull you out of that school?

Because I'll do it
in a heartbeat.

I'll send you to another school

where you feel
more comfortable."

And he said...

"No, Mom.

I'm pretty sure it's not okay
to be gay anywhere."

And I said,
"You know what, buddy?

I don't disagree with you."

[ Sniffles ]

And he said,
"I'm just gonna do my time

and be done with my senior year

and graduate
and go on to college

where people
are more accepting."

And I said, "I think
that's a great idea, A.J."

And those were the last words
my son said to me

before he took his life.

At the age of 17,
I was already independent

because of the impacts of
bullying on me at like 8 and 9.

And my parents
all this time's wondering, like,

"What's happening in school?
What's happening in school?"

These kids
are really this vicious.

You hear these stories
on the news.

These kids really are
this vicious.

And I thought, "Okay,
if they're gonna be vicious,

then I'm gonna be vicious back."

[ Door opens ]

[ Door closes ]

How are you?

Are you -- Are things
okay in here?

Taylor, I need to know
that you're okay.

They keep me separated.
I'm okay.

Can you tell me
what happened?

I was told
I should confront things.

But, um...

that wasn't really
working out.

I was...

I got in this space
where I wanted to hurt myself,

and then I went
to this other space.

Why should I be hurting me?
They did this to me.

They did it to you.

That woman
did this to you, so...

I...

Um, did you make a list of
people that you wanted to hurt?

Yeah.
[ Handcuffs rattle ]

And -- And -- And --
And you waited...

for the head of that school
to come back.

I'm meeting with the lawyer,

and we're gonna figure out
what to do.

What's there to do?

We'll figure it out.

Taylor, listen.

We'll figure out something.

Okay?

[ Knocking on door ]

[ Door opens ]

LILAH: Hey.
Curt at work?

Yeah.

Brother here?

He took off.

Want to
show you something.

Where'd you get
all this money?

I got rid of some things.

I got rid of everything
except the car.

What's it for?

It's for us.

I need to get us
out of here.

Peter,
this family is sick.

Your brother is not well.
Your father is not well.

What's the matter with --

I don't want anything
to happen to you.

What's wrong with Dad?

He has got problems.
He...

He did things
to your brother.

He is the reason that
Eric is the way he is.

Dad wouldn't do
something like that.

He's not going to admit it.

He is never going to say
anything, but he is the reason.

Your brother was normal,

and then something happened
to him.

Your father happened to him.

I-I can't stay here,
I can't be around all of this,

and I can't
leave you with him.

[ Sighs ]

Peter, uh...

You know
you don't belong here.

You know you don't belong
with them.

And you know
if you stay here,

nothing's gonna get better.

Peter, you know it.

That is
everything I have left.

I can't do anything
for your brother,

so, please, let me
get us out of here.

And go where?

Wherever you want.

I heard, like, a loud bang
coming from the parking lot.

It sounded like a fight
breaking out or something.

Then kids were, like, running,

like, sprinting past
the window,

screaming after the gunshot.

Then I saw people running,
and I said to the teacher,

"We need to get out of here
right now."

MAN: This has been a complicated
case for some time now,

with reports that the shooter
was bullied at school.

[ Bus arrives ]
MIA: Daddy, the bus.

...or will the judge
just see this as another case

of an unstable gunman?
You know what?

We're gonna take a little trip. The
answers to those questions remain unclear.

[ Telephone ringing ]

[ Ringing continues ]

[ Beep ]
LESLIE: Hello. [ Clears throat ]

CHARLES: Hey.
You all right?

Yeah, I'm good.
I'm okay.

Well,
I-I-I've been calling.

Y-You didn't pick up.

I -- I, uh...

[ Sighs ]

I didn't feel like talking.

[ Sighs ]

You still want me
to come out there, right?

[ Sighs ]

I very...

very much want you
to come out here.

Good, good.

Look, I'm boarding
from New York right now.

I'll take a direct flight
to Indy.

[ Sighs ]

Just...

breathe.

I'm going into work.

No, n-no.

Mm, yeah.
Don't -- Don't do that.

Sitting here,
it's not doing anything.

[ Sniffles ]
I'm on my way.

I'm on my way.
I know, but I need to work.

I really do.

I know I sound upset,
but I'm really not.

I'm -- I'm -- I need to -- I'll
see you when you get here, okay?

No, no, Leslie --

[ Sniffles ]
I promise, promise.

I didn't know if I could ever
love a student again.

I didn't know if I could ever
bond that way again,

and -- and it's always been
a strength of mine as a teacher,

the fact that I do
bond tightly to kids

and that I do
genuinely love them.

[ Inhales deeply ]

Um, I was rather shocked
when I went back that I could --

I could still do it.

But I can never again guarantee

that one of those kids that
I love won't ever shoot me.

LESLIE: Grace.

I think, first thing,
has anyone made any decisions

with regard to final exams?

I don't think so.

Let's get the deans
together.

Let's cancel finals --
one less thing

for the students
to worry about -- and, uh...

seniors who have been
accepted to colleges --

find out where, get in touch,
let those schools know

they'll have incoming students

who may have
varying degrees of trauma.

[ Sighs ]

What?

It's -- W-We didn't
expect you back so soon.

Everyone else is.

[ Sighs ]

How long was he out there?

How long did he sit there,
waiting for me?

A little over an hour.

Thank you, Grace.

Get back to me
on the finals.

Okay.

[ Keyboard clacking ]

[ Clacking stops ]

[ Door opens, closes ]

♪♪

WHEELER: It was odd
not to see Leslie there.

How do you think
she's handled --

I'm sorry. You know,
Wes hasn't even been buried yet.

I'm not -- I'm not
in the headspace

to be talking about that.

I would really like
to know your opinion.

Look, you want to know
what I think?

I think she's...it up.

From the start,
all she's done is make choices

that have hurt my players,
hurt this school.

Oh, and then -- and then
she did everything she can

to protect herself and make sure
her ass was covered,

and the one time --
the one time that the school

really needs her --
needs her -- needs her

to stand front and center
and be a leader --

nothing.

You know, if there's a donor
[stammers] who's got money,

she's right there.

She can't even cry
in public.

Eric...

my player...

He never touched that kid.

He never
forced himself on him,

and then that kid comes back
and kills Wes?

Yeah.

Leslie should've settled
this thing a long time ago.

There are a lot of us who think
there need to be changes.

But the school board
is split on Leslie,

and she's got a lot of donors
who like her.

A lot of people don't.

MARCKEL: The county prosecutor
wants to try Taylor as an adult,

not as a juvenile offender.

He's a child!

He made a mistake!

He had a gun,
he lay in wait,

he was under the influence
of drugs,

and he shot another student.

Well, what happened
before that?

[ Stammering ]
I mean, if somebody --

if -- if they attacked him,

doesn't he have a right
to stand his ground?

I mean,
it's a self-defense!

With a stolen gun
on school property?

[ Cellphone ringing ]
[ Sighs, sniffles ]

[ Ringing stops ]

Tell me
what I'm supposed to do.

Tell me how I'm supposed
to fight this, please.

My advice -- reach a plea deal
with the county prosecutor.

Oh, no, I'm not letting Taylor
plead to anything.

Anne --

No.

T-T-T-T-That...

kid who raped my son --
he didn't plead to anything!

That kid -- he didn't --
they didn't even arrest him!

The police have
Taylor's e-mails.

They know he was attracted
to violent behavior.

This state has sentenced
a 12-year-old to a 25-year term

on a lesser offense.
[ Sniffles ]

And there are a lot
of people in this state

that have some backward views
on gays.

You don't want them deciding

how many years your son
is going to spend in prison.

If Taylor pleads,
he'll avoid a trial,

and he'll likely
get a lesser sentence.

I can't do that.
I can't [sighs]

can't do that to him.

If you want to help your son,
you're gonna have to find a way

to change the narrative,
or let me work on a plea deal.

[ Telephone ringing ] Parental
kidnapping is a reportable crime

only if there is a valid
custody order in place.

My wife and I have
shared custody.

So there is a custodial order
in place?

Alternating weeks.
This isn't her week.

It's custodial interference.
You can't --

I don't care
what you want to call it.

I want to file
a missing-persons report

on my son. You can't file
a missing-persons report

for custodial interference.

Look,
I don't know where he is!

That makes him missing,
right?!

I don't even know
if he's with his mother.

Uh, so, to the best
of your knowledge,

it's not parental kidnapping
or custodial interference?

[ Sighs ]

[ Door slams open ]

[ Sighs ]

I was accused of sexual assault
when I was 15.

It happened after I came out
to my Catholic high school.

The next day, my -- my mom,
my grandmother, and my aunt

came up to the school to have
a meeting about why they were --

why they were trying to charge
me with this, and there was,

you know,
three black women in the room,

um, not including myself,

and these all-white
administrators.

You know, I just came out,
but I still was the same

scholar/athlete that
they named me the year prior.

I felt betrayed.

Um, I felt that the original sin
that they were teaching ab--

teaching me about
in religion class that day,

the -- the administrators
looked at me

as that original sin.

MAN: Just days after
the fatal shooting

of 17-year-old Wes Baxter,

private security officers
were on hand

as students arrived to attend
an early-morning prayer service

to remember their classmate.

CURT: Your mother say anything
to you about taking Peter?

The Leyland school's administrators say
counselors She's not gonna talk to me.

will be available as
long as they're needed...

She's not gonna
tell me anything.

...and they promise
to keep the school

the safest it's ever been.

Not a lot is known yet about the gunman.
What happened to your face?

Indianapolis police have, however...
I'm not stupid.

...confirmed that the former
Leyland student

is cooperating fully with
the the ongoing investigation.

[ Remote thuds ]

I've seen those...

those sites or wherever it is
you go on.

How come you never
said anything?

I didn't know what to say.

Why do you do it?

Why?

...and a pivotal member
of the championship-winning

Leyland Knights basketball
team...

I don't have to be
who other people think.

You got to stop.

I don't owe anybody.
I don't have to please anybody.

People you meet on a phone?!

You act like
that thing is a toy!

It's a weapon!

You got to stop
doing this to yourself!

You feel sorry for yourself,

but you don't take
responsibility!

[ Sighs ]

So...

I've got one son who's missing,
and the police don't care.

Uh, and you...

You're trying to kill yourself
every way you know how.

And I can't do anything.

I can't do a thing
if you won't let me.

[ Inhales deeply ]

But if you want
something else,

I'm here.

Same as always.

I'm here.

My experiences of
homophobia, racism, sexism,

they all subconsciously met up
with me at 20 in the bathroom,

right before I was about to...

hang myself.

It was -- It was a cry for help.

And I-I realized that
I didn't want to be reduced

to that moment,

be reduced to
the girl who committed suicide.

[ Footsteps approaching ]

Um, I'm gonna go out
for a minute.

Okay.

Has, um, Kevin said
anything to you --

anything about
how he's feeling?

No, but he gave me a hug.

Maybe the first one
he's given me since he was 13.

How you doing?

You know something?

I feel vindicated.

Yeah.

Michael, don't say that.

I do.

I mean, this woman that's been
going after our boy,

she turns out to be crazy.

The kid is crazy.

Now he's a murderer.

Yeah, I'm being honest with you.
I feel vindicated.

I'll be back.

All right.

[ Birds chirping ]

SEBASTIAN:
All right, come on.

Come on. Come on.
Get your stuff. Let's go.

MERCY:
Where are we going?

Indianapolis.

Is it nice?

Not as nice as Milwaukee.

But it's nice.

What are we gonna do there?

Your daddy's gonna
help somebody.

They want my resignation?

There's a movement, yes.

[ Sighs ]

Why?

It's not a done deal.

The board hasn't brought it
to a vote, but...

there's [sighs]

I'm just here
to tell you which way the --

Why are they
doing this to me?

I've done everything
to protect this school, to...

to manage this crisis.

When a tragedy
like this happens,

of course there's gonna be
a transition.

Yeah,
it's not a transition.

They're looking
to shift blame, to...

to take attention away
from the fact...

They want to
lay their...on me,

and I'm supposed to
carry it out of here when I go.

There's a lot of money
at stake --

tens of millions
locked in our C.E.P.

Money I brought in.

I need to speak to Rhys Bashir.
He won't put up with this.

[ Sighs ]

If th--

If they want
to make a statement,

the board
should dissolve itself.

That's how you make
a clean start.

You know that's not
going to happen. [ Sighs ]

There's a lot of emotion
around,

and people are making Dan
the face of all this.

Dan Sullivan?

[ Footsteps approaching ]

Dan?

Please?

I've been told people have been
talking to you about...

about...

possibly taking a position
that isn't --

About telling the truth?

What do you think
the truth is?

What do you think
I've been doing?

Manipulating people.

No.

Protecting yourself.

I've been
protecting this school.

This school, what I do,
how I do it --

they matter to me.

These kids -- they're just
names on a ledger to you.

Just a way to raise money.

You sit in your office
talking about

how you'd drown one
to save the other.

I said nothing like that.

I-If -- If I used metaphor
t-to make a point --

You -- You talk about my team
with no emotion -- none.

I'm down here
with these kids every day.

And you don't think -- I see
them in a way that you can't.

That doesn't give you
an agenda?

Can you even consider that I am
objective in ways you aren't?

My boys were accused,

tried to kill themselves,
got murdered.

I'm not trying
to be objective.

And you tried to handle this
like it was a-a math problem.

I did as necessary to
preserve this institution.

No, you did it --

And you act like that's wrong. No,
you did it no matter who got hurt.

What would you have done?

Y-You see all this?
Huh?

I mean, I know it's just
bull...basketball to you.

But you -- you earn all of this
with values --

values that we put into play
every single day. That is so --

And if we had stuck to them,

if we had stuck
with each other,

we could've
gotten through this.

Principles don't cut it,
not when no one else has them.

A boy accused a boy of rape.

You think anyone really
wanted to deal with that?

Did you?

They wanted to
bury and hide and deny,

and I was left
to deal with it,

and I did what I thought
was -- was judicious

and sensible
under the circumstances

because that's what
a politician does.

That's what
I was brought here to do,

and now people are trying
to blame me for it?

I'm scared. I'm...

I'm really scared.

I have spent my whole life

trying to put things in order,
but I can't...

I can't manage
this situation.

I don't even understand it.

People are asking you

for one time

to take responsibility.

Yeah, I mean,

everybody else
[sighs] got hurt by this.

Everybody but you.

[ Basketball bounces ]

And you wonder why
Taylor stole a gun

and came here
looking for you?

The healing is very individual,

and for -- for many,
I think it's -- for some,

it -- it has to even be
a decision.

And that it doesn't...

I-It could take years before
there is something

that feels like
it might be healing.

[ Door opens, closes ]

TERRI:
Thanks for coming.

How are you?

DEBRA: All right.

Yeah, you're okay?

Since you fired me?

Not really.

I haven't been able
to find another position,

and I'm starting
to tap into my savings.

The reason I wanted
to sit down with you

is because I think there are
things that need to be said,

things that...
should be said...

things I need you
to understand.

I didn't handle
your situation well.

You didn't handle it
at all.

You let me go
for no reason.

You weren't
a strong employee.

You had problems,
and you couldn't execute.

[ Sighs ]

Is that your version
of "I'm sorry"?

Debra, you weren't strong,
but...

I didn't do anything
to help you understand

how you could be better
or how you were failing.

I couldn't accept that anybody,
especially a woman of color --

What difference
does that make?

I couldn't accept the failure
in you because I...

couldn't...

see the failure in myself.

[ Sighs ]

And I've been shown
a lot of things lately that...

[ Inhales sharply ]

I'm no better.

So, we're here why?

I saw the news.

Your school, the shooting.

You found Jesus,
and now you got to start

your good works with me?

My son's name was on a list.

A week ago,
someone wanted him dead.

I went to a wake

with people I know standing over
their son in a casket.

And my son was supposed to be
next to him.

My child.

My life.

That reality
gets put in front of you,

and you find something.

It's a formality.
That's all.

Don't bull...me.

The school board
is getting jawed to death

on the student protests.

They're politicians.

They have to look like
they're doing something.

They'll sit you down
and give you a review.

You know it's not
gonna end there.

Three boys beat one boy,

and they beat him
because he's black.

People can stand
outside the school and chant,

but when it comes time
to talk about this,

they're not gonna have
a thing to say.

They're gonna try,
but they're gonna

make themselves look ugly
in the process.

When we get through all this...
We will.

...I expect to get
some help on our budget.

I can't give
preferential treatment.

Oh, no?

To hell with that!

I stood with you, okay?

I backed you on HHFK.

Marshall goes
to the top of your pile.

I'm not asking
for cash in a bag for me.

You're going to do things
for this school.

I promise we'd talk about this,
we will --

aboveboard and by the book.

[ Sighs ]

[ Taps glass ]

Get back in the car.

[ Laughter ]

[ Keyboard clacking ]

[ Giggling ]

Did you mean what you said?

This morning.

Did you mean it?

At the assembly?

No, this doesn't
have to be normal.

This doesn't have to be
the way it's --

About
someone being responsible.

[ Gulps ] Well,
somebody is responsible.

That kid who murdered Wes
is going to --

I sold him drugs.

I sold Taylor drugs
before he shot Wes.

[ Glass shatters ]

[ Glass crunches ]

[ Sighs ]

He texted me.

And he was messed up,
and he wanted drugs.

What drugs?
Where did you get drugs?

Mom's.

Mom's, and I got some
from some other kids.

You deal drugs?

You told me
that if I ever had a problem

that I could come to you
and you would fix it.

Who knows about this?

Nobody.
Well, Taylor knows!

Nobody else.

Those -- T-T-These kids --
T-T-These kids,

the ones that you were
getting drugs from,

the ones that you
were selling to?!

It's just a few people.

Who?!

Sophie...

Oh...
...Tommy...

Give me your phone.

Give it to me!

[ Sighs ]

[ Phone smashes ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Garbage disposal rattles ]

You need to think.

You need to think.

Nobody but you and Taylor
know what happened that day?

Nobody?

Say something!

[ Exhales sharply ]
Nobody knows.

[ Sobs ]

All right.

[ Sniffles ]

You don't say anything
to anybody.

You understand?

Mm-hmm.

[ Sniffles ]

[ Whimpers ]

[ Glass crunching ]

[ Sighs ]

[ Insects chirping ]

Hey.

Are you -- you good?

Becca was selling drugs.

And she sold them to the...

the kid who shot Wes.

W-What --
What are you talking about?

Becca sold drugs
to the shooter.

Where did she get drugs?

Where do you think?

[ Breathes deeply ]

I already got rid of them.

I got rid of them,
and I got rid of the card

that's --
that's in her phone.

Why? Why? Why would you
get rid of the --

Well, she was --
she was texting.

[ Stammers ] The card --
the p-p-phone company

has everybody texts.

Y-You -- You just made her
look guilty.

She is guilty.

She was selling drugs!

Okay.

All right, it was -- it was --
it was pot.

Look, do you think
the police care?

It's not legal.

[ Sighs ]

Okay, all right, um...

Okay, what do we do?
Who -- Who do we call?

We're -- no, we're
not calling anybody.

Now, look, look,
we -- I-I talked to Becca.

She said that Taylor
is the only one who knows.

We can't hide this.

We cannot hide this.

If Taylor
was gonna say something...

No, he still could.

And t-- And then what?

We throw Becca into this,

what do you think
they're gonna do to her?

What do you think
they'll do to us, huh?

I mean,
we are in a bad place.

H-How are we
in a bad place?

Look,
I-I have been out there,

talking down this kid,
Taylor.

I have taken positions
at the school --

Y-You are talking about you.

Your drugs, our daughter --
this is us.

It's about us.

Now, everyone else,
they've done whatever

to protect their kids,
their families.

You think
I'm gonna do anything better?

I've thought about this.

For how long?

I sat up there...
Oh, my God.

...listening to
our daughter sobbing.

I stood over a toilet,
Steph,

making sure that your drugs,
your crap was gone.

And if it turns out
that -- that -- that

we didn't say anything,
that's on us.

It's on us.
It's not on her.

Our job is not to tell
the police things.

It's to protect our girl!

Now, look, you -- you were
right about the school.

You were right about Leslie.

D-- D-Don't make this
about her.

No, I-I-I've got a chance
to make things better!

Okay, you keep saying "I"!

We're not turning Becca in.

[ Sighs ]

[ Basketball bouncing ]

Yo, you text me for this?

I'm not in the mood to
shoot around, so what's up?

[ Basketball bounces ]

Hey?

I know what you did.

What'd I do?

Sent Wes, LeSean, and them
to give Taylor a beat down.

Wait, what?

Wes, LeSean...

some of the other guys
from the team,

they show up at my place
after the last game,

told me how you were
going off on Taylor,

how you were saying
he needed a beat down.

No, I never said that.

They made me call him, tell him
to meet me at the rec center.

They beat him.

That's why he came back
with the gun.

Look, I never told them
to do anything.

Those are your boys.
They do as you say.

Now Wes is dead.

Look, if they're acting out,
that has nothing to do with me.

All right? Nothing.

Something happens, and you never
got anything to do with it!

First time the police came...

after the Captains' party,
I could've told them

about all the liquor you bought,
all the drugs,

all the girls you got to
come around and get screwed.

I didn't.
Nobody did.

Nobody ever says anything bad
about Kevin.

You go in there.
You got your lawyer.

You read your statement.
You left all this on me!

You and me,
we were supposed to be tight!

"Tight"?!

We were
supposed to be tight?!

You couldn't even tell me
you were gay, man.

What are you talking about?!

My dad begs you for help,
and you just send him walking!

That was my parents.

You're the Captain!

You lead!

But you always work it

so you never have to
take the blame.

Now Wes is dead.

Hey.

Hey!

Hey!

Who are you telling
about this, man?

I'm telling you.

[ Basketball bounces ]

♪♪

I'm upset with the teachers
and the administration,

and I'm upset with
the politicians

that are defending this school.

But I'm doing everything I can
to try and expose it

because I feel like
A.J. needs a voice,

and I'm all he has left.

[ Cellphone ringing ]

[ Ringing continues ]

Hello?

Ms. Blaine,
this is Sebastian.

I'm in Indiana.

I would really like
for us to talk.

See, it started with pictures
getting posted online.

Then it was texts
and e-mails he sent,

then somebody putting
your medical records up.

That wasn't for nothing.

Whoever put your records up,
they were trying to attack you.

You see, the social space,
it's...

it's not physical.

So people think they can do
whatever they want,

but that's not how it is.

It's just like
the physical world,

and if you do something
online,

there's got to be
consequences.

See, people like me...

[ Mutters ]

See, the system can't do
anything.

The police, prosecutors,
they can't do nothing

about crack dealers
up the street.

How are they gonna
do anything about

what they can't even touch?

I'm just an activist,
Ms. Blaine.

20 years ago, I would've been
standing on a street corner,

holding up a sign
to support you.

Same thing, just
different kind of corner.

My son...

My son's not crazy.
He's not a killer.

H-He was -- He was pushed
to do something.

I need people
to understand that.

If you tell me to...

there are things that I could
find out about that school

and how they treated
your son.

You can do that?

There's always something --
always.

And then you -- you -- you'll
take that to the police?

The police -- they --
they don't care.

There's no one else,
Mrs. Blaine.

No one.

I know you got to think,
why is this idiot talking to me?

He's just some guy
out here by himself.

Yeah.

I'm alone.

But if you're gonna stand up
for what's right,

sometimes you got to
stand apart.

Yeah.

Okay.

VIOLET: There are so many
different aspects to bullying.

It's not just a gay thing.

It is definitely, um,
a class thing.

It's a "you don't do sports"
thing.

People,
when A.J. killed himself,

said that
he took the easy way out,

and that made me so mad

because A.J. fought
every day of his life.

He was constantly
battling ignorance.

I feel so comfortable saying

that I'm a gender-nonconforming
black person,

and living --
living in that truth

has saved my life.

The things that brought me back
to a place of center

were my -- my children,
relationships with, you know,

with -- with my wife and friends
and the, uh, the strength

and enduring qualities of all of
us that came back together.

Those things all were pieces
that, you know,

kind of put me back together.

I mean, you know,
my son was 8 years old

when the shootings happened.

And I just kept
looking at him, going,

"Are you Dylan
and I don't know it?"