Dangerous Minds

As I walk through the Valley

of the Shadow of Death

I take a look at my life

and realize there's nothin'left

'Cause I been blastin'

and laughin'so long

That even my mama thinks

that my mind is gone

I really hate to trip

but I gotta loc

As they croak I see myself

in the pistol smoke

Fool, I'm the kind of"G"

the little homies wanna be like

On my knees in the night

sayin'prayers in the street light

Been spending most their lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

They been spending most their lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

We keep spending most our lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

We keep spending most our lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

Look at the situation

they got me facin'

I can't live with no hope

I was raised by the state

So I gotta be down

with the hood team

Took much television-watchin'

got me chasin'dreams

I'm a educated fool

with money on my mind

Got my tin in my hand

and a gleam in my eye

I'm a loc'd out gangsta

set trippin'banga

And my homies is down

So don't arouse my anger

Fool, death ain't nothin'

but a heartbeat away

I'm livin'life do or die

What can I say

I'm 23, never will I live

to see 24

The way things is goin'

I don't know

Tell me why are we

so blind to see

That the ones we hurt

are you and me

Been spending most their lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

They been spending most their lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

We keep spending most our lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

We keep spending most our lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

Power and the money

Money and the power

Minute after minute

Hour after hour

Everybody's runnin', but half

of them ain't looked what's

goin'on in the kitchen

But I don't know what's cookin'

They say I got to learn

but nobody's here to teach me

If they can't understand it

how can they reach me

I guess they can't

I guess they won't

I guess they front

That's why I know my life

is outta luck, fool

Been spending most their lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

They been spending most their lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

We keep spending most our lives

living in a gangsta's paradise

And... Yeah, I'm just gonna

have to check the schedule.

Thank you. Mm-hmm. Okay.

Let me write that down.

Carla? My friend Louanne

Johnson's here to see you.

Oh, God, is that today?

Hal, it's-it's not a good time.

Well, she came in.

All right. Uh, I'm gonna have to

call you back. Thank you.

Louanne, I'd like you to meet, uh,

Carla Nichols, our assistant principal.

- Hello.

- Carla, Louanne Johnson.

I'll wait outside.

Uh, please, uh,

have a, have a seat.

- Thank you for seeing me.

- Oh, well,

Mr. Griffith... Uh, Hal...

has told me so much about you.

- I hope not everything.

- Oh...

Oh. No, only... only good.

And I must say, it-it isn't often

that we have an applicant...

of your maturity and, uh,

varied experience.

Um, B.A. In English Lit,

public relations, telemarketing.

- M-Marine.

- Mm-hmm.

- You don't look like a Marine.

- Oh, well.

Long sleeves. Hides the tattoos.

Uh, fully accredited, except for one

term of, of supervised student teaching.

Why did you stop so close

to being certified?

Well, I met my husband and

started working for his company.

Uh, w-we're divorcing.

W-Well, it would be no problem

to get you emergency certification.

- When could you start?

- Start?

Teaching.

Miss Johnson,

I'll-I'll cut to the chase.

One of our, uh, academy teachers,

Mrs. Shepherd, left,

and since then we've had

three substitute teachers.

The last one, Mrs. Gingrich,

fell ill just this morning.

So we have a full-time position

and we need to fill it now.

- L... Um... Full time.

- Yes.

I'm sorry, um, I thought this was

an interview to, uh, t-to student teach.

- Well...

- Uh, w-w-w-w-wh...

Um, what is a...

What... What is

an academy teacher?

Uh, well, the academy is, uh...

It... It's sort of a school

within a school.

Uh, special kids. Passionate,

energetic, challenging.

The, uh, salary is, is $24,700 a year.

Are you interested?

Yes, l... Yes, I'm, I'm,

I'm interested.

Oh, that's wonderful.

That... Great. Great.

Okay, so... Oh, well... So, uh,

these... these are for you.

Uh, curriculum, schedule

and, uh, whatnot.

And if you would just

follow me.

- We have a new teacher.

- Great!

- Congratulations!

- Full time.

- What?

- Yeah.

- Yes. Uh, starting tomorrow,

Mrs. Johnson is going to be teaching

one of our academy classes.

I'm afraid Mrs. Gingrich

is no longer with us.

- Carla, they...

- Mr. Griffith's classroom

is right next to yours.

So would you meet her outside

tomorrow and show her 107?

- Right.

- Thank you.

- I just know this is gonna work out.

- Thank you so much.

Thank you.

- Full time.

- Louanne...

- Hal!

- Louanne, d-did she t-tell you

about, uh, the academy program?

Yeah, yeah. No,

she told me all about it.

She said, you know,

bright, special kids and...

- Uh, Louanne, d...

- I wanna teach, Hal!

- If I have any questions,

I'll know who to ask, right?

- Yeah. I'll be counting on it.

Fly ho's and chains

and swingin' thangs

Save me

Just another young n*gger

havin' thangs

Just a-havin' thangs

Fly ho's and chains

and swingin' thangs

Why must I feel like that

Just another young n*gger

havin' thangs

It's to your right.

I guess Miss Shepherd's lesson

plans will be in her desk.

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