A Pitch Perfect View Of Democracy

(My eighth grade class is on a field trip from MA to DC. Since it’s such a long drive, we take a tour bus with a DVD player. We are about to start a movie.)

Teacher: “Okay, guys, let’s choose a movie.”

(He holds up three movies: ‘Good Will Hunting,’ ‘Pitch Perfect,’ and ‘Seabiscuit.’)

Teacher: “Because this is the USA, we will use a democracy. Who wants Good Will Hunting?”

(About 20 students raise their hands.)

Teacher: “Okay. Who wants Pitch Perfect?”

(About 15 students raise their hands.)

Teacher: “Who wants Seabiscuit?”

(Three students raise their hands.)

Teacher: “All right, let’s put a movie in.”

(He goes to the front of the bus where the DVD player is and inserts ‘Seabiscuit.’ We don’t realize until it starts playing, but there is a sudden roar of annoyance from everyone.)

Student: “But [Teacher], we voted on Good Will Hunting!”

Teacher: “Yeah, but I wanted Seabiscuit. That’s how democracy works!”

Other Teacher: *who teaches history* “…Well, he’s not wrong.”