William H. Macy credited as playing...
Vice Principal Wolters
- Principal Jacobs: Mr. Holland, it has come to my attention that you are teaching the students rock and roll.
- Glenn Holland: Is this a problem?
- Vice Principal Gene Wolters: Is this a problem? Yes, I think so. Our only job is to teach. We cannot teach and the students cannot learn if there is no discipline.
- Glenn Holland: Uh... I'm sorry, uh, what exactly is your point, Gene?
- Vice Principal Gene Wolters: My point is rock and roll, by its very nature, leads to a breakdown in discipline.
- Glenn Holland: Well, what would you like me to do? Deny that rock and roll exists?
- Vice Principal Gene Wolters: What I am... What we are saying is that you should be pushing the classics. Brahms, Mozart, Stravinsky.
- Glenn Holland: Stravinsky was the music of the Russian Revolution, if you want to talk about a breakdown in discipline.
- Vice Principal Gene Wolters: You are deliberately exaggerating.
- Glenn Holland: How about the Kingston Trio, Gene? How about Sing Along with Mitch?
- Vice Principal Gene Wolters: Oh, please!
- Principal Jacobs: Just a minute, gentlemen. Mr. Holland, I do not want to interfere in the curriculum of any teacher. But next week, I have a meeting with the school board. And there are people in this community who believe that rock and roll is a message sent from the devil himself. Now when that issue comes up, what can I tell them?
- Glenn Holland: Mrs. Jacobs, you tell them that I am teaching music, and that I will use anything from Beethoven to Billie Holiday to rock and roll, if I think it'll help me teach a student to love music.
- Vice Principal Wolters: Have you been to any of the football games this season, Mr. Holland?
- Glenn Holland: I can't say that I have, no.
- Vice Principal Wolters: Well, Mrs. Jacobs and I feel that there's something missing.
- Glenn Holland: Touchdowns.
- Vice Principal Wolters: I care about these kids just as much as you do. And if I'm forced to choose between Mozart and reading and writing and long division, I choose long division.
- Glenn Holland: Well, I guess you can cut the arts as much as you want, Gene. Sooner or later, these kids aren't going to have anything to read or write about.
- Glenn Holland: Well, congratulations, Gene. You've been looking for a way to get rid of me for 30 years, and they finally gave you an excuse.
- Vice Principal Wolters: You know, I'm not as popular as you. I'm not anybody's favorite anything.
- Glenn Holland: That's because you're the enemy, Gene. You just don't know it.
- Vice Principal Wolters: Corvair?
- Mr. Glenn Holland: Yeah.
- Vice Principal Wolters: I take it you didn't read Ralph Nader's book.
- Mr. Glenn Holland: Well, unless Ralph is willing to buy me a new car, I'm going to have to stick with this one until the wheels fall off.
- Vice Principal Wolters: Well, you might not have to wait that long. Heh, heh. Have a nice day.