Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

Olympia Dukakis: Principal Jacobs

Photos 

Quotes 

• 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.

• Principal Jacobs : Mr. Holland! Just the man I was looking for. We're forming a textbook committee for next year's curriculum. And I would like to have your ideas and suggestions. We meet next Tuesday night in the library.

  Glenn Holland : Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Jacobs. I'm... I'm very busy on Tuesday night.

  Principal Jacobs : Uh-huh. You know, for a good four or five months now, I've been watching you, Mr. Holland. I've never seen a teacher sprint for the parking lot after last period with more speed and enthusiasm than his students. Perhaps you should be our track coach.

  Glenn Holland : Mrs. Jacobs, I get here on time every morning, don't I? I'm doing my job the best I can.

  Principal Jacobs : A teacher is two jobs. Fill young minds with knowledge, yes. But more important, give those minds a compass so that that knowledge doesn't go to waste. Now, I don't know what you're doing with the knowledge, Mr. Holland, but as a compass, you're stuck.