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Faster Than a Speeding Ticket

Album: 31: Days to Remember

Episode: 403

Lesson/Theme: Standing Up For Yourself

Bible Verse: 2 Timothy 1:7

Characters: Jared, Connie, Eugene, Whit, Tom

Writer: John Fornof

Sound Designer: Jonathan Crowe

Original Air Date: May 9, 1998

Last Air Date: August 7, 2009

Description:
Whit and Eugene Meltsner are running errands in Connellsville when Whit is pulled over for speeding. Eugene and Whit briefly argue that the police officer is mistaken, but Whit is still given a ticket for $125. Eugene, Connie Kendall and Tom Riley urge Whit to fight the ticket, but Whit is hesitant because he can't prove he wasn't speeding. On the same day, Dwayne Oswald gets a "D" on his history exam, which will drop him off the honor roll. He and his friends go to Whit's End that afternoon to explain his situation to Whit, and Whit advises him to talk to his teacher. When Eugene and Connie hear what Whit told Dwayne, they question Whit's decision not to fight the unfair treatment he has received and offer to defend him in court. Dwayne tries to explain the mixup to his teacher, but Dr. Hawthorn won't allow him to re-take the test. He will allow Dwayne to do work for him for extra credit, which should improve his grade. Dwayne discovers that another student, Stewart LaFaye, who is not normally a good student, got an "A" on his history test, and he deduces that their tests were mixed up, but Dr. Hawthorn is still unwilling to change his grade. Back at Whit's End, Whit discovers that his new tires threw off his speedometer by ten miles per hour, thus proving he was actually speeding, though not intentionally. He explains this at the traffic court. Because of his honesty, the judge withdraws the fine and only asks that Whit come back in a week's time to prove that he has had the correct size tires installed on his car. In history class, Dr. Hawthorn says that he has discovered that his former assistant found two tests without names and put the wrong names on each paper. Now that the mixup is understood, Dwayne receives his "A" and is back on the honor roll.

Questions:
Whit said that Dwayne should tell his teacher that he thought his grade was wrong. Then Connie and Eugene said that Whit should apply that same advice to himself. What did they mean? Why did Whit finally agree? Why did Whit plead "guilty" in court? What did the judge say about Whit pleading guilty? Dr. Hawthorne says at the end that Dwayne is an "example" to the class. What did he mean? How did Dwayne's persistence pay off? Have you ever been in situation like Dwayne or Whit, where you knew that you were right? What did you do about it?