The Principal's Office

Overall, the series offers a rather sanitized version of what many principals deal with on a daily basis. While many of the student offenses the adminstrators deal with are minor infractions, others are potentially more problematic (for example, one principal discovers that a student is chronically late to class due to a growing addiction to menthol cigarettes). Some of the students' reactions to being disciplined for their actions are mildly entertaining, but other teens become belligerent or disrespectful when they have to face authority figures or are forced to face the consequences of their actions.

The administrators are quick to point out that they expect students to be respectful and learn to take responsibility for their actions. But some of their disciplinary styles raise questions, too. Some principals rely solely on black and white rules to deal with what are sometimes complex behavioral issues, and at least one uses corporal punishment. But despite these issues, these high school overseers make a point of requiring students to learn that to every action there is a consequence, and that rules are not made to be broken. Bottom line? Not only may teens (and even some mature older tweens) enjoy this show, but they might also learn a thing or two about staying out of trouble, too.