fandomhigh | Ethics class, 2-4pm Monday afternoon

Tara leans against her desk, smiling as she watches the students come in. Some of the faces she recognises, and gives a nod. The room is filled with soft, comfortable chairs, which are positioned in a circle. Each chair has a wooden insert in one arm, to lean on while writing, and each wooden insert has a blank piece of paper on it.

When everyone has taken their seats, Tara begins.

"The first rule of ethics class is that you do not talk about things that happen inside of ethics class. The second rule of ethics class is that you do not talk about things that happen inside of ethics class. Allow me to clarify: you may discuss your revelations, challenge your friends and mock the teacher all you like. But if anything said inside this class is ever used against another member of it, you will answer to me, personally. You will have the opportunity to explain yourself before I drag you before Principal Connor. This class cannot function if people are afraid to speak."

She looks around the classroom, stopping briefly on each face. "This school is very unusual. Yes, obviously the squid is a bit odd, but what's more interesting to me is that there are individuals sitting in this room" she nods to Angelus, "who identify themselves as evil. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what the first section of the course will be discussing. Evil, good, and what makes the difference between the two. Your evil classmates have perspectives you need to think about and consider. Don't ignore them in a mistaken belief that they have no ethics."

"Each class runs for two hours. Ordinarily this will be broken up into two sections: discussion and debate - today, however, there will be two discussion sections instead. The majority of your assessment will come through your involvement in class discussions. Every student is expected to participate every week. If you are painfully shy, write your thoughts down and hand them in to me. If I don't know what you're thinking, you don't get credit for it. After this week a formal debate will be held once a week. For those of you unfamiliar with debating, this means two teams of three students taking opposing sides on an issue determined by me. You will each be expected to debate three times during the term, with a week's notice to prepare for each one. If I don't get enough volunteers, I will volunteer someone. At the end of semester a practical exam will be held. This will assess not what you choose to do, but how accurately you have come to an understanding of your own ethical code. I expect you to be honest with yourselves."

"Friday and Monday classes are identical. Please feel free to switch between them if you have commitments that interfere with your regular attendance."

"I will want two teacher's assistants for this course, whose function it is to prompt discussion and challenge your thinking. These students will be expected to attend both Monday and Friday classes. Today's discussion will serve as your audition. TAs are expected to prompt discussion and challenge other students to analyse their own responses as well as the tasks expected of any other student. If you are interested, please say so on your paper, or see me after class."

[OOC: Class will be open for responses for the next week, for those who need to slowplay. For those of you who read Friday's class, this speech is not directly cribbed. That would be totally irresponsible. I made two changes.]

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"She's a better you than you," Angelus said. "But hey, if you're making a point to avoid me and mine when you patrol? That's fine by me. I would love for this entire school to know that you no longer consider me an evil, evil threat. Why don't you announce it, Buff? Might do something to counteract that lovely anti-human slander campaign that you started when you went and made up those nasty stories for Sidle."

Tara looked over at the two of them, noticed that Buffy didn't seem too upset, and almost managed to hide a smile as she moved further over to their side of the classroom. She might be just talking to those students... but she's probably eavesdropping shamelessly.

Buffy smiles at Angelus, and it's an interesting smile. "Don't underestimate me, Angelus, and you know just as well as I do that what I told Sidle was the complete truth. Just because no one else knows you from that timeline doesn't mean they're naive."

"Okay," Angelus said. "But scooting this back to the discussion of Ethics tell me, as a so-called hero-type who has looked directly into the eye of something she keeps swearing she has good cause to believe is evil and will do harm to students, teachers, and fluffy bunnies everywhere: what exactly have you been doing to stop that?"

~~Keeping a very close eye on you you sexy and sanctimonious bastard.~~ "I've been patrolling and keeping close eyes on those students that have no one else that cares to look out for them. I've also been keeping an eye on those students and teachers who have been known to have less than charitable tendencies when it comes to the innocents around them."

"Oh, watching. Good, good," Angelus nodded, as though he approved. "Of course there's those that would say doing accomplishes more, but you're the expert on heroing, not me. I'm sure the fact that I've seen no decline at all in the evil, horrors, and violence against innocents here at Fandom High is due to some clever, subtle plan on your part and not because you're utterly failing to live up to your destiny."

Buffy glares at him. "It's because of you that I have to get permission to do anything to anyone that attacks or is evil. I also have to get proof and because of you, I also need a corroborating witness." She leans back. "However, there are other ways to deal with what's been going on, and believe me, I have been dealing. As for my destiny...the only part of my destiny that I have yet to fulfil...well, let's just not go there."

"You know, Buff, the rules haven't prevented me from doing good," Angelus pointed out. "Point of fact, more people have seen me doing good deeds and helping out my fellow students than they've seen you doing the exact same thing. Maybe you should bear that in mind the next time you start throwing around accusations like 'evil vampire'.

"Remember," Angelus added, wagging a disapproving finger at her, "'Labeling is disabling.'"

Ethics class, 2-4pm Monday afternoon

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