Jessalyn Gilsig plays Lauren Davis, the head of the social studies
department. She has a lot of influence over the other staff members
and is considered one of the "veterans" on the staff. She
plays a strong character, but does show her weaker side on occasion.
Lauren, head of the Social
Studies Department, has failed one of the football team's premier
players. Due to the failing grade from Harry, the boy will not
be able to play in the upcoming game. The student, the parents
and even Coach Riley beg Lauren to change the grade so he can
play. She refuses them all confidently. She returns to
her class that day to find a derogatory word painted on her
blackboard.
On other fronts Guber has asked Lauren on a date. She was
taken by surprise and says yes. Word got out about the
impending date and Holt put a cartoon on her website depicting
Lauren vomiting on Guber. He sees it and calls off the date.
Lauren is
accused of teaching cannibalism to her American History class.
She is confronted by Guber about the situation and assures him she
is NOT teaching cannibalism. There was merely some digression into
the subject when discussing early Native American life.
Scott is concerned because of the board
meeting that night that this issue may just compound the rest of the
problems. Lauren calms his fears, but in no uncertain terms
tells him that she will not be told what she will or won't teach in
HER department!
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Lauren is getting tired of
Guber's advances and basically tells him to bug off. She later
feels bad and asks him to join her and the other staff members at
her house for Thanksgiving. He thinks it's a date but she
assures him it is NOT!
In other areas Lauren deals with a
female freshman who wants advice on contraceptives. Lauren
simply tells her not to do it, but that doesn't work and the girl
does it anyway. Lauren finds that a "Posse" of
Senior boys score points for sleeping with freshmen girls.
Lauren decides to start sex ed. classes to help combat the issue,
but she refuses to teach it. Harvey ends up taking the
duty! Oh Man!
Lauren deals with student
disrespect in this episode. She sends one student to stand in
the corner for calling her a b***h. She sends a girl to the
office for wearing a shirt that says, "Do Me". The
girl has to go home and change, but Harper asks the other to work it
out with Lauren. While trying to talk to the boy he spits in
her face. She asks Harper to expel him. After meetings
and discussions with the mother Harper decides to suspend the
student for 2 months.
Harry tries to console Lauren on her difficulties and at the end
of the episode they kiss, starting off a great relationship.
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Lauren, as with other
teachers in school, has her class in lockdown status due to the possibility
of an armed student in the school. She is chatting with the
students when she decides to walk around the room checking out a
specific boy in the class. She sees blood on the floor near
his desk. She looks at his hand and finds it damaged.
She knows then, (by the note delivered by Louisa), that the armed
suspect is in her room. She tries to send a note to Harper
through a student but the suspect, Neil, intercepts it. He
pulls the gun and holds the class hostage asking for Harper.
When Harper shows up Neil grabs Lauren. He eventually puts the
gun to her head. Harry arrives on the scene to save the day
and manages to wrestle the gun away from Neil. (see
epi9)
Lauren and Harry continue their romance with a lovely dancing
night out on the town while recovering from the day's events.
Lauren finds out through
Harper that Guber wants to fire Lipschultz. She meets in their
office to determine the fate of Harvey. She is very upset
because the decision was basically made without her input.
When she arrives she lets into Guber who makes a few not so nice
remarks about her seeing things through rose colored glasses and
that she's not tough. She responds, (see wave file at top of
page). She doesn't want to lose Harvey and sticks up for him
getting a hearing to defend him. Unfortunately Harvey makes
things worse and Lauren refuses to defend his constant offcolor
remarks.
As for Lauren and Harry, they seem to be doing just fine, if ya
know what I'm sayin'!
Well, Lauren is an integral part
of the Boston Public staff. She is strong and very
vehement in her beliefs, especially the fingerprinting
issue. She has the heart of a great teacher. I
think she can sway the decisions of the office staff because
she is so well respected as a teacher. What I'd like to
see is the continued relationship between her and Harry.
They both are such dedicated teachers.
Overall, I like Lauren, but she
rarely smiles, making her seem cold at times. Maybe the
relationship with Harry will warm her up a bit.
Jen's
Thoughts:
Lauren is a bright and considerate young woman,
soft-spoken and gentle until pushed too far as some
unfortunates have discovered. (Scott Guber found this
out after having pressed his advances on her one time too
many.)
I agree with Tim as far as her smiles being
too far and few between. I hope that she and Harry can
balance each other out, she helping him to deal with the
heavier issues and he helping her to relax and take the little
things less seriously.
Jessalyn Gilsig plays Lauren Davis, the head of the social studies
department. She has a lot of influence over the other staff members
and is considered one of the "veterans" on the staff. She
plays a strong character, but does show her weaker side on occasion. 
