NOT A PRIVILEGE, BUT A RIGHT

SHAUNA (urban lower-class/ghetto America): Honor

MEKONG (urban middle-class Laos): MeiJade
CLESTE (rural, impoverished Niger): Marley
ADILA (rural, comfortably-off Pakistan): Abby
JESSICA (urban upper middle-class America): Olivia
JESSICA'S DAD AND EXTRAS: Hank

Two options for intro music -- "Secrets" (OneRepublic) instrumental

http://youtu.be/UrttRP7ovhIt

(Secrets starts playing and plays throughout the entire scene.)

All except Honor: Baltimore.
(Honor walks on, kicking around the trash on the floor. She picks up the flyer.)
Honor: United Nations online support group? Sounds interesting.
(Honor pins the flyer on her fridge. She gives it to Hank/her fridge at the back of the room.)
When Honor gives the flyer to Hank, all except MeiJade: Laos.
(MeiJade takes the flyer from Hank/her school bulletin board.)
MeiJade: Thursday at 6 PM. I will keep this in mind.
(MeiJade sits and puts the flyer on the floor next to her.)
When Marley picks up the paper, all except Marley: Niger.
(Marley picks up the flyer from the the floor next to MeiJade.)
Marley: The mail is here. Open to all English speakers.
(Hank runs to Marley and grabs the flyer.)
Hank: Whats this? A United Nations online support group for stupid girls like you? Ha!
(Hank throws the balled-up flyer at Abby.)
When the flyer hits Abby, all except Abby: Pakistan.
(Abby cringes, then picks up and uncrumples the flyer, reading it. She walks over to Hank/her
dad.)
Abby: It is about education for girls. I think I want to do it.

Hank: Hmm, I think it will be good for you.

(Abby and the rest of the girls make their way to their spots in line -- right to left: Honor, Abby,
MeiJade, and Marley --, standing up.)
All except Olivia: New York City.
Olivia: Dad I dont want to do this I go to a good school, god!
Hank: Well youre not the only girl in the world, missy.
(Olivia goes to her spot between Abby and MeiJade.)
Olivia: Ugh! (Stamps foot.)
(Everyone freezes and go down the line introducing themselves in their accent.)
Honor: Shauna, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Abby: Adila, Swat Valley, Pakistan.
Olivia: Jessica, New York City, Upper East Side.
MeiJade: Mekong, Vientiane, Laos.
Marley: Cleste, Niamey, Niger.
(Everybody unfreezes and gets back in character, sitting.)
Abby: Someone new just logged on: Jessica?
Olivia: HI.
Honor: Whats wrong with you?
Olivia: Oh my God, I am so stressed. I have SO MUCH homework. And art was supposed to be
my chill period.
Honor: Art? My school got rid of our art and music programs. The only thing I do that's artsy is I
write, theyre mostly raps and spoken words.
Olivia: I LOVE rap music! OMG Iggy Azalea is like the best!
Abby: I love art too, especially painting.
Marley: You should do that with all of your free time.
Abby: I do.
Olivia: How do you even have free time?! I have like none with polo, ballet, school, and parties,
of course.
Abby: YanniI currently am not in school.
Olivia: Oh my God youre so lucky! Where do you live that you dont have to go to school?

Abby: Swat Valley.

Olivia: The Valley? Do you personally know Kylie Jenner?!?
Abby: In Pakistan.
Olivia: Oh
Abby: Have you ever heard of a group called the Taliban?
Olivia: Not really. Should I?
Abby: It is an Islamist extremist group who does not believe that girls should get an education.
Honor: If that was me, I wouldve already fought them.
Abby: It is too dangerous. Many schools in Pakistan are closed because the Taliban is bombing
them.
Marley: That is so terrible!
Abby: Before my school closed, we took our schools sign down so the Taliban would not know
what was behind the doors. I loved walking to school in nice weather but Ammi, sorry, my
mother, started making me take the bus.
Olivia: Why?
(Everyone stands up and everyone except Abby move to the back.)
Abby: Girls are getting harassed on their way to school.
(Hank appears and Marley stands up and makes her way toward the front.)
Abby: We heard of a girl who got acid thrown in her face for not being fully covered on her way
to school.
(Abby looks on as Hank pantomimes throwing acid on Marley, who clasps her face and falls to
her knees. All the girls then get back in a standing up line.)
Abby: Technically I am in grade ten, but not anymore.
(As MeiJade says her line, Marley walks emotionlessly/ghostlike back to her spot.)
MeiJade: As a girl wishing to get an education right now, life in Pakistan must be very scary.
Marley: Yes it must be. But I wish I made it to the tenth grade. I will never be able to.
Olivia: You guys can drop out of school that early?! We have to wait until were 17!
MeiJade: In Niger, they do not get to drop out.
Marley: My parents pulled me out in seventh grade so I could be married.
Olivia: Is he cute?
Honor: Really?

Marley: I am 13 now, and soon to be married.

(Hank steps forward.)
Hank: This year, 14 million girls under the age of 18 will be married. Thats 13 girls every thirty
seconds.
(Hank steps back. Everybody resumes character.)
MeiJade: Do you not miss school?
Marley: Of course! But it has been so long, I have forgotten some of it. I do remember history,
my favorite. We learned interesting things about our ethnic Hausa culture.
(Everyone moves into a classroom layout, with MeiJade on the left at the blackboard.)
MeiJade: Commenons nous avec les prsentations de cultures!b
(MeiJade stands at the front of the classroom pointing and pantomiming as if shes giving a
lesson. Marley, Honor, and Abby are facing the audience listening to the lesson. The music
begins in a low volume and gradually increases. As MeiJade speaks she talks lower and lower
until its all music. Once the music reaches a medium to good audible volume, Marley begins to
tap her pencil to the beat of the music. MeiJade looks and continues to teach, acting as if shes
screaming over the music but is actually silent and pantomiming. After 6 seconds, Marley gets
up and start moving her body more. Honor and Abby looks confused but nods her head liking
how Marley is moving. They get up with Marley and they dance together, matching each
movement with narration and words. They dance for a while but then Olivia comes into the
room, her eyes sad.)
Song for the dance: https://youtu.be/kSs6LQ_pG3I
Hank (said during the dance): It was her favorite class/ the Hausa culture was so interesting to
her/Her best friend La was in the class with her/ But today, would be her last class/ Her last
time seeing Ms. Zahhamba/ La would not see her until she was planning her new, married life/
But she lived each day like it was her last/ Absorbing her teachers words/ She loved the art and
music of Niamey/ But the only music she would be allowed to listen to, would be whatever her
husband wanted to hear/ She would live a life filled with scrubbing floors, and taking care of the
many, children to come/ She did not chose this life, but it is this life that many girls of their town
face, because of poverty/ Their parents must marry them off to a much older man with some
money so that the family can still afford some basic needs/ Living a life of destitution is not what
any Hausa girl wants for her family, so her selflessness is her enemy/ Selflessness is what
brought her this life, and she cannot do anything about it, speaking out against arranged child
marriage will not end well for her family/ All she can do is do what her mother says.
(Honor and Abby return to their spots. MeiJade and them look with sad eyes at Marley and
Olivia while they have a brief conversation.)
Olivia: My sweet girl I am sorry to have to tell you this but, school is not in your future. I know
that school is what you look forward to but we can afford it no longer. Your papa and I have
waited long enough and now it is your time to be married. You will no longer need education, for
a husband is all you will need.

Marley: Mama, no! I cannot! Please! Do not make me do this! Can we wait a little longer,
please? Until the end of the year, Mama!
Olivia: It is already done. In two months time, Ezekiel from the doctors clinic will take your
hand in marriage. It has to be done, my girl.
Marley: Mama! I cannot! (Olivia goes from no longer wanting to hear it to pushing Marley
away.) But I know I must
(Marley cries on Olivias shoulder while Olivia provides solace to her in a very convincing
manner, mouthing words in Marleys ears to provide emphasis on the situation.)
Hank (while Marley cries): Cleste will no longer be her own, with her own education. Just a
woman suiting the needs of her husband(VERY DRAMATICALLY puts head down, clasps
hands, and backs away from the scene.)
(After the scene ends, all the girls return to the line.)
MeiJade: Have you all seen the reference links the United Nations left for us? This one says
that the more girls that finish school, the higher their countrys G-D-P is.
(Hank steps forward.)
Hank: GDP: Gross Domestic Product. How much the goods and services produced in a country
are worth, usually within a year. What does this have to do with girls education? For example, if
one percent more girls were in middle or high school in India, Indias GDP would rise by $5.5
billion.
(Hank steps back. The girls go back to their standing line.)
Abby: If you and more girls like you stay in school, it would help your countrys economy, and
maybe families would not have to rely on marrying their kids off so early!
Olivia: The US economy isnt bad but I guess your countries could really use that $5.5 billion.
Honor: My town could use it, too.
Marley: How is your school?
Honor: Not very good at all
(Honor steps forward.)
Green lantern
In brightest day / in blackest night / no evil shall escape my sight / let those who worship / evils
might / beware my power green lanterns / light /
See the black fist / came from the black hand / and the prejudice came for the black man / we
sat wondering / what was wrong with em / like you should go and and get yourself / a cat scan /
while they sat rich / our backs were hit / with whips / few had eyes that bat / most were living a
life / to act inconspicuous / when a whole people / are 3 laps past / depressed / So now we sit
and we cry / all wanting to die / turn me into a bird / Im ready to fly / from blessed people / they
left us with zero / free 400 years later / but in need of a hero / I turn around to answer the call /
pick up the ball /

Listen to anthem / young but not throwing a tantrum / black people / watching the past / but
keep it behind us / to black panthers / but we need a light to follow / a real answer / let us be / to
follow the green lantern /
Now often / green symbolizes / money and greed / a life thats rushed / going with too much
speed / or chopped down thneeds /
I make coffee / no caribou / Langston / mixed with Angelou / a little Badou / soulful like the
bayou / from the nation / where the eagle / more bald than Caillou / or 6 dotted Krillin / but they
still label me a villain / assuming that / when I am on the block / Im there to make a killing / they
got me so messed up / or should I say us / cause sure times have changed / but we still riding
The / back of the bus / but why is it / that Since the funeral of / Mr. J. Crow / I still feel pain / this
disdain / is instilled in my brain / although people are being murdered / and starved / so I cant
complain / the rain / swallows the windows / panes / Kill moe / What do they kill US fo.
(Honor goes back to her spot.)
Honor: Theres a huge achievement gap in the United States. Not between boys and girls
really, but between races. A lot of people don't even get a chance, it's hard to believe we'll get
far with an education when we are labeled before we can even try.
Marley: I can tell that in the U.S. there needs to be more progress in getting kids, including girls,
to stay in school in poorer communities.
MeiJade: In my country, Laos, we are one of the poorest countries in Asia and the one with the
most people who cannot read or write. But we have already made much progress, so we are not
all miserable.
Olivia (reading the U.N. links): How? Arent you guys, like, communist and super poor?
(Hank steps forward.)
Hank: Laos: officially a communist state, but not really in practice. Laos is an impoverished
country; however, this has been steadily improving in recent years. About the same percentage
of girls as boys attend primary school and secondary school in the cities, so the country is
improving in that sense as well. Non-governmental organization programs are offered in Laos
that help women empower and obtain financial stability for themselves.
(Hank steps back. MeiJade returns to character.)
MeiJade: My mother has received training in business and management, and now runs a
popular hotel for foreign tourists in the capital, Vientiane. There are more and more tourists
visiting every year. My mother is the first person in her family to not be a farmer or factory
worker. And she and my father are planning on sending me to college! I will be the first person in
both sides of my family to graduate high school AND go to college!
Olivia: Congratulations!
MeiJade: Do you not see? With foreign aid and responsible government involvement, girls
education in these third-world countries can improve and make progress. It takes years,
decades, but it does happen.
Olivia: And I guess that better education for girls will lead to, like, advancement for the entire
country. Who wouldve thought?

Abby: Jessica, why are you in this chat in the first place? From what I have heard from you,
your life and school are not bad.
Olivia: Oh yeah, my dad works for the U.N. here in New York. He made me try the chat out.
Marley: He made you?
Olivia: Yeah. I guess Im glad he did. Your lives are so different than mine. We should itotally
get like Brad Pitt to help out. My dad knows him. I wonder if they already have any programs
here to help solve this problem?
Honor: Well, your dad does work for the UNin the U.S. Which sponsors this chat so
Olivia: Righhht.
Abby: I think the best thing that you in America could do is raise awareness for this issue.
Honor: Yeah, I bet a lot of people dont even know its a problem.
Olivia: You guys should come stay with me! Like you could stay in my house and then you
could come to my school! OMG wouldnt that be, like, the coolest thing ever?
Marley: Ummmsome of us live a bit far away, eh?
Olivia: Oh yeah
(Everyone is quiet for a moment. The girls -- except Olivia -- step back into the background.
Hank enters and comes to stand next to Olivia.)
Hank: Hey sweetie, hows it going?
(Everyone freezes, except Olivia, who steps forward.)
Olivia: Thisthis is like that scene from The Notebook when Ryan Gosling is talking to-Hank: Jess.
Olivia: Sorry. I mean, itsinspiring. These girls have some huge problems.
Hank: So what are you going to do?
(The girls all unfreeze and look at Olivia. Dramatic pause.)

The End