The next day arrives, and Kara wakes up from her deep sleep. She stretches, yawns and sits on her pillow. "Mom, is it time to get up yet?" she asks playfully.
Rapunzel: "Yes sweetie. Get changed. You have school today. I'll be taking you to the school quarter at least until you learn to make it on your own."
Kara: (mumbling to herself in bed) "But… school is so boring." She stretches her body and yawns before deciding to get out of bed and get changed in the bathroom next to her room.
Rapunzel: "How would you know that it's your first day at school in a space ship? What would you like for breakfast?"
Flynn (playfully): "You haven't even gone to school yet and you are complaining about the boredom? Do you want to hear stories about boring homework and even more boring classes?"
Kara: "Mmm… can we have pancakes? I like pancakes."
Flynn: "Sure, there are pancakes in the fridge. Go eat, I will be in my room and get changed. I'll be there in a second."
Kara: I don't like school
Rapunzel: "Really? You don't? According to our files, Kryptonians are supposedly smarter than Vulcans. "
Flynn: "That's true, but our files also claim Saiyans are a violent race. And yet we've met friendly Saiyans. "
Kara: "So, I don't have to go to school?"
Rapunzel: "Of course, you have to go to school. You can't waste your potential, Kara."
Flynn: "Come on, Kara. It's your first day at school. It will be fun!"
Kara: "It's never fun for the new kid."
Rapunzel: "Tell you what. You go to school and Flynn will buy you anything you desire but you have to get good grades too."
Flynn: "Do we have a deal?"
Flynn: "That's my girl." (He ruffles Kara's hair.)
Rapunzel serves breakfast for the family to enjoy. Everyone sits down at the table and starts eating. Kara is feeling a little down because of her day ahead, but she still looks forward to Flynn's promise of buying her whatever she wants.
Rapunzel: "Of course, baby."
Kara: "Mmm… these pancakes are delicious."
Flynn: "They are not just good, they are Kara-licious."
Flynn: "What? As a Dad, I have a right to make one terrible Dad joke a day, kara bear"
Kara: "I don't even know what a bear is."
Flynn: (jokingly) "That's all right, Kara Bear. I'll teach you. Now eat your pancakes before they get cold."
Rapunzel: "Flynn, stop teasing our daughter. Also, you need to take Kal-El to the daycare."
Flynn: "Relax, Rapunzel. I'm off duty today. I can watch Kal-El."
Rapunzel (to Kara): "Your father is right. He's off duty today, so he can spend some time watching you go to school. We are both proud of you, Kara."
Rapunzel: "Alright, dear husband."
Rapunzel (to Kara): "Are you ready, sweetie?"
Kara: "Yeah I'm ready. Can we go already? What time is it, anyway?"
Flynn: "It's 7:30 a.m. That is 30 minutes before you're supposed to be getting to school. Let's go, Kara, or you'll be late."
[Scene: School Ship, Classroom]
Rapunzel: "Okay sweetie, this is your classroom. I promise you will really like the teacher. Now off you go."
Kara: "Okay. I am excited to meet the teacher."
Rapunzel: "Good luck Kara. I'll come visit you at lunchtime."
[Scene: Kara'S Classroom]
Kara walks into her classroom and sits down at her assigned desk. The teacher walks in, and asks the students to introduce themselves.
Kara walks into her classroom and sits down at her assigned desk. The teacher walks in, and asks the students to introduce themselves.
Rapunzel (in class): "Hello everyone. I am Ms. Rapunzel. Now, I know this is not a normal first day of school, but I am going to do my best to help you feel comfortable."
Kara (in class): "Hi Ms. Rapunzel… Or should I just call you Rapunzel?"
Rapunzel (in class): "You can call me whatever you would like."
Kara (in class): "Okay mom."
Rapunzel (in class): " I promise that this time in school won't be as dull as normal school, so please don't be shy. Okay? (She smiles at her students.) "Now, it's your turn. What are your names?"
Kara: "My name is Kara Zor-El, or Rider, as I am the adopted daughter of Flynn and Rapunzel Rider. I am from Krypton."
The class is a mixed bag of species from all over the universe. There are humans, Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, Andorians, Cardassians, and many more. The diverse array of species makes this classroom seem more like a United Federation of Planets council meeting rather than a first-day at school.
Gochi: "My name is Gochi. I am part Saiyan, part Klingon.
This class seems like the perfect opportunity to learn more about the vast, diverse cultures of the Federation of Planets. The differences between sayians, Klingons, Andorians, and humans, for example, could make for an interesting class discussion.
Rapunzel: "Okay, class. Everyone please take out a holographic pad and pen, for note-taking purposes. Once you are ready, go ahead and log into class-time.net.
The class follows Rapunzel's instructions and takes out their holographic pads and pens. For many of Kara's classmates, this new form of learning is more difficult, especially for those species who do not have access to the latest technology. For Kara, however, it is easy because she is familiar with more advanced technology and classes. Nevertheless, it is still hard for her to adjust to the primitive ways of Earth.
Rapunzel: "Once you are all logged in, let's begin. You will notice that the topic of the day is 'Diversity of Culture in the Federation of Planets.'"
Kara: "Uhm… what's the Federation?"
All the kids laugh at Kara.
Rapunzel: (with a smile on her face) "That's a very good question, Kara. The Federation is a group of planets that have decided to work together for the benefit of everyone. The Federation is an alliance between species that promotes peace, cooperation, and understanding."
Kara: "I have never heard of it."
(The other students in the class chuckle at Kara's ignorance of the Federation. Rapunzel smiles and continues to explain.)
Goshi: "Mrs. Rider, how come Kara has never heard of the Federation?"
Rapunzel: "Kara, would you like to answer her?"
Kara: "Krypton had advanced technology. We were a race of science, but our leaders chose to ban space travel… even though we had the capability for it."
Goshi: "Sounds like your leaders missed out on a great opportunity. Imagine if Krypton, a planet of advanced technology, had joined the Federation. You could have helped advance it even more."
H'ana a Vulcan girl: "Didn't Krypton get destroyed because of the incompetent captain Snow White?"
Rapunzel: "H'ana, don't call our captain incompetent and don't you see you're upsetting Kara."
H'ana: "It is illogical to be sad over the destruction of your planet."
Kara: "It wasn't just Snow White's fault. The whole council was responsible for the destruction of Krypton. As for me being upset… how can I not? Krypton was my home, my whole world."
H'ana: "Are Vulcans the only species in the universe that have achieved emotional control?"
Kara: "When your planet gets blown up, then and only then you can talk to me about emotion and logic. And for the record, Captain Snow… did everything in her power to try and save my people."
H'anna: (rolls her eyes) It's still illogical to be upset.
Kara: "I'm not just upset, I am really angry. I don't know… maybe it's illogical… but that doesn't make me feel any better."
Rapunzel: "H'ana, that's enough."
H'anna: "And why is that? I am just stating the logical facts, Kara does have a right to get upset, but I do question the logic in her emotion-driven view of things."
Rapunzel: "H’ana, what you said is true. However, let’s remember that we are learning about diversity in this class. In my opinion, it takes more than learning facts to truly become diverse. We must also learn how to be empathetic toward people who have different views than us. Alright, class. Let's get back to the lesson on diversity. We were talking about how the Federation of Planets promotes peace and understanding among different species "We're all different, but that's okay. That's what makes us diverse. Our differences make us stronger because we can learn from each other. We can also help each other overcome our weaknesses. The most important thing is to be open-minded and respectful of everyone regardless of their species."
Kara: "Uhm… No… What I mean is that there are more differences among species than just skin color."
Rapunzel: "That's true, Kara. Each species is unique - not just in appearance, but in attitude, culture, and behavior. The key is to understand the differences between each other and to respect them, even if they are different from our own."
Goshi: "But it's almost like every species is human. I mean, I'm Saiyan but my skin is human color. The only difference I have between a human is my tail. And Kara is Kryptonian but she can pass for a human."
Rapunzel: "It is true that the humanoid species of the Federation tend to look similar. They often share common traits of culture, behavior, and even language. However, it's important to remember that every species is unique in their own ways. Even if they look alike, they are still diverse and special in their own way."
Rapunzel: "Here's one example: each species within the Federation has unique views on philosophy, morality, and culture. Even if their appearances are similar, their inner thoughts and beliefs are not. Each species within the Federation brings their own unique perspective to the table when discussing issues. Additionally, each species has a distinctive genetic code and natural biological system, each adapted to their own world."
Kara: "What if beliefs clash with each other? I mean, I get being open minded, but what if a species believes they are the superior race. Do we just accept that and bow down?"
Rapunzel: "Accepting that another species believes they are a superior race is one thing. Agreeing with it is another. And bowing down to it is not an option. When it comes to dealing with a species that thinks they are superior to others, we should acknowledge their beliefs and try to understand why they feel that way. But we should never back down or submit to them."
Goshi: "But doesn't that go against being open minded?"
Rapunzel: "No, Goshi. Being open-minded means that you are willing to consider and respect other points of view, not that you have to agree with them. So we can acknowledge the beliefs of a species that considers themselves superior and work to understand their point of view, but we do not have to accept it as a truth or follow it ourselves."
H'anna: "That is illogical. If we are to accept them as the superior beings because we are open minded, then logic dictates that we must bow to them."
Rapunzel: "No, H'anna. It would be illogical to bow to a species just because they think they are superior. The whole point of being open-minded is to think for ourselves and not let others decide our thoughts or actions. We may consider their opinions, but that doesn't mean we must follow them blindly."
Kara: "Okay. But what happens if their beliefs become a danger?"
Rapunzel: "It is true that there have been cases in the past where a species' beliefs have caused harm to other species. In those situations, it is important for us to act quickly and decisively. We need to do whatever is necessary to protect the Federation, its citizens, and its values. One way that we can do that is by trying to understand the beliefs that are causing problems in order to find any underlying issues or misunderstandings that we can work to resolve."
H'anna: "So what you're telling us is in those cases we don't have to be open-minded?"
Rapunzel: "No, H'anna. It's one thing to be open minded; it's another to be reckless. In cases where a species' beliefs become a danger to the Federation, we still need to be aware of them and try to understand them, but we may need to take more decisive action to protect the Federation as well."
Rapunzel: "It is because open-mindedness does not mean we accept everything as correct or true. We still need to think for ourselves and make our own choices based on our own beliefs and values. However, we also need to be aware of other views, so that we can consider them and learn from them. This is what being open-minded is all about."
Gochi, Kara, and H'Anna nod.
Rapunzel: "Good, everyone is understanding this. Let's move on to the next topic of 'Emotional Development in the Federation'."
Kara: "What does that mean?"
Rapunzel: "Emotional development means that we learn how to regulate our emotions and communicate with others. We also learn how to express and manage our emotions in a healthy and productive way. This is important because it helps us to build strong relationships with others and maintain our mental and emotional wellbeing. In the Federation, we place a strong emphasis on emotional development, as it is essential for creating a diverse and inclusive society."
H'Anna: "That is quite amusing seeing a human regulate their emotions."
Rapunzel: "Human beings are complex beings, just like any other species in the Federation. Some of them can be very passionate and emotional, while others are much more calm and controlled. It really depends on the person. However, humans are also very curious and have a tremendous potential for emotional growth. We can all learn from each other."
H'Anna: "I believe that you have no idea what your talking about. Tell me, are you accepting my beliefs?"
Kara: "Hey, that's my adopted mother your mocking."
Rapunzel: "Of course, H'Anna, I am accepting your beliefs, even though I may not agree with them. The whole point of this class is to understand the different beliefs that species have within the Federation and to learn how to communicate with them and respect them. I'm not trying to convert you to my beliefs, but I am trying to understand yours."
H'Anna: "You're my teacher; your job is to correct me when I am wrong. But because of your open mind, you won't even do that."
Rapunzel: "H'Anna, I am a teacher but also a learner. I am not perfect, and I still have a lot to learn. Also, it is not my responsibility to correct anyone, it is my responsibility to teach and to understand. I cannot correct your beliefs because there is nothing to correct. You believe what you believe, and that is fine. It's important to respect each other's beliefs and build understanding."
H'Anna: "I believe that I only get straight A and will pass this class with minimal effort."
Rapunzel: "Well, H'Anna, that's a bold statement. I can appreciate your self-confidence and willingness to challenge yourself. Let's see… How about you give me a short presentation in class on one aspect of emotional development in the Federation? We can talk after class and see if your statement holds up."
H'Anna: "So now you require proof of my belief. Where is your open-mindedness?"
Rapunzel: "H'Anna, I have always been open-minded, as I stated in the lesson. I am just asking you to present your belief in class so we can discuss it further. It would also be a good opportunity for you to share your perspective with your classmates and to listen to their thoughts and opinions as well."
Kara: "Mom, I can't believe I am saying this, but I kinda agree with H'Anna."
Rapunzel: "That's okay, Kara. As I said before, the whole point of being open-minded is to listen to other points of view and to learn from them. You can agree with H'Anna all you want. In fact, what is important is that we discuss each other's beliefs and learn from them! Even if we don't always agree, we can still find value in them."
Kara: "But if we are open minded, then that would mean we have to be okay with everyone. I'm not saying we agree with them but just accept them. Imagine how chaotic that would be. Crime would run rampant."
Rapunzel: "You're completely right, Kara. Being open-minded does not mean accepting everything. It just means being willing to listen to other points of view and consider them. We must still take action when needed, and we must still make decisions based on our own beliefs and values."
Rapunzel: "Well, class is almost over. I would like a report of your culture and beliefs and how they affect others. You may work in teams of three to compare your unique cultures and experiences and how they compare to each other. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask."
Kara: can Gochi and H'anna come over tonight for us to work on our project?
Rapunzel: "Of course, Kara. Gochi and H'Anna are always welcome here. Are you sure that you'll have enough time to work on your project? Remember that it's due by the end of the week."
Kara (hugging Rapunzel): "Thanks, Mom, and don't worry. That's plenty of time for us to do our project."
Rapunzel: "You're welcome, Kara. And I'm sure that you and your friends are responsible enough to complete your project in time, but I still worry. Please make sure to also have fun and not overexert yourselves."