Arthur Takes a Stand facts for kids

"Arthur Takes a Stand" is an episode from the 21st season of the popular TV show Arthur. It first aired on PBS Kids in the United States on February 12, 2018. In this episode, Arthur learns that Mrs. MacGrady, the school's lunch lady, is doing all her work alone. He tries to get the principal to hire help for her. When his request is turned down, Arthur gets advice from his friend Sue Ellen and a real-life civil rights leader, John Lewis. This inspires Arthur to organize a peaceful protest with his classmates.

What Happens in the Episode?

In school, Principal Ms. Tingley announces that breakfast will now be served in the cafeteria. She also shares exciting news: a famous civil rights leader, John Lewis, will be visiting the school.

The next morning, the students enjoy their breakfast. Arthur talks to Mrs. MacGrady, the lunch lady, and is surprised. He learns she does all the cafeteria work by herself. She doesn't have any assistants to help her.

Arthur decides to do something about it. He goes to the principal's office. He asks Ms. Tingley to hire more staff for the cafeteria. However, the principal explains that the school doesn't have enough money in its budget for more staff.

Arthur's friend, Sue Ellen, suggests he start a boycott. A boycott is when people stop buying or using something to protest. Arthur goes to Mrs. MacGrady with a "Boycott Breakfast" poster. But Mrs. MacGrady tells him that serving breakfast was her own choice.

Later, in the library, Arthur has a bad dream. He dreams that Mrs. MacGrady is completely overworked. She is serving breakfast all day and night. He wakes up to find John Lewis sitting at the table with him. Mr. Lewis gives Arthur some important advice. He tells Arthur to be strong and keep trying with his protest.

The next day, after breakfast, Arthur stays seated at his table. This starts a "sit-in" protest. A sit-in is a peaceful way to protest by sitting down and refusing to leave. Mrs. MacGrady joins him, agreeing that it's unfair she doesn't get help. Soon, the entire class slowly joins Arthur's protest.

Ms. Tingley, the principal, comes in and tells them to stop. But Mrs. MacGrady refuses to leave. She says she won't move until she is promised an assistant. Then, John Lewis enters the cafeteria. He recognizes Mrs. MacGrady as an old friend from a big protest called the March on Washington. Mr. Lewis also joins the sit-in.

Finally, Ms. Tingley decides to take action. She agrees to write to the school board. She will ask them for more money to hire staff. The episode ends with Mr. Lewis telling Arthur something important. He says, "There's nothing more important than following your conscience. If you can do that, you're always going to sleep well." This means doing what you believe is right.

The Episode's Impact

An animated short film was made in August 2020. It was called "Arthur on Racism: Talk, Listen, and Act." This video was created to honor John Lewis. In the short, Arthur and Buster ask Mrs. MacGrady how they can help fight racism.

The short was made after a sad event happened in May 2020. It shows Arthur and Buster's serious reactions to watching a video about this event. The video teaches important lessons about talking, listening, and acting against unfairness.