Now for some comic relief as we prepare to start the school year.

The Gradebook brings you two clips from a new show, The Principal’s Office, premiering Aug. 21 on the truTV network, formerly Court TV. The program takes viewers inside the worlds of 11 high school principals, each with a different style of disciplining students.

Click here for a highlight reel of the excuses students offer when caught skipping class, fighting or otherwise acting up. Click here for some clips of principals interacting with students. One of our favorites: the boy who says, “Freedom of speech basically says where you can speak any … you know, where you can speak. For free.” We also chuckled at (and were saddened by) the girl who says, “I can’t sit in school for 6,7 hours. I can’t do it.” She later reveals she’s usually out all night.

Two discussion questions for local educators: Given what you see in your world, do these videos ring true? And what percentage of your students are like the kids portrayed?