Whacking Day

"Whacking Day" is the 20th episode of Season 4.
==Synopsis==
Bart's latest stunt (driving Groundskeeper Willie's tractor into Superintendent Chalmers' posterior) lands him an explusion from Springfield Elementary. When moving to a private religious school doesn't help, Marge decides to home-school her son. Meanwhile, Lisa protests a local holiday where snakes get chased into the middle of town and whacked to death and enlists the help of Barry White (and Bart) to help the snakes escape abuse.
== Full Story ==
Principal Skinner lures Bart, Jimbo, Kearney, Dolph and Nelson to the school basement with the promise of free mountain bikes. When they get there, however, the boys are informed that they are being "swept under the rug" during an inspection by Superintendent Chalmers. Bart escapes through a ventilation shaft, to get outside and unlock the door for the rest of the bullies. But before he reaches the basement, he observes Groundskeeper Willie's tractor with the keys in the ignition and (after having mental conversation with said tractor) takes it for a joyride. He quickly loses control, bails out and the tractor strikes Chalmers at full speed in the rear. While being treated for the injury, Chalmers informs Skinner that the accident has cost him a promotion to Assistant Superintendent, which is going to a man named Holloway, who is described as a "drunk and a pill-popper". Skinner tries to change his mind but is silenced. Chalmers' is also not happy about the fact that the person who treated him was Lunch Lady Doris, rather than an actual nurse.
Furious at being cost a promotion, Skinner informs Bart that there won’t be a detention this time. This incident and its consequences were the last straw. Bart is officially expelled from Springfield Elementary.
Meanwhile, Kent Brockman announces that a celebration that was found to be "disgusting and puerile" by a group of hillbillies is coming up: Whacking Day. Every May 10, the people of Springfield drive snakes to the center of town and beat them to death. Lisa is appalled at the upcoming Whacking Day celebration, but her protests fall on deaf ears. She tries to appeal to Homer to not lower himself to the level of others, but Homer is set on participating in Whacking Day.
Bart remains expelled from Springfield Elementary for striking superintendent Chalmers, and his parents try enrolling him in a private Christian school. He gets in trouble and is expelled almost immediately for singing "Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit" when asked for a psalm, and is chased from the building by the teacher and other students. Marge then decides to homeschool Bart. For one of her assignments, Marge gives Bart "Johnny Tremain" to read, which was a favorite of hers when she was a little girl. Bart gains interest in the book when learning the protagonist was deformed by being wounded in a war, and afterwards starts becoming a serious student, even missing an episode of Itchy and Scratchy to read the book. Due to his vast interest in the book, Marge takes Bart on a "field trip" to Olde Springfield Towne. While there, their tour guide (using a slide show) shows a photo of Jebediah Springfield leading an attack of Fort Ticonderoga and then creating Whacking Day on May 10, 1775. However, Bart quickly realises Jebediah was leading the assault on Fort Ticonderoga the day he supposedly created Whacking Day, and questions how he could have been in two places at once. At a loss for words, the Squeaky-Voiced Teen in charge of the tour calls security to have Bart and Marge kicked out.
Barry White (who Mayor Quimby wrongly introduces as Larry White) arrives to begin festivities, he originally says he's honored, but when he discovers what the holiday is about, he is disgusted and exclaims, "You people make me sick!" to the ignorant joy of the assembled crowd, and replaced by Miss Springfield. Bart finds out about the true origin of Whacking Day. He suggests to Lisa that they can lure the snakes to safety by playing music with a lot of bass and putting the stereo speakers to the ground. Homer's record collection, which boasts such gems as Tiny Tim, The Chipmunks, and A Castrato Christmas, leaves much to be desired, but they get some assistance from Barry White (who was conveniently walking by). Bart brings their karaoke machine and speaker outside, turns the volume up to eleven and places the speakers face down on the ground. Then, with White's deep vocals and Lisa's bass guitar playing, they attract hundreds of snakes into the house to the tune of White's 1974 hit song “Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe”.
The crowd arrives in pursuit, but they are soon turned around on the subject of Whacking Day by Bart's newfound knowledge. It turns out that the day was actually invented in 1924 as an excuse to beat up the Irish, a fact confirmed by a fellow Irish man. Lisa implores the crowd further, pointing out how the presence of snakes has been beneficial to the community, reuslting in the crowd cheering for the snakes. Mayor Quimby, not knowing that the city has changed its heart, shows up with pre-whacked snakes, but is booed by the crowd. Angered, Quimby calls them "fickle mush-heads"; the crowd admit that he is correct and cheer for him, while the surviving snakes flee away to freedom. Skinner is impressed with Bart's efforts, and welcomes him back to school where he will be reunite with the rest of the students...until Skinner realizes that he forgot about the other students locked in the basement fall-out shelter. While the bullies hold a support group about their oppressive behavior, Skinner and Willie drive to the school with boxes of mountain bikes and plan to flee to the border in case the bullies are found dead in the basement.
== Citations ==
de:Das Schlangennest
fr:Le Jour de la raclée
pl:Whacking Day
pt:O Grande Dia
Category:Bart episodes
Category:Lisa episodes
Category:Education-themed episodes
Category:Genesis Award winning episodes
Category:Environment-themed episodes
Category:Principal Skinner episodes
Category:Mayor Quimby episodes
Category:Episodes featuring guest stars
Category:Superintendent Chalmers Episodes
Category:Animal-themed Episodes
Category:Musical-themed Episodes
Category:Groundskeeper Willie Episodes
Category:Episodes featuring musical guest stars
Category:Episodes on DVD
Category:Written by John Swartzwelder
Category:Directed by Jeffrey Lynch
Category:Jebediah Springfield episodes
Category:Highly Rated Episodes
Category:Lisa seeks understanding episodes
Category:Episodes with mixed reviews
Category:Simpson Family Are Pariahs episodes
Category:Episodes with recycled animation
Category:St. Patrick's Day Episodes