Carla Nowak is a dedicated sports and maths teacher who takes up her first position at a grammar school. She stands out in the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, she decides to get to the bottom of the matter on her own. Carla tries to mediate between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and belligerent students, but in the process is confronted relentlessly with the structures of the school system.