Obscene graffiti on the walls, students fast asleep at their desks, corridors strewn with garbage and, despite it all, teachers who inspire their students to learn. Tough Assignment is a frank and sometimes disturbing look at life at an urban high school in the nineties. The video follows four teachers at Toronto's Oakwood Collegiate Institute through the chaos, optimism, and disappointments of the 1994-95 school year, capturing the rough edges of high school life and the complexities of the relationship between teachers and students. Featuring plenty of in-class footage and candid, on-the-spot interviews with both teachers and students, Tough Assignment goes beyond the stereotypes to show us the controlled anarchy of a high school environment. Essential viewing for anyone who cares about teachers, kids, and education.