In Grandsboro, Northern California, Leigh Ann Watson is a high school student living with her single mother Faye, who works as a waitress. Leigh Ann's aim is to achieve top grades to become valedictorian and leave town. However, her grade in history class is threatened by her sadistic and vindictive teacher, Mrs. Eve Tingle, who has a special dislike for Leigh Ann and downgrades Leigh Ann's well-designed project due to a minor historical inaccuracy.