 Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) is a Social Studies teacher at Carver High. A student of his, Tracy Flick (Reese Whiterspoon), tends to rub him the wrong way. Flick, a loner and ambitious girl, decides to run for class president. McAllister convinces football player Paul (Chris Klein) to run against her. His lesbian sister Tammy (Jessica Campbell) joins the election after her girlfriend starts going out with Paul. During the campaigns, Tracy plays dirty, plying students with muffins and gum. Tammy adopts an anarchist attitude that the student body responds to. Paul has few skills to offer the position. Meanwhile, McAllister s going through a bad time with his wife.