The Camden kids learn hard lessons about race when Eric invites a black family to stay at the house after their church is destroyed in a racially motivated arson.

Eric helps out a woman who is being abused by her husband. But when the good reverend is seen escorting the woman to a motel one afternoon, it's the talk of the town. Meanwhile, Matt warns Mary about an older guy she's seeing.

Everyone's plans for a romantic Valentine's Day are interrupted when Happy, Simon's dog, gets out of the house and is hit by a car.

Eric and Annie are taking the day off to spend time together since it's the first day of school for the 5 Camden children. Although, things go array on their first day back in school. Ruthie is caught wearing a hat backwards which violates school policy. Ruthie insists on wearing her cap backwards and ends up getting a 'time out' by her teacher. During Simon's first day at Junior High School, he is caught with a knife that his mother had given him to cut his chicken. Simon is suspended for a day. Mary offers to help Lucy with her locker that doesn't open because of Eric's old lock that he had given her.

Meanwhile, when Lucy takes an aspirin that Mary had given her, the principal notices them with the medicine and takes them to the office. Matt later joins his sisters after Mr. Koper catches him with a beeper- the one Eric left in Matt's jacket after borrowing it. All three of them are suspended for a day. Also, Mary learns that Mr. Koper is her new basketball coach and he's going to he

The Camden kids get a lesson in love as Mary decides to call it a quits with Wilson. Simon is obsessed with getting his first girlfriend, while Ruthie learns the do's and don'ts of kissing on the school playground. Matt receives devastating news from his girlfriend Heather, which leads him on a long journey to Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Lucy laments over being single until she accidently gets close to the school hunk.

When Eric helps his friend Reverend Morgan Hamilton secretly meet up with his wife's ex-husband Kevin, they are shocked at the outcome that he's paralyzed from the waist down. While covering for the Hamilton's daughter Keesha, Lucy unexpectedly goes on a double date with them. Soon Annie and Mrs. Hamilton bust the girls when taking Ruthie and Lynn to the movies. Back at school, Mary clandestinely dates one of Lucy's classmates.

Simon wants to buy the perfect gift for Deena because its their three month anniversary, but it ends up consuming his time which annoys his friend, Nigel, who's visiting. Rod (Lucy's ex-boyfriend) is spending time at the Camden's home because his mother died and doesn't want to face his father as he's angry with him. Heather is back in town, and she tells Matt that she's engaged. Meanwhile, Dr. Hasting's---the doctor who almost killed Matt when he was born, works at Glen Oak Hospital and Annie is not thrilled, especially with the possibility that he may deliver her twin babies. Mary tells everyone that she's back with Wilson, but it's not true. She made it up to get attention from guys. Lastly, Michael Towner, who hitted Mary with his car two years ago calls her.

Lucy is spending the weekend at camp 'All By Myself'. It turns out everyone at the camp has to spend the weekend all by themselves without talking to anyone. Ruthie is angry with classmate Bobby Tripp because he keeps making fun of her since he accidently saw her underwear. Now, Ruthie decides to make him realize what he did was wrong by starting a war: Camdens vs. Tripps. The church's women group throws a baby shower for Annie. Eric and Matt have lunch with Morgan and John Hamilton. The manager of the restaurant doesn't serve Morgan and John their meal because he doesn't serve black people.

Eric and Annie reluctantly allow Mary to go out with Robbie, on the condition that they double date with his younger brother Rick (guest-star, Lance Bass, ""N'SYNC"") with Lucy. Meanwhile, Simon and Nigel buy several packs of cigarettes for a class project to prove how easy it is for children to buy tobacco. Also, Ruthie works out her own secretive science project and John invites some female neighbors over for dinner to take Matt's mind off of Shana.