06x22 - Read It and Weep, Part 2

[bunniefuu]

♪ ♪

(no voice)

♪ I bet we've been together
for a million years ♪

♪ And I bet we'll be together
for a million more ♪

♪ Oh, it's like
I started breathing ♪

♪ On the night we kissed ♪

♪ And I can't remember
what I ever did before ♪

♪ What would we do, baby,
without us? ♪

♪ What would we do, baby,
without us? ♪

♪ And there ain't no nothing we
can't love each other through ♪

♪ What would we do, baby,
without us? ♪



What are you reading, Andy?

The Little Engine that Could.

Do you think it'll be banned?

I don't know, but if I were you,
I'd read fast.

What does "banned" mean?

It means that a certain
authority decides

that a certain piece of material
can't be used

at a certain place or time.

What does "banned" mean?

Hey! How you doing, Andy?

What's all that?

This, Jen, is your defense.

Now, when you
and Mom and Dad walk

into Dr. Hewitt's office
tomorrow,

I want you to have
every legal fact,

argument and precedent
at your disposal.

Now, you can either use
these books

to brilliantly articulate
your position or, failing that,

you can simply drop them
on Dr. Hewitt's head.

What does "banned" mean?

He keeps saying that.

Can you please explain it
to him?

Yeah, yeah.
Well, Andy, "banned,"

or "banning," or "to ban,"

comes from the Germanic root
"bannan..."

...meaning to command.

But you can simply think of it
as a... as a...

as a legal prohibition,
a censure, a condemnation.

Now I don't know
what "banned" means.

How do you think I feel?

I'll never know!

You know, Jen,
I got to tell you,

I really admire the way
you've handled yourself.

I mean, your-your sensitivity,
your intelligence,

your strength of character
over the last few days.

- Thank you, Alex.
- I mean, when I look at you,

I see someone who has got
a great future.

Someone who could do anything
they set out to do.

Jen, I guess what I'm trying
to say is this:

Someday, you could
even work for me.

Oh, joy.

Of course, you'd have to start
in the mailroom,

you know, minimum wage,
but, uh, you'd have Sundays

and-and-and legal holidays off.

And, uh, Christmastime,
you come to my house for eggnog.

Thank you, Alex.
It makes it all worthwhile.

But I've got to admit
I'm still a little nervous

about going to see
Dr. Hewitt tomorrow.

What if she suspends me?

Suspend her right back.

- I'm serious, Alex.
- I know, I know, I know.

Look, hey, you know,
even if you get suspended,

you've still got the job
with me, right?

Of course, with the suspension,
you're going to have

to start on the loading dock.

I understand.

"But I reckon I got to light out

"for the territory ahead
of the rest,

"because Aunt Sally, she's gonna
adopt me and civilize me,

"and I can't stand it.

I've been there before."

Mal, is that you?

What are you doing?

I'm reading.

When did you learn how?

When I found out
that Cosmopolitan magazine

was banned in certain places,
I became enraged.

Then I saw Huckleberry Finn
sitting on the coffee table,

and I said to myself,

"What better way
to show Jennifer my support?"

So I picked it up,
and I started reading.

And you know what?

I love it.

I love reading.

I'm going to teach Nick
how to read.

Oh, Jen,
I'm really looking forward

to that meeting
with your principal.

We've got some very persuasive
arguments we want her to hear.

I'm really glad you guys
are coming with me tomorrow.

Well, we wouldn't have it
any other way.

We're all in this together.

You know, maybe you should get
to bed early tonight, honey.

You got a big day tomorrow.

I'm too nervous to sleep.

Want me to read to you?

Principal's office.

What a scary place
this used to be.

It still is for me, Dad.

When did you ever get
in trouble, Steven?

Elyse, I spent
a lot of time on a bench

outside the principal's office.

You were hall monitor.

And I had to keep my eye
on a lot of really bad kids.

Sometimes they'd try
to make a break for it,

and, uh, if I couldn't
catch them, it was, uh,

back to milk monitor
for little Stevie Keaton.

You're a real bad seed, Steven.

Actually, I really was
big trouble in high school.

You, Mom?

Mm-hmm. Oh, yeah, I used
to question everything.

I remember when the
administration said

that girls couldn't take
woodworking shop.

Well, I organized a protest.

And all the freshman girls
took over the shop

and started sawing chairs apart

until the administration
gave in.

Elyse, I'm-I'm afraid,
as your hall monitor,

I would have had
to apprehend you

and escort you directly
to Miss Dougherty's office.

Ooh, I'm really scared.

Well, I don't know
what your principal was like,

but I hope you're ready
for Hewitt the Hun.

She takes no prisoners.

Oh, don't worry, Jen.
I'm not afraid.

Good morning,
Mr. And Mrs. Keaton.

Jennifer.

This is Mr. Carter,
the superintendent of schools.

Hello there.

I believe you know
Mr. Flaherty.

- Yes, Mr. Flaherty.
- Good morning.

- Dr. Hewitt, good to see you.
- Morning.

Would anyone like anything
to drink?

BOTH:
No, thank you.

Jennifer?

Whiskey, please.

Jen, please, let...
let me handle this, huh?

Uh, Dr. Hewitt...

Sit down, Mr. Keaton.

Yes, right away.

Now, this is the situation
as I see it.

There is a policy
in this district,

passed by our board
of education,

which states that certain books
are unacceptable

for our children
of high school age.

Huckleberry Finn is among them.

Therefore, Jennifer's
book report is unacceptable.

Dr. Hewitt,
have you ever read the book?

Whether I've read Huckleberry
Finn is not the issue.

The question is whether it's
appropriate for Jennifer.

What right do you have to decide

what's appropriate reading
material for our daughter?

I mean, personally, I find that
tremendously offensive.

It's not Dr. Hewitt's decision,
Mrs. Keaton.

It's a decision
of the school board.

Then I am offended by
the school board.

Where's that whiskey?

Uh, Mrs. Keaton, uh,
the state requires us to teach

certain specifics
in the basic curriculum.

But how those subjects
are taught

and what textbooks are used
are all left up

to the individual school boards,
and with good reason.

Because the school boards
represent the values

of the people in the community.

What you have to understand
is that it is our job

to nurture, guide
and protect these children.

But just what is it that
you're protecting them from?

I mean, it seems to me
that the best thing

that a school can do is...
is teach children that...

that moral questions
are complex,

that in a democratic society,

different people
have different views.

As a teacher, I've always felt
that freedom of speech,

free expression, is an essential
part of a good education.

Of course,
that's just my opinion.

I could be wrong.

But that goes against everything
you've ever taught me.

You're not wrong.

But he is a teacher
in this school district.

Mr. Flaherty...

I'm sorry, Jen.

Well, we're certainly not going
to let this go unchallenged.

We're talking about
the First Amendment here.

Oh, then I suggest you contact
a lawyer, Mr. Keaton.

Believe me, we intend to.

We intend to, as well.

Yeah, well, uh, we intend to
more than you intend to.

"Well, I got a good going-over
in the morning

"from old Miss Watson
on account of my clothes;

"but the widow,
she didn't scold,

"but only cleaned off the grease
and clay, and looked so sorry

that I thought I would behave
a while if I could."

Your turn, Nick.

(Nick clears throat)

"Then Miss Watson,

"she took me in the closet
and prayed,

but nothing come of it."

Hey, I'm lucky.

I got a short one.
(chuckles)

Back to you, Mal.

"She told me to pray every day

"and whatever I asked for,
I would get.

But it warn't so."

Hey, uh, that's, uh,
my sentence.

Oh, I'm sorry, honey. Here.

"But it warn't so."

(Mallory chuckles)

Just back from Evelyn Wood?

Oh, hey, hey, hey, come on,
Alex. Want to help us out?

We got plenty of sentences
in this book.

No, Nick, no. Come on.
Thanks. Thanks anyway.

No, no, I'm funny that way.

I like to read two, sometimes
three sentences in a row.

Alex, give us a break.

You're always criticizing me
and Nick for not being cultured.

Well, hey, can't do that
anymore, huh?

No, you can't, 'cause we're
reading the classics.

You guys should read
w*r and Peace next.

I'll never see
either of you again.

(phone rings)

(chuckles) Hello.

Uh, yeah, sure.

Yeah, just a minute, please.

Hey, Jen!
Jen, it's, uh...

it's Bill Godfried
from the Lei and Herald.

JENNIFER:
Tell him I'm not in.

You got it.

Hello?
Hi. Yeah, I'm sorry.

She says she's not in.

Hey, Jen.

He sounded real anxious
to talk to you.

No, thanks, Alex.

In the past week,
I've done interviews

with every newspaper in Ohio.

They don't know when to stop.

I didn't realize

book banning was everybody's
favorite subject.

(phone rings)

There you go.

Hello.

Look, I'm-I'm kind of tired
of talking about this, okay?

Can't you understand that?

We've been over this
a thousand times.

Okay.

Uh, we'll see you Saturday,
Grandma.

Well, she won't be
bothering us anymore.

I don't know what's going on.

Suddenly my life
has turned upside down.

Mr. Flaherty didn't turn out
to be who I believed he was.

I thought he was on my side,

but the minute we stepped
into Dr. Hewitt's office,

he just wimped out.

That's too bad.

All my friends want
to talk to me about

is failing in English,
book banning

and what I'm going to do
when I'm suspended.

Well, I've always found
that a picnic lunch

followed by an afternoon
of bowling... an excellent way

to spend the first day
of suspension.

Oh, Jen! Jen!

I'd like you to meet
your lawyer, Susan White.

Susan, our daughter,
Jennifer Keaton.

- Hi.
- Hello.

Susan's mother was at Berkeley
with your father and me.

Actually, she was born
in the commune

that we all lived on together.

We used to call her Raindrop.

(mouthing)

Now she's at the law firm
of Hughes, Frank and MacGregor,

and she's offered
to give us some advice

on how to deal
with the school board.

Jennifer, I am so pleased
to meet you.

You know, I'm truly impressed
by the stand you've taken.

It's a real thrill to meet
someone of your generation

who's interested in something
other than just...

maintaining the status quo
so they can make a fast buck.

You don't even know me.

I've got a sixth sense
about these things.

I guess you're working for free
at Hughes, Frank and McGregor.

Yeah, Raindrop?

Susan White,
our son, Alex Keaton.

Mmm.

Aren't genetics wild?

And this is our daughter Mallory
and her, uh, well, Nick.

Oh, please,
have a seat, uh, Susan.

You, too, uh, Jen.

Now, basically, what Susan
is planning to do is, uh,

let us know what our rights are,
tell us how to handle ourselves

at the school board
meeting tomorrow

and, if necessary, help us out

if this comes
to a court challenge.

Now, the way I see it, Jennifer,

we have a couple
of court cases working for us.

Of course,
there's the Supreme Court's

Island Trees decision from .

Well, yeah, I briefed her
on that already.

And, uh, before that,

Tinker v. Des Moines
School District from .

Tinker was... was ' .

I could sue the pants off you.

Let's go, come on. Pull out
your briefs, R.D. Let's go.

Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey!

Order in the living room,
for goodness.

This is very, very exciting.

It's just like People's Court.

Now, Jennifer, I know you've
been through a lot,

but it would really help
to go over

what your role is going to be
at the meeting.

You've become the symbol

for this fight,
and there are going to be a lot

of people there looking
for you and waiting

to hear what you have to say.

Really? I was hoping
my part was over.

Oh, no, I'm afraid
it's just beginning.

- (gavel bangs)
- CARTER: May I remind you

to try to keep your remarks
short and to the point?

Uh, Mrs., uh, Hummler,
I believe you're next.

Thank you.

My son is a student in
Mrs. Mitchell's English class,

and I personally read
the textbook they use.

I-I couldn't believe
some of the language.

It-it's-it's gutter language.

And no one can tell me

that our children can't get
a good education

without reading words like...

Well, I can't even
say those words.

But my son sure can
now that he's read that book.

Now, that's not the point.

Your son probably knew
those words

before he read the book.

Now, listen, mister,

I don't know
what goes on in your house,

but no son of mine
uses language...

MAN: Don't you tell me
what goes on in my house!

(indistinct arguing)

Order!

Everybody will get a chance,
but we need order.

We won't tolerate
this cross talk.

This is going to be
a long night.

ELYSE: I'd like to think
that we were sending

our daughter to a school
that would allow her

to read any book
that's in the public library.

I mean, otherwise,
what kind of message

are we sending to our kids?

Are we saying that they can't be
as open-minded in the school

as they can outside
the schoolhouse doors?

Elyse, I-I was going
to make that point.

- Oh, Steven, come on.
- N-Never mind. Never mind.

The point is,
I have personally reviewed

all of the books in question.

Obviously, many of them have
passed muster with the board.

Where do you come off deciding
what passes muster?

Well, excuse me,
but I have a PhD

in education;
and furthermore,

the people of this community
voted for me

because they thought
I was qualified

to make these decisions.

Hey. I voted for you.

- But I also voted
for Richard Nixon. - (laughter)

Is... Uh, wait, is that funny?
I-I don't think that's funny.

When a certain girl in my class,

who shall remain nameless...

Jennifer Keaton...

did her book report
on Huckleberry Finn,

I was really behind her.

I mean, I want
to be a writer one day,

and I may not be the best writer
in the world, but I try.

And I'd like to think that
people in my own high school

could read what I write.

The book I'm writing now

is called Smart Women,
Foolish Outfits.

Um, uh, I'd like to read that
after Huckleberry Finn.

SUSAN: There are so many
communities across this country

that have been torn asunder
by this issue.

And as a lawyer, I've seen
friends and neighbors

get involved
in legal mudslinging

that completely obliterates
the real issues at hand,

which are freedom of thought
and freedom of speech.

Damn. Everyone's saying
what I was going to say.

Let's take a look at one of
the seminal cases in this area,

Tarrington v. Thomas Jefferson
High School.

Now, in this case, Justice
Turner wrote that if the...

(whispers): No, wait,
hey, hey, hey. No. No.

Justice MacNamara wrote the
majority opinion in that case.

Justice Turner...
merely concurring.

Um... (chuckles)
Excuse me just for a second.

I have a big... bug
crawling on me.

Do you want to take over?

(sighs)

And so,

in Harrison v. The Lake Erie
School District,

the court affirmed,

albeit with serious
reservations,

the doctrine stated
in the Kramer case.

So, any questions?

Is your head getting bigger?

MALLORY: "Other places do seem
so cramped up and smothery,

"but a raft don't.

You feel mighty free and easy
and comfortable on a raft."

This book is just
too beautiful to ban.

My own daughter.

At least I've got, "Hello,
I'm Steven Keaton" left.

Hello. I'm Steven Keaton.

Perhaps a... a recap of
this evening's better points

would be in order now.

MAN: A school has rules
and regulations

which might not
stand up elsewhere

but are necessary to education

as in the recent
Hazelwood decision

where the, uh,
Supreme Court held up

that a school administration
has the right

to censor student newspapers.

If we can require
our children to do homework,

to dress in a certain manner,

to be in class
for a certain period of time,

then we can certainly
advise them on what to read.

We always hear in school
that we young people

are the future of America.

Well, if we're going to be
the future of America,

we're going to have to know
about our past.

And not just the glory stuff
we see in movies

or read in some history books,
but the true story.

What people thought,
what they felt,

why they liked each other

and even why
they hated each other.

And there's no better way
to learn that

than through great literature.

If you take that away,
what are we left with?

- Hear, hear.
- (applause)

Well, uh, I'd like
to thank you all for coming.

Be assured that all opinions

will be taken
into consideration.

If there are no
further comments, uh...

Mr. Carter,
I have something to say.

Mr. Flaherty.

I've been a teacher now for six
years at Harding High School.

When this book banning rule
went into effect,

I upheld it because it was
in my job contract to do so,

although...

philosophically, it goes
against everything I stand for.

But when I saw
one of my students stand up

for what she believed
was right...

...I thought to myself,

"What the hell is wrong
with you, Flaherty?

"You're an English teacher.
You love books.

And you are not just
going to let this happen!"

I want the board to know...
I want Dr. Hewitt to know...

that I am willing to risk my job

to fight for what
I believe is right.

And I have to thank
one of my students,

who shall remain nameless...

Jennifer Keaton...

for giving me the courage

to stand up and do
what I should have done

as soon as this
whole thing started.

Thank you, Jennifer.

I'm a teacher,

and that should mean something.

(applause)

ANDREW: "And the little engine
looked at the hill and said,

'I think I can."

"I... think I can."

"I think I can."

This is getting pretty exciting.

Uh, I wonder what happens next.

He gets up the hill, Nick.

Great. Thanks a lot, Andy.
You ruined it for me.

(door opens)

Hi! So, how did it go, Andy?

Did you have a good time
with Nick?

Yeah.

Nick's reading much better, Dad.

When he gets to a word he
doesn't know, he sounds it out.

Yeah. That was a good tip.

Honey, why don't you go on up
and get ready for bed?

We'll be up to tuck you in
in a minute. Okay?

- Here, Uncle Nick.
- Hey, thanks.

Night, buddy.

So, uh, how was your meeting?

Oh, great. You should
have heard Jennifer!

She was eloquent and inspiring.

Ooh, Jen, I didn't know
you were such a rebel, huh?

You're just like James Dean
but a girl.

(Mallory gasps)

Oh, God!
(gasps)

I haven't read Huckleberry Finn
in two hours.

Shame on me. Come on, Nick.

Do you remember
where we left off?

Oh, I-I don't know, babe.

Now I'm reading
two books at once.

Well, Jen, you're off to a great
start as an activist, huh?

No, I think I'm
going to retire, Dad.

I can't do this again.

I can't believe
I even did what I did.

I had no idea
it would be so hard.

That's what making
a commitment's all about.

No matter how difficult it is
or how tough it gets,

you got to stand there and stand
up for what you believe in.

You know that.

(door opens)

Good news!

The school board decided
there was enough opposition

to further scrutinize
the banning issue

and put it to a referendum!

That's great news, Susan.

Good news!

The school board decided
there's enough opposition

to further scrutinize
the banning issue and put...

put it to a referendum.

(clears throat)

I told them first.

Sure. Sure. You ran
two red lights to get here.

Why do I scare you, Alex?

You don't scare me, Raindrop.

- I have had it.
- ALEX: All right...

You get over here.

- STEVEN: Alex! Raindrop!
- ALEX: She started it!

- STEVEN: Raindrop!
- She started it!

Please!

Good news!

ALL:
We heard!

What did you hear?

The school board's
reconsidering,

and there's going to be
a referendum.

Really? I didn't hear that.
That is good news.

What I came to say is that
a good number of my colleagues

on the faculty at Harding
have decided to band together

and buck the administration.

We're walking out until
your suspension is revoked.

STEVEN:
Oh, Flaherty, all right!

That's great.

Thank you, Mr. Flaherty.

- You've always been
my favorite teacher. - Oh.

We're a good team.
We made a great first step,

- but there's a long fight
ahead of us. - Yeah.

So we have to make sure
we stick together.

"And we could hear them
yelling and barking

"at each other
all up and down the bank

till we were so far away the
sounds got dim and d*ed out."

"And when we stepped
onto the raft, I says,

"Now, old Jim,
you're a free man again,

and I bet you won't ever
be a sl*ve no more."

"Chug, chug, chug.

"Puff, puff, puff.

"Ding-dong, ding-dong,
ding-dong.

"The little train
rumbled over the tracks.

She was a happy train."

MAN:
Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog.

(Ubu barks)