All language subtitles for Family Ties S06E21 Read It and Weep - Part 2.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS.EN

♪♪

♪ 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? ♪

♪ Sha-la-la-la. ♪

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?

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.

"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.

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."

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
War and Peace next.

I'll never see
either of you again.

Hello.

Uh, yeah, sure.

Yeah, just a minute, please.

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

it's Bill Godfried from
the Leland Herald.

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.

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.

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 1982.

Well, yeah, I briefed
her on that already.

And, uh, before that,

Tinker v. Des Moines
School District from 1968.

Tinker was... was '69.

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.

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...

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

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.

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.

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.

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...

No, wait, hey, hey, hey. No. No.

Justice MacNamara wrote
the majority opinion in that case.

Justice Turner...
Merely concurring.

Um... Excuse me
just for a second.

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

Do you want to take over?

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?

"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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

Oh, God!

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.

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.

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.
- All right...

You get over here.

- Alex! Raindrop!
- She started it!

- Raindrop!
- She started it!

Please!

Good news!

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.

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 died 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 slave 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."

Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog.