Ann Martin - Kristy Power!

Fortunately, I didn't have to do it right away. Mr. Taylor invited Ted to speak first. "I believe that Mr. Morley has a right to explain and defend his actions," he said, waving Ted up to the podium.

Ted stood for a moment, looking out at the crowd. Then he took a deep breath. "Thank you all for coming," he said. "It's good to see so many people in this community taking an active role in the education of their children." The crowd murmured. I had a feeling the protesters hadn't expected Ted to be so diplomatic.

"I'd like to apologize, first of all," said Ted, "for not submitting my reading list for the approval of the English department. I honestly did not know this was required. At my last teaching post, which was at a private school, teachers made assignments at their own discretion. My introduction to SMS was rushed, and if I was told of this requirement I forgot about it. I do apologize for this." He paused, cleared his throat, closed his eyes for a second, and began to speak again. "I do not, however, apologize for the content of that list." There was a stirring in the auditorium, and several people began to speak at once. "Save our children!" called out one woman.

Mr. Taylor stood up and joined Ted at the podium. "Everyone will have a chance to speak," he said, leaning closer to the microphone. "I must ask that you hold your comments until you are called on." He waited for a moment until the buzz had died down. Then he nodded to Ted and took his seat again.

"I don't have a lot more to say," Ted continued. "Just that I stand behind every book on the list I handed out. I would also like to remind everyone that not one of the books on that list was mandatory reading. Students had complete freedom of choice in terms of what they decided to read, including choosing a book not on the list." "It's still a choice between smut and filth!" yelled out a man in the third row.

"It's time to let us speak!" shouted the woman sitting next to him.

Mr. Taylor stood up again as Ted took his seat. "As I said before, everyone will have a chance to speak. But the next person we'll hear from is Ms. Breer, head of the English department. Please give her your attention and respect." Ms. Breer stood up, looking a little nervous. "I just want to go on record as saying that the department values Mr. Morley's classroom expertise," she began.

A loud hiss came from somewhere near the back of the auditorium. Mr. Taylor rose halfway to his feet and glared out from the stage, and the noise stopped.

Ms, Breer gave him a grateful glance and continued. "It's true that Mr. Morley may not have understood the protocol we follow regarding reading lists. Mrs. Simon's early departure was a surprise to all of us, and we may not have been able to brief Mr. Morley as thoroughly as usual." She looked down at the notes she was holding, bit her lip, and went on. "I would also add that if Mr. Morley had presented his list to me, I would have approved it." Some of the protesters jumped to their feet and started yelling. Other people, Ted's supporters, began to applaud.

Ms. Breer stepped back from the podium. Then she walked quickly to her seat. Mr. Taylor stood again and held up his hands. "Please, please," he said. "Can everyone please quiet down? Let's continue in a civilized manner." He peered out into the auditorium. "I call now on Mrs. Bertha Dow, who will represent her group, Parents for Decency." Merrie was sitting two seats away from me, on the other side of Jeremy. I could almost feel her cringing, and I shot her a sympathetic look. Jeremy gave her a little shoulder hug.

Mrs. Dow climbed the steps to the stage and took her place behind the podium. "I want to say, first of "all," she began, "that we are not here to destroy anyone's name or create any sort of community rift. We simply cafe about our children's moral education. It is up to us, their parents and teachers, to bring them up to be decent, respectful adults. Children are not born with values; they learn them. And some of the books on this list," she waved a piece of paper in the air, "do nothing but subvert the values we hold most dear." A cheer rose from one section of the auditorium.

Mrs. Dow went on to point out page numbers that, she said, contained instances of "excessive violence, obscenity, negative role models, and immorality'' in some of the books on Ted's list. Books like The Catcher in the Rye and Homecoming.

I could hardly believe my ears. I watched Ted closely as Mrs. Dow was speaking and saw him wince as she tore into the books on his list.

When she finished, there was a huge burst of applause - and a scattering of boos. I glanced at my mom. I knew she wouldn't boo, because she would consider that rude. But I couldn't help agreeing with the people who were letting Mrs. Dow know how they felt. How could anyone sit still and let her talk that way about great books?

"I'll now call on those who have come to support Mr. Morley," said Mr. Taylor after the noise had died down. He glanced at a paper in his hand. "Mrs. Rioko Kishi?" I saw Claudia's mom rise and walk toward the stage, and I reached over to squeeze Claud's hand. "I bet she'll be great," I whispered.

She was.

Mrs. Kishi is the head librarian at the Stoneybrook Public Library. She must have had a lot of experience with this issue, because she came prepared. She spoke simply but powerfully about the First Amendment and what it means. She mentioned court cases that have supported the right of the American people to free choice. And she read several quotes that made my spine tingle. I asked her about them later and wrote some of them down. "Freedom of thought and freedom of speech in our great institutions of learning are absolutely necessary ... the moment that either is restricted, liberty begins to wither and die...." That one was by someone named John Peter Altged. Another one, from Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, was, "Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." (Right on, William O.!) The issue was bigger than I had ever imagined. I felt exhilarated to be part of the debate.

Mrs. Kishi left the stage and took her seat amid more buzzing and shouting. Then Mr. Taylor was standing behind the podium again. "I understand that Mr. Morley's students would like to speak," he said.

Gulp. My exhilaration vanished, to be replaced by panic. It was my turn to talk.

Chapter 12.

I knew I should stand up, but I couldn't make my legs work. I felt incredibly hot. The sweater I was wearing was making my neck itchy. And I couldn't seem to breathe easily.

Jeremy nudged me. "Go ahead, Kristy," he whispered. "You can do it!" I met his eyes, and he smiled and nodded. No wonder Claudia and Stacey like him so much, I thought. Jeremy is a genuinely nice guy.

Claudia patted my shoulder. "Just tell them what we think," she reminded me. "Nothing to it." I looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Nothing to it?" I asked. "Do you want to do it?" She shook her head vehemently. I had to laugh. That relaxed me enough to unparalyze my muscles, and I stood up. I began the long walk to the stage.

I saw heads turn to look at me as I went by. My mom gave me a big thumbs-up, and Watson smiled and nodded encouragingly. I saw Stacey's mom sitting a few rows down, and Mary Anne's dad and stepmother. Most of my teachers were there, and lots of kids I knew from other classes.

As I passed the rows where the protesters were sitting, I shivered a little. Their glances were cool, and some of them even looked angry. I had a feeling they thought kids shouldn't have any say in matters like these.

I met Mrs. Dow's eyes just briefly, but then she turned away to whisper something to the woman sitting next to her. Probably something about me, about the way my classmates and I were corrupting her little girl.