1 00:00:10,787 --> 00:00:13,662 (all) Here, in America and every single state, 2 00:00:13,662 --> 00:00:17,651 they have a set of standards for every subject, a collection of lessons that the teacher's required 3 00:00:17,651 --> 00:00:19,391 to teach by the end of the term. 4 00:00:19,391 --> 00:00:23,182 But the greatest lessons you will ever teach us will not come from your syllabus. 5 00:00:23,182 --> 00:00:27,214 (all) The greatest lessons you will ever teach us you will not even remember. 6 00:00:27,214 --> 00:00:31,503 You never told us what we weren't allowed to say. We just learned how to hold our tongues. 7 00:00:31,503 --> 00:00:34,539 (all) Now somewhere in America there is a child holding a copy of 8 00:00:34,539 --> 00:00:37,441 'Catcher in the Rye' and there's a child holding a gun. 9 00:00:37,441 --> 00:00:40,641 But only one of these things have been banned by their state government, 10 00:00:40,641 --> 00:00:43,141 and it's not the one that can rip through flesh. 11 00:00:43,141 --> 00:00:46,116 (all) It's the one that says "'Fuck You" on more pages than one. 12 00:00:46,116 --> 00:00:49,191 because we must control what the people say,how they think and if they want to 13 00:00:49,191 --> 00:00:51,951 become the overseer of their own selves 14 00:00:51,951 --> 00:00:54,191 (all) then we'll show them a real one. 15 00:00:54,191 --> 00:00:55,952 (all) And somewhere in America 16 00:00:55,952 --> 00:00:57,815 there is a child sitting at his mother's computer 17 00:00:57,815 --> 00:01:00,421 (all) reading the home page of the KKK's website 18 00:01:00,421 --> 00:01:02,045 and that's open to the public. 19 00:01:02,045 --> 00:01:04,111 But that child will have never read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 20 00:01:04,111 --> 00:01:07,513 (all) because his school has banned it for it's use of the 'N' word. 21 00:01:07,513 --> 00:01:13,743 Maya Angelou is prohibited because we're not allowed to talk about rape in school. 22 00:01:13,743 --> 00:01:16,093 (all) We are taught that just because something happens 23 00:01:16,093 --> 00:01:18,334 doesn't mean you are to talk about it. 24 00:01:18,334 --> 00:01:20,062 They build us brand new shopping malls 25 00:01:20,062 --> 00:01:22,302 (all) so that we'll forget where we're really standing-- 26 00:01:22,302 --> 00:01:24,031 ON THE BONES of the Hispanics, 27 00:01:24,031 --> 00:01:25,896 ON THE BONES of the slaves, 28 00:01:25,896 --> 00:01:27,624 ON THE BONES of the Native Americans, 29 00:01:27,624 --> 00:01:30,678 ON THE BONES of those who fought just to speak. 30 00:01:30,678 --> 00:01:32,763 (cheers) 31 00:01:32,763 --> 00:01:36,577 Transcontinental railroads to Japanese internment camps. 32 00:01:36,577 --> 00:01:39,981 (all) These are things missing from our history books. 33 00:01:39,981 --> 00:01:44,031 But we were taught that it is better to be silent than to make them uncomfortable. 34 00:01:44,031 --> 00:01:46,245 (all) Somewhere in America 35 00:01:46,245 --> 00:01:48,655 private school girls search for hours through boutiques 36 00:01:48,655 --> 00:01:51,001 trying to find the prom dress of their dreams; 37 00:01:51,001 --> 00:01:54,082 while kids on the south side spend hours searching through the lost and found 38 00:01:54,082 --> 00:01:58,611 (all) 'cause winter's coming soon and that's the only jacket they have. 39 00:01:58,611 --> 00:02:01,311 Kids are late for class for working the midnight shift. 40 00:02:01,311 --> 00:02:05,433 (all) They give awards for best attendance but not for keeping your family off the streets. 41 00:02:05,433 --> 00:02:08,781 These kids will call your music ghetto. They will tell you you don't talk right. 42 00:02:08,781 --> 00:02:11,205 Then they'll get in the backseat of a car with all their friends 43 00:02:11,205 --> 00:02:14,603 (all) singing how they're "'Bout that life" and "We can't stop." 44 00:02:14,603 --> 00:02:16,392 (all) Somewhere in America 45 00:02:16,392 --> 00:02:17,953 schools are promoting self confidence 46 00:02:17,953 --> 00:02:22,224 (all) while they whip out their scales and shout out your body fat percentage in class. 47 00:02:22,224 --> 00:02:25,244 Where heftier girls are hiding away 48 00:02:25,244 --> 00:02:28,745 and the slim fit beauties can't help but giggle with pride. 49 00:02:28,745 --> 00:02:32,817 The preppy kids go thrift shopping because they think it sounds real fun. 50 00:02:32,817 --> 00:02:37,132 (all) But we go 'cause that's all we've got money for 'cause mama works for the city; 51 00:02:37,132 --> 00:02:39,631 mama only gets paid once a month. 52 00:02:39,631 --> 00:02:41,693 (all) Somewhere in America 53 00:02:41,693 --> 00:02:44,339 a girl is getting felt up by a grown man on a subway. 54 00:02:44,339 --> 00:02:47,391 She's still in her school uniform and that's part of the appeal. 55 00:02:47,391 --> 00:02:50,488 It's hard to run in knee socks and Mary Jane's 56 00:02:50,488 --> 00:02:52,861 (all) and all her male teachers know it, too. 57 00:02:52,861 --> 00:02:56,334 Coaches cover up star players raping freshmen after the dance. 58 00:02:56,334 --> 00:02:58,745 Women are killed for rejecting a date 59 00:02:58,745 --> 00:03:01,182 but God forbid I bring my girlfriend to prom. 60 00:03:01,182 --> 00:03:03,574 A girl is blackout drunk at the after party. 61 00:03:03,574 --> 00:03:05,714 Take a picture before her wounds wake her. 62 00:03:05,714 --> 00:03:08,151 (all) How many pixels is your sanity worth? 63 00:03:08,151 --> 00:03:10,381 What's a 4.0 to a cold jury? 64 00:03:10,381 --> 00:03:12,204 (all) What'd you learn in class today? 65 00:03:12,204 --> 00:03:13,825 Don't walk fast. Don't speak loud. 66 00:03:13,825 --> 00:03:14,933 Keep your hands to yourself. 67 00:03:14,933 --> 00:03:15,993 (all) Keep your head down. 68 00:03:15,993 --> 00:03:17,646 Keep your eyes on your own paper. 69 00:03:17,646 --> 00:03:18,702 If you don't know the answer 70 00:03:18,702 --> 00:03:20,233 (all) fill in C. 71 00:03:20,233 --> 00:03:21,901 Always wear ear-buds when you ride the bus alone. 72 00:03:21,901 --> 00:03:23,085 I you feel like someone's following you 73 00:03:23,085 --> 00:03:24,524 (all) pretend you're on the phone. 74 00:03:24,524 --> 00:03:25,431 A teacher never fails. 75 00:03:25,431 --> 00:03:26,733 (all) Only you do. 76 00:03:26,733 --> 00:03:28,703 (all) Every state in America. 77 00:03:28,703 --> 00:03:34,613 (all) The greatest lessons are the ones you don't remember learning.