WEBVTT 00:00:10.787 --> 00:00:13.662 (all) Here, in America and every single state, 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 00:00:17.651 --> 00:00:19.391 to teach by the end of the term. 00:00:19.391 --> 00:00:23.182 But the greatest lessons you will ever teach us will not come from your syllabus. 00:00:23.182 --> 00:00:27.214 (all) The greatest lessons you will ever teach us you will not even remember. 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. 00:00:31.503 --> 00:00:34.539 (all) Now somewhere in America there is a child holding a copy of 00:00:34.539 --> 00:00:37.441 'Catcher in the Rye' and there's a child holding a gun. 00:00:37.441 --> 00:00:40.641 But only one of these things have been banned by their state government, 00:00:40.641 --> 00:00:43.141 and it's not the one that can rip through flesh. 00:00:43.141 --> 00:00:46.116 (all) It's the one that says "'Fuck You" on more pages than one. 00:00:46.116 --> 00:00:49.191 because we must control what the people say,how they think and if they want to 00:00:49.191 --> 00:00:51.951 become the overseer of their own selves 00:00:51.951 --> 00:00:54.191 (all) then we'll show them a real one. 00:00:54.191 --> 00:00:55.952 (all) And somewhere in America 00:00:55.952 --> 00:00:57.815 there is a child sitting at his mother's computer 00:00:57.815 --> 00:01:00.421 (all) reading the home page of the KKK's website 00:01:00.421 --> 00:01:02.045 and that's open to the public. 00:01:02.045 --> 00:01:04.111 But that child will have never read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' 00:01:04.111 --> 00:01:07.513 (all) because his school has banned it for it's use of the 'N' word. 00:01:07.513 --> 00:01:13.743 Maya Angelou is prohibited because we're not allowed to talk about rape in school. 00:01:13.743 --> 00:01:16.093 (all) We are taught that just because something happens 00:01:16.093 --> 00:01:18.334 doesn't mean you are to talk about it. 00:01:18.334 --> 00:01:20.062 They build us brand new shopping malls 00:01:20.062 --> 00:01:22.302 (all) so that we'll forget where we're really standing-- 00:01:22.302 --> 00:01:24.031 ON THE BONES of the Hispanics, 00:01:24.031 --> 00:01:25.896 ON THE BONES of the slaves, 00:01:25.896 --> 00:01:27.624 ON THE BONES of the Native Americans, 00:01:27.624 --> 00:01:30.678 ON THE BONES of those who fought just to speak. 00:01:30.678 --> 00:01:32.763 (cheers) 00:01:32.763 --> 00:01:36.577 Transcontinental railroads to Japanese internment camps. 00:01:36.577 --> 00:01:39.981 (all) These are things missing from our history books. 00:01:39.981 --> 00:01:44.031 But we were taught that it is better to be silent than to make them uncomfortable. 00:01:44.031 --> 00:01:46.245 (all) Somewhere in America 00:01:46.245 --> 00:01:48.655 private school girls search for hours through boutiques 00:01:48.655 --> 00:01:51.001 trying to find the prom dress of their dreams; 00:01:51.001 --> 00:01:54.082 while kids on the south side spend hours searching through the lost and found 00:01:54.082 --> 00:01:58.611 (all) 'cause winter's coming soon and that's the only jacket they have. 00:01:58.611 --> 00:02:01.311 Kids are late for class for working the midnight shift. 00:02:01.311 --> 00:02:05.433 (all) They give awards for best attendance but not for keeping your family off the streets. 00:02:05.433 --> 00:02:08.781 These kids will call your music ghetto. They will tell you you don't talk right. 00:02:08.781 --> 00:02:11.205 Then they'll get in the backseat of a car with all their friends 00:02:11.205 --> 00:02:14.603 (all) singing how they're "'Bout that life" and "We can't stop." 00:02:14.603 --> 00:02:16.392 (all) Somewhere in America 00:02:16.392 --> 00:02:17.953 schools are promoting self confidence 00:02:17.953 --> 00:02:22.224 (all) while they whip out their scales and shout out your body fat percentage in class. 00:02:22.224 --> 00:02:25.244 Where heftier girls are hiding away 00:02:25.244 --> 00:02:28.745 and the slim fit beauties can't help but giggle with pride. 00:02:28.745 --> 00:02:32.817 The preppy kids go thrift shopping because they think it sounds real fun. 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; 00:02:37.132 --> 00:02:39.631 mama only gets paid once a month. 00:02:39.631 --> 00:02:41.693 (all) Somewhere in America 00:02:41.693 --> 00:02:44.339 a girl is getting felt up by a grown man on a subway. 00:02:44.339 --> 00:02:47.391 She's still in her school uniform and that's part of the appeal. 00:02:47.391 --> 00:02:50.488 It's hard to run in knee socks and Mary Jane's 00:02:50.488 --> 00:02:52.861 (all) and all her male teachers know it, too. 00:02:52.861 --> 00:02:56.334 Coaches cover up star players raping freshmen after the dance. 00:02:56.334 --> 00:02:58.745 Women are killed for rejecting a date 00:02:58.745 --> 00:03:01.182 but God forbid I bring my girlfriend to prom. 00:03:01.182 --> 00:03:03.574 A girl is blackout drunk at the after party. 00:03:03.574 --> 00:03:05.714 Take a picture before her wounds wake her. 00:03:05.714 --> 00:03:08.151 (all) How many pixels is your sanity worth? 00:03:08.151 --> 00:03:10.381 What's a 4.0 to a cold jury? 00:03:10.381 --> 00:03:12.204 (all) What'd you learn in class today? 00:03:12.204 --> 00:03:13.825 Don't walk fast. Don't speak loud. 00:03:13.825 --> 00:03:14.933 Keep your hands to yourself. 00:03:14.933 --> 00:03:15.993 (all) Keep your head down. 00:03:15.993 --> 00:03:17.646 Keep your eyes on your own paper. 00:03:17.646 --> 00:03:18.702 If you don't know the answer 00:03:18.702 --> 00:03:20.233 (all) fill in C. 00:03:20.233 --> 00:03:21.901 Always wear ear-buds when you ride the bus alone. 00:03:21.901 --> 00:03:23.085 I you feel like someone's following you 00:03:23.085 --> 00:03:24.524 (all) pretend you're on the phone. 00:03:24.524 --> 00:03:25.431 A teacher never fails. 00:03:25.431 --> 00:03:26.733 (all) Only you do. 00:03:26.733 --> 00:03:28.703 (all) Every state in America. 00:03:28.703 --> 00:03:34.613 (all) The greatest lessons are the ones you don't remember learning.