“Ms. Donovan, have you even read this book you want to ban?”
“Mrs. Donovan.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’m Mrs. Sean Donovan, not Ms. Donovan and I don’t read books with filthy language.”
“And you know this without having read it?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that offends me.”
“It shouldn’t, but I apologize, Mrs. Fisher.”
“Ms. Fisher. Juliana Fisher. My husband’s last name is Martin.”
Mrs. Donovan snorted, crossed her arms and glared at Juliana. Many in the conference room snickered, while others adopted Donovan’s glare and body language.
“I agree this book is inappropriate for a third grader, but I’d like tell you a true story about young children.”
Donovan unhinged an arm to flap her hand in Juliana’s direction.
“Thank you. Fifty years ago, when I was 18, a neighbor who was six said fuck in front of me.”
The Arm Fold Brigade gasped as one, while others in the room nodded and a few laughed out loud.
“I told the boy not to say that word because he didn’t know what it meant. He then proceeded to explain what it meant in great detail. I’m pretty sure he had a better grasp of the definition than I did.
“Children have always known more than we think they do. Banning books can prevent them from developing critical thinking skills which are important for our community and country. Let's give them the opportunity to become thinking adults.”
Boos and applause followed Juliana to her seat.
About the Creator
Kat Nove
I'm a native Texan who would rather pour a colony of fire ants down my ear canal than listen to country & western music. Willie Nelson is the exception to this rule.
My website is https://babblethenbite.com/
Two Pink Lines
I had never really felt like a child. I'd always had to raise myself. My mother was just a teenager when she'd had me and consequently, we had spent my whole childhood arguing and fighting like a couple of sisters as opposed to mother and daughter. My father was older than my mother but still had some maturing to do himself. He focused his entire life on me, his little girl but never realized the pressure that put on me. I always felt I had to raise him even as he was trying to raise me. We raised each other. Then, I met him. He cares, he shows me a love like I've never known. For once, it's about me and I don't have to focus on other people's needs and what someone needs from me. Someone always wants something from you. That is what my parents have taught me. Love is selfish but it isn't with him. He is perfect, beautiful, funny, and can take me to places I've only dreamed about. Places outside my mind and my own pathetic life and I know that I will always love him. When we first met, I wanted him to have my children, but now? Right now, with us both still in high school? This is all happening so soon. I slipped into the restroom at work. It had been 6 weeks since my last menstrual and this was not normal. I couldn't wait any longer. I put the top on the test and waited. These 60 seconds felt like forever. What would we do? We were both seniors so we didn't have long to go before school was over but this was not the plan. The plan was for him to join the Army and me the National Guard and for me to get my associate's degree and then we marry, then have kids.
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