Daily English 439 - Talking about Censorship

Complete Lesson

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Dialogue/Story

Slow Speed begins at: 1:37
Explanation begins at: 3:53
Normal Speed begins at: 14:00

The school that my daughter attends is trying to decide whether or not to ban certain books, which some parents think are inappropriate. The school called a parents meeting to talk over the issue.

At the meeting, one woman said: “The books on this list are obscene! I don’t want my children reading that filth!”

Another parent responded: “That’s absurd! Haven’t you ever heard of free speech? Banning books violates everything we Americans believe in.”

Another parent said: “I don’t like the way this book portrays history. To me, it’s morally objectionable.”

Still another parent complained: “There is too much graphic violence in these books and I won’t allow my son to be exposed to it.”

A parent stood up and yelled: “People who want to ban books are fear mongering. They don’t give our kids enough credit.”

The meeting turned into a shouting match. If you ask me, I’m very glad that none of the students were at this meeting. They would be learning an important lesson, but not one that any parent would want!

Category: Government + Law