Mac, Marci, and Denis prepare to talk to the school board about the censorship issue at their school. Mac feels like he is lying to his friends because he hasn’t told them about his dad leaving, but he can’t find a good time or way to tell them. He also feels ashamed of the situation and worries that he is going to be like his dad, so he’d rather avoid talking about it.

At the school board meeting, Denis and Mac are nervous, but Marci has rehearsed her presentation and delivers it perfectly. When asked how he feels, Mac says that censorship is wrong and that censoring a story about the Holocaust because people think boys are not mature enough to handle it is even worse because it is insulting and sexist. After he speaks, he zones out, imagining that the men in the room believe he is misguided because his dad has left him. Denis and Marci finish the presentation by explaining that they need their books to be replaced and urging the board to adopt a policy to prevent future censorship. 

After their presentation, the school board members are dismissive; they tell them they can come back to the next meeting but do not agree to make any changes.