 Mr. Jordan, a high school history teacher, assigns to his class a list of books to be read. It turns out that, unbeknownst to Mr. Jordan, one of the books has been placed on a list of "subversive" literature. Soon a whispering campaign begins against Mr. Jordan, accusing him of being a "Communist subversive" who is "poisoning our children s minds." Mr. Hughes, one of the leaders of the movement, finally makes the accusations public at a PTA meeting. It turns out, though, that Ernie, Mr. Hughes  son who is the editor of the school paper, has read the book in question, and liked it. Soon some of the same people who accused the teacher of subversion begin to see "Communist" and "socialist" philosophies creeping into Ernie s editorials. When Ernie proposes that the city establish a teen recreation center, that is seen as "proof" of his subversive Communist tendencies, and soon a whispering campaign also begins against Ernie.