Chapter 19

This chapter revolves around a Lori breakdown. Torey hears a scream and Lori ends up running into the classroom and hiding under an art cabinet. She does not stop sobbing for a very long time. When her general education teacher and the principal finally come to Torey's room, they tell her that everything was normal and that Lori was goofing off, and when the teacher yelled at her she ended up throwing up and running out of the room screaming. Edna, the general education teacher, insists that Lori is crazy. She also wants the principal to call a mental hospital and have Lori be taken away, because she feels that there is no point having a crazy person in the classroom. Torey convinces them to let Lori stay in her room until she feels better.

Lori stays in the room pretty much all day, and the other children (Tomaso and Claudia) are upset. Torey becomes frustrated when Tomaso keeps trying to talk to Lori, to which he responds, "But she needs me!". This once again shows how strong of a bond Tomaso and Lori now share.

Lori stays under the art cabinet all day. When all of the students have left and Lori's father has been called to come get her, Torey sits by Lori and starts singing. After awhile Lori finally comes out to be held by Torey, and Torey tells her that she won't let anything bad happen to her and that they will get through anything together.

I found this situation to be very interesting, and once again it is something that one does not usually think about when they imagine their 'perfect' career as an educator. Then I realize that this is all a part of the job, and that we have to be ready for any kind of situation, and not knowing why students do certain things but just to try to be there to help them through whatever they are going through. I think sometimes it is important to remember that we are not always going to understand why students are doing things, but that it is important to show them that no matter what, we care about them, and we are going to make them feel safe.