Charley Wins Prizes
Charley has taken his class hostage; he is seven.
His classmates are terrified of his out-of-control behaviors.
There is a perpetual glare on his face, he seems angry always.
He snarls and growls, sneers, and prowls around as they try
to do their work. His work is on the floor where he has thrown it.
or it is in the garbage can where he has crumpled or ripped it.
He punched an adult guest in the solar plexus last week in front
of his classmates, shocking them. The adult forgave him, saying it was
no big deal, but some of his peers are more afraid of him now.
In an effort to encourage him to be good, Charley is able to win
prizes for his good behaviors. He has won sixteen prizes
this week for following rules other children have always followed –
a prize for staying in class for ten minutes, a prize for not hitting anyone
for fifteen minutes, a prize for not destroying property for an hour.
We are incredulous that the Prize-Awarders can keep up with Charley’s prizes.
Charley is proud of his multitude of prizes, he flaunts them daily, in front
of the classmates he terrorizes minute by minute. He gets a prize if he does
not hit someone for an hour, and another prize for not breaking a windshield.
Other children in first grade who used to behave beautifully are now breaking
windshields, and punching adults.
No one can figure out why.
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