The Unteachables

In class, Mr. Kermit divides the kids into reading groups. Kiana works with Parker on anagrams some days. On other days, when Parker works with a reading specialist, Kiana joins Barnstorm, Mateo, and Rahim. At times Rahim isn’t with them—Mr. Kermit gets him into part-time art classes at the community college.

Mr. Kermit starts using the puffy-tails to teach economics by allowing the kids to sell or trade them. After Kiana lends a bunch to Aldo, Barnstorm calls the loan stupid because Aldo will never pay her back. In response, Kiana accuses Barnstorm of hoarding the tails, something equally pointless since “all those puffy-tails will be worthless” in high school next year (186).

In the wake of the argument, Kiana realizes she’s talking like she isn’t going to be leaving. She decides she’s “got to get back to LA—and fast” (187).

Principal Vargas is on her way to show the first semester progress reports to Dr. Thaddeus. On the way, she thinks about how dedicated and driven Mr. Kermit was when he first started teaching, his decline after the scandal, and his recent return to the teacher he once was. As she hands the reports to Dr.