The Unteachables

The entire class gets suspended for Spirit Week, and Mateo uses the time to reconsider his character equivalent for Mr. Kermit, landing somewhere between the Grinch and Yoda. When the kids return to school the following Monday, they find room 117 looking like an actual classroom and Mr. Kermit actually enthusiastic to be there.

Ms. Fountain arrives and pins up a GOODBUNNIES poster, which has all the kids’ names listed at one side and pictures of carrots on the other. Every time one of the kids does something good, they get a puffy bunny tail sticker beside their name; when a tail reaches the carrot, that student gets a reward. Ms. Fountain puts one tail beside each name to start with in recognition of their vuvuzela prank, and Mateo feels “like I’ve accomplished something” (136-37). As Ms. Fountain is about to leave, Jake Terranova shows up out of the blue.

While Parker is amazed to see Jake Terranova in their classroom, Mr. Kermit grimaces as if he “smells something really bad” (138). Jake explains that he, not Mr. Kermit, was responsible for the cheating scandal 27 years ago.