Talk, Talk, Sweet Charlotte

Chapter 1

"Dean, you are to report to the junior high school immediately." These words would redirect the focus of my job and ultimately change my life. The principal of an elementary school in Boise, Idaho spoke them in April of 2004. I worked for the Boise School District as a behavior interventionist, and had been working with a fourth grade boy who had lots of behavior problems. I was surprised that an assignment change would come with the school year coming to a close in six weeks.

"There is an emergency situation at the junior high and you are to be part of the team that is being put together." I was honored that my supervisor had selected me to help put out this fire. On the other hand, I was disappointed in having to leave my fourth grader. We had made wonderful progress in building a relationship, and were preparing a special project on the three largest snakes in the world. We had spent a lot of time researching, designing, and creating a poster for my student’s presentation. "Can I say goodbye to my student and his class?" "Yes, but make it quick. They need you up there now." The principal thanked me for the work I had done at his school. I said my good byes and encouraged my student to continue practicing his presentation. I later found out that he did a good job on his report.

On my way to the junior high, I pondered what the new junior high boy would be like. I had worked with 15 to 20 boys in the previous three years. My supervisor had assigned some students, and principals had assigned others. I had also worked in self-contained portables with up to eight students. There had only been one boy where I felt that I had been unsuccessful in improving his behavior. Coincidentally, I met that "one" at the junior high two years later and he gave me a "Hi Mr. L." and a big hug. Maybe I did reach him after all!

I arrived at the junior high and ventured into the main office where I was directed to see the vice-principal. I said that I was being reassigned and was reporting there to work with a student, and he replied, "Oh good, you’re here for Charlotte." Charlotte? That sounds like a girl’s name. Did I hear him right? He began to fill me in a little bit about Charlotte Tate. She has autism, is non-verbal, and is very aggressive. I noticed sweat beads forming on his brow and a sense of anxiety exuding from his person. The vice-principal was a strong looking man probably in his late forties. I later found out that he had played running back for the Boise State University Broncos, the New York Jets, and the Toronto Argonauts. How could a girl’s behavior affect these bodily responses from a man of his physical stature? He explained that a whole new program was being designed to facilitate the effort of working with Charlotte. A special, five-member team was being formed to work with her for the remainder of the school year. Charlotte wouldn’t be returning to school until the following week. We had three days to prepare for her return. The vice-principal told me to go to room 17 where another behavior interventionist would continue the briefing.

I entered the room and recognized a colleague whom I hadn’t seen in a while. Gary Washington had been permanently assigned to Charlotte and was out of the regular loop of behavior interventionists. Gary weighed about 260 pounds and was six feet tall. He was a weightlifter and enjoyed the martial arts. He had participated in professional boxing and extreme fighting. He is the kind of guy you would want on your side in the event of an altercation. He is a gentle giant, with a farm boy type of personality.