Kendal Hagler

Bitter Lessons Kendal Hagler

Diagnosed with a conduct disorder as well as sociopathic tendencies, thirteen-year-old Dylan Boeman had been expelled from more schools than he can count. Due to his parents' affluence, and their apparent indifference toward the safety of others, they manage to get Dylan accepted into one of the most acclaimed and academically advanced private schools in Brooklyn, Sheepshead Bay Boys Academy. Newly returning to teaching after an extended maternity leave, Riley Kofax is hired by Sheepshead to teach junior high English Language Arts. Unaware of Dylan's sordid past and unprepared to deal with his extreme antisocial behavior, Riley finds herself the unwitting victim of Dylan's cruelty. Her life is turned upside down as the boy deliberately conspires to make life a misery for his newest target. Through a series of vicious pranks, deceptions and scheming, Riley finds herself challenged in ways that she never imagined possible. She is mercilessly bullied by Dylan to the point where her job, her career, her freedom and ultimately Riley's life is threatened. In a time when bullying is a focal point in education reform, Bitter Lessons confronts the narrow tightrope an adult must walk when faced with a child who has a teacher's utter destruction as his goal. Without the support of the principal or even the police department, Riley struggles to find justice for herself and her family, as she is forced to confront a deviant child's malicious intents.