Deviant by Adrian McKinty

myself, but one of the things I didn’t appreciate at that school was its lack of diversity. One thousand little white boys does not reflect America.”
    Mr. Lebkuchen smiled and shook his head. “Oh, I completely agree. First of all, we’re a small school. Danny will be our hundredth pupil, I believe. I know all of them by name, most of their parents by name too. And we’re coed here. Girls and boys are going to have to work together in the real world, so why shouldn’t they start in school? And thirdly, we are very diverse. We’re about ten percent Latino, we have Native American students from the Cherokee and Ute Nations, and we also have a couple of African American kids from Colorado Springs.”
    â€œHmm,” Walt said as Juanita patted him on the leg.
    â€œAnd what’s your background, if you don’t mind me asking?” Walt wondered.
    â€œMixed-up!” Mr. Lebkuchen said with a laugh. “I was born at the hospital in Fort Carson, Colorado, not a million miles from here—my father was in the US Army—and I actually spent my early years in Okinawa, Japan.”
    â€œHow lovely,” Juanita said, embarrassed by Walt’s question.
    â€œIt was certainly an experience. Anyway, after Japan we ended up in Denver; I went to East High School and then Columbia University and Teachers College in New York. I taught in the New York City public schools for three years before coming back to Colorado. I did some private tutoring and then I found out about this place, the old Cobalt Tesla Elementary, which had closed down in the late 2000s because of a lack of students.”
    â€œIt seems to be doing OK now,” Juanita said.
    â€œYes! Before we opened, most Cobalt and Manitou parents wanted to send their kids to one of the bigger schools in the Springs, but now my phone is ringing off the hook with parents from as far away as Denver who want to send their children here.”
    â€œWe’re very grateful you took Danny,” Juanita said.
    â€œYou can thank Mr. Glynn for that. He’s sponsored our school since the beginning.”
    Yeah, ever since he wanted to build a casino just up the road, Danny thought.
    They talked for five more minutes, Mr. Lebkuchen explaining homework, demerits, notes for being late, notes for illnesses, and so on. Juanita and Walt assured theprincipal that Danny would be good, would come on time, and would do his homework. Mr. Lebkuchen said that he was sure that Danny would be an asset to the school and soon he would become a math star or a reading star or both.
    Mr. Lebkuchen gave him a pair of white gloves to put on. Thus ridiculously clad, Danny was taken, along with his parents, down a pristine corridor decorated with the kind of watercolor landscapes you saw in cancer wards or insane asylums.
    They stopped outside 9B and Mr. Lebkuchen said, “Miss Benson’s great … you’ll like her.”
    He entered without knocking. All the students immediately stood up.
    â€œSit, sit,” Mr. Lebkuchen said affably.
    â€œGood morning, Miss Benson,” Mr. Lebkuchen said.
    â€œGood morning, Principal Lebkuchen,” Miss Benson replied.
    Room 9B was an airy space that faced the playground and the mountains. Miss Benson was a forty-year-old white lady with brown eyes, brown glasses, and black hair cut medium length. She had an unmemorable face but spoke with a Southern twang that Danny found pleasing.
    â€œWe have a new student, Miss Benson. I trust that you can accommodate him,” Mr. Lebkuchen said.
    â€œOf course, Principal Lebkuchen.”
    There were about fifteen kids in the class. Danny recognized Tony, but when he gave her a little wave she did not wave back.
    â€œBoys and girls, this is Daniel Brown,” Principal Lebkuchen said, getting both parts of his name wrong. “He has recently moved here from Nevada. This is his first day, and I’m sure you’ll treat him with the respect