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Andy Peterson
Ms. Rawle is a teacher at RAD. Jordan, Drew, Liam, Andy, and several of Jordan’s other friends have her for homeroom. Though she appears kind and openminded at first, Jordan and Drew eventually come to see her as a bigoted antagonist. She regularly calls Drew “DeAndre,” the name of an older Black student and a known troublemaker, and she draws unwanted attention to kids on financial aid. In addition, she is disproportionately harsh toward some of the Black students, as when she deems Jordan and Drew antisocial for not wanting to go outside and study in the freezing weather with their classmates. Maddeningly for Jordan, he discovers that Ms. Rawle doesn’t believe that the Black students should complain about others’ subtle (or not-so-subtle) racism: when she finds Jordan’s sketchbook and reads his comics about various microaggressions he’s experienced, she characterizes him as angry and unhappy—and she attempts to tell Jordan that he should feel “special” for attending RAD. It seems to impact her when Jordan asks if she’d be willing to teach in his neighborhood so she could feel the same kind of “special.”
Ms. Rawle Quotes in New Kid
The New Kid quotes below are all either spoken by Ms. Rawle or refer to Ms. Rawle . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 4 Quotes
“Are there any other questions? Especially from you new students? DeAndre? Jordan? Alexandra?”
“My name is Drew.”
“I’m sorry, Drew. DeAndre is one my former students. He was a real handful.”
[bell rings]
“I can’t believe she called him DeAndre.”
“Some kid called me Maury yesterday.”
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Chapter 6 Quotes
“Well, Jerome, we’d better break this up before they think we’re starting a gang or something.”
“You got it, Demetrius. I’m glad we finally got a chance to talk.”
“Later, dawg!”
“DeAndre?”
“Drew.”
“I really don’t think it’s nice to call Jordan a dog.”
“I didn’t really, it was just a joke.”
“He’s a human being, not a dog. And I think it would be nice if you apologized.”
“And I think it would be nice if you apologized for always calling me DeAndre.”
“Excuse me, young man?!”
“Besides, Andy calls people dawg all the time. Why don’t you ever say something to him?! And I’m not sorry, ‘cause Jordan knows I was just playin’! But I’ll tell you what I am sorry for…I’m sorry I ever came to this stupid school.”
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“Ms. Rawle says that you and Drew don’t associate with the other kids. You stay inside while the rest of the class is outside. What’s going on? Are kids picking on you?”
“No, that’s not why. Besides, that just happened today for the first time!”
“Then why, Jordan? You can tell me, son.”
“It’s winter, Dad! It’s COLD out!!! Who wants to sit in the grass when it’s freezing outside?”
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“The point is, in order to be successful in corporate America, you have to know how to play the game.”
“But not everyone can play that game, Ellice. Nor should they have to! That’s why I left that life. They don’t give you all the pieces or even teach you the rules. […]”
“But if you had stayed, you might be editorial director by now. […] That’s why it’s important that Jordan learns the rules now. And that’s what this school can do for us.”
“If he can handle feeling like an outsider. […]”
“Are we talking about Jordan, or you, Chuck? This will open up new doors. Colleges, networking…opportunities that you and I never had.”
“By ninth grade, if he still wants to go to art school, he should be able to go. It’s Jordan’s life, Ellice. Not ours!”
“Fine!!!”
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Chapter 10 Quotes
I wish I was Batman!
Not just for all the cool reasons.
[…]
Or the fact that he’s rich. Not just rich—sooooooooooo rich!
I wish I was Batman so that I could fit in anywhere! One minute he’s at a board meeting.
And the next, he’s in the most dangerous part of town. Completely fearless!
Although, he never seems to have any friends.
[…]
But luckily that’s not me anymore.
But unlike me, Batman is always in control of EVERYTHING!
[…]
And I really love how Batman always stands up for the little guys.
Because usually that “little guy” is me!
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Chapter 12 Quotes
And at that moment, it all became too much!
Too much of kids like me trying to fit in.
Too much of kids who should fit in trying hard not to.
Too much of good kids being blamed for being bad!
Too much of bad kids getting rewarded for their mean behavior!
And wayyyy too much of me feeling like I’m never in control of anything!
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Chapter 13 Quotes
“But how can I be attacking the school if all this stuff really happens? I mean, no offense, but you call Drew by the wrong name all the time. And the year is almost over. And some kids DO look down on kids on financial aid. And kids stare. All the time! It’s not always easy being so different!”
“But Jordan, being different is a blessing. It’s what makes you special.”
“I’m tired of being special! Being special stinks!”
“You and Drew should be proud to be here. I know I am. Just embrace the school and allow it to embrace you back. I just want you to be happy, Jordan.”
“Oh, I see…it’s okay that this stuff happens to us…it’s just not okay for us to complain about it. Ms. Rawle, can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, Jordan, you may.”
“Would you teach at a school in my neighborhood? You know, so you could be special?”
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Get the entire New Kid LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Ms. Rawle Character Timeline in New Kid
The timeline below shows where the character Ms. Rawle appears in New Kid. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Liam rolls his eyes and tells Jordan to follow him to Ms. Rawle ’s homeroom class. Andy has the same homeroom, so he follows. He tells Jordan that...
(full context)
Chapter 4
In homeroom, Ms. Rawle announces that students will soon have to choose a sport or theater as an after-school...
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Chapter 6
...Drew got. Drew modestly admits he scored more than 100%, counting the extra credit problems. Ms. Rawle calls the class to order, announcing that the kids can have study hall outside in...
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...well, but that’s it—and taking Andy’s position as quarterback likely doesn’t help. They discuss how Ms. Rawle always calls Drew “DeAndre” and the other things that bother them. Kids stare whenever they...
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...jokingly calling each other “Jerome” and “Demetrius.” Drew calls Jordan “dawg” as they part ways. Ms. Rawle overhears, and she calls “DeAndre” (Drew) over to scold him for dehumanizing Jordan. Drew refuses...
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...to know, but he’s catching up. Then, Dad asks if Jordan is okay. According to Ms. Rawle , Jordan and Drew stay inside while everyone else goes outside. Are they being bullied?...
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Chapter 8
After Thanksgiving break, students return and discuss their expensive ski trips. In homeroom, Ms. Rawle announces the rules for their class secret Santa exchange. Each person should give three gifts;...
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Chapter 12
...pushes at Drew, and Drew pushes back. Andy slips on an apple and falls down. Ms. Rawle appears out of nowhere and demands that Drew come to talk to Headmaster Hansen. Drew...
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Both Mr. Garner and Mr. Roche approach and tell Ms. Rawle that they believe Drew and Jordan. Drew takes the opportunity to point out DeAndre, now...
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Chapter 13
...where his sketchbook might be, and he hurries to school the next day. He enters Ms. Rawle ’s classroom to find her flipping through his sketchbook, which he insists is private. She’s...
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Ms. Rawle explains that she found the sketchbook in the cafeteria yesterday, opened it to find its...
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Jordan asks how he’s “attacking the school” when everything he writes and draws about happens. Ms. Rawle , for instance, constantly calls Drew the wrong name, kids are bullied for being on...
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