Chapter 11

Chapter 11 CLASH OF THE TEACHERS—OR JUST ANOTHER EPIC SCHOOL DAY AT WOODSWORD?! "Let me talk to Ms. Minerva," said Theo. "I think she'll listen to me." But he wasn't as confident as he tried to sound. It was early Monday morning, and Harper and Theo had arrived early at school. Their mission was simple: they had to convince Ms. Minerva to stop using harsh chemicals on Woodsword's lawn. It did not go as well as they had hoped. "Can't you just move the bees?" asked Ms. Minerva. "Well…," said Theo, "I suppose…" "We could move this particular hive," said Harper. "But this is part of a bigger problem. We want bees

to thrive in this area. It's better for the ecosystem if they do." "Not if it means letting the schoolyard become overrun with weeds," said Ms. Minerva. "Nobody wants that. Your parents would be the first to write angry letters. A school needs to look presentable." "But at what cost?" asked Harper. "Here, Ms. Minerva. I got this for you." She handed the teacher an apple blossom.

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"A flower? I don't understand." "There's a tradition where students give teachers a bright, shiny apple. But an apple at this time of year would have to be shipped in from another country on a carbon-emitting plane or boat. And for the apple to be perfectly bright and shiny, that probably means the farmers used chemicals, and threw away anything with a blemish." Harper shrugged. "Maybe we should be happy with what we have." "Hear, hear," said a voice from the doorway. Harper turned to see Doc. "I couldn't agree more, Harper. And I'm eager to see what changes will be made to the landscaping club."

"Hold on," said Ms. Minerva. "I haven't agreed to anything yet." "After such an impassioned speech?" said Doc. "If you'd been there for Buzby's funeral, you wouldn't be so heartless." "Who in the world is Buzby?" asked Ms. Minerva. "A fallen friend," said Doc. "He was poisoned by the landscaping club."

Minerva rolled her eyes, clearly thinking, Now what?! "My club isn't poisoning anybody." "Well, not on purpose," said Theo. "We've got a problem on our hands, Minerva," said Doc. "Fortunately, I've come up with some solutions." "Oh, I can just imagine your solutions," said Ms. Minerva, and she squeezed the bridge of her nose. "A lot of sharp objects on wheels, roaming the school grounds?" "I would phrase it as 'automated landscaping,'" argued Doc. "I'd really prefer that you not replace my students with robots," said Ms. Minerva. "It's your chemicals I want to replace," said Doc. "Listen, how sensitive is your nose? Because I've got a new fertilizer formula, but the result is very pungent…." Harper tried a few times to get a word in. But the teachers were firmly locked in their debate, with Doc pushing for the landscaping club to change the way it worked to something greener…and possibly more technologically robust. But she pushed too hard, relying on science that Ms. Minerva simply didn't trust.