Read Online The Chamber of Five by Michael Harmon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Harmon
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what?”
Brooke fidgeted.
“Tell him, Brooke,” I said.
“No.”
“It has everything to do with what is wrong with this place.”
She took a moment. “He made me take my shirt off in the Chamber. To get into the Group.”
Elvis whistled. “Wow. That’s bad.”
“I know. And he’s making me get that kid, Thomas Singletary, kicked out of Lambert.” I looked at Elvis. “That was why Carter brought you in, Elvis. I refused to go after the kid, and he used you to get me to agree.”
Brooke stared at me, then stood. “So you really
did
do the food drive thing? God, you’re an ass.”
“No, no. It’s all a power play. I wouldn’t do it so they did. It’s like a twisted game.”
Elvis listened, his big ears like satellites, and Brooke frowned. “So what do you want to do?”
“Will you sit?” I said, looking around.
She did.
I took out the list of contributors to the school, including the donations to the new wing. “This school is screwed up.” I put the list on the table. “Look, every new member of the Group this year has a parent connected to that contribution list in a big way, including you, Brooke.” I sat back. “Now, look at the general-fund list.”
They did, and saw that there were general-fund donations listed from fifty dollars on up to two hundred thousand dollars. Elvis’s parents had donated fifty-five dollars. Brooke’s mother had donated twenty-five thousand dollars. She saw the comparison and crossed her arms, shifting uncomfortably. Elvis saw his last name and smiled. “My dad worked overtime for that. Pretty cool, huh?”
I nodded, then pulled another list out, one I’d made myself.“Now, look at this list, and what you’ll see is that every single member of the Leadership Group has a parent who has donated at
least
ten thousand dollars … compared to the average donation to Lambert of one hundred fifty-six dollars.”
Brooke read over the lists, then looked up. “So wealthy people can give more. They should. Your dad gave more than my mom. Way more.”
I shook my head. “No. What we’re seeing is that you have to buy a place into the Leadership Group in a school meant for
gifted
students, and you know it. We all know it, but we just put up with it. Don’t you think that a leadership group at a school for gifted students should be full of … gifted students?”
Elvis scratched his head. “What is there to do about it?”
I plopped the school charter on the table. “It’s all in there.”
Brooke frowned. “Explain.”
Elvis nodded. “Yes, please. I’m afraid I don’t do well with abstract thought. Please keep it linear.”
I looked at him like I knew what that meant, then went on. “When this school began, the regular student council voted who would be a part of the Leadership Group, and it was based on one thing. Academics. But for some reason, they took the academic requirements out when the Chamber of Five was formed. Then it ended up being that the Chamber picked who was in the Leadership Group.”
They stared at me.
“So what I’m saying is that in the charter, the regular student council has the power, with a majority vote, to decide who will be in the Youth Leadership Group.
Their
power is higher than the Chamber of Five’s, because as far as thecharter goes”—I looked at both of them—“the Chamber doesn’t exist.”
Brooke sat back. “Oh God.”
Elvis piped in, “So what? You’ll never get the student council to approve a vote on anything. The Chamber rules them.”
I shrugged. “Only if those on the student council let them.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “You, Jason, are crazy.”
Elvis frowned. “What? What’s going on?”
I grinned. “I’m running for president of the student council.”
Brooke shook her head. “Besides being insane, you do realize you need a majority approval from the student council? You can’t pass anything without three other members’ approval.” She eyed me. “And if you think even
Brooke fidgeted.
“Tell him, Brooke,” I said.
“No.”
“It has everything to do with what is wrong with this place.”
She took a moment. “He made me take my shirt off in the Chamber. To get into the Group.”
Elvis whistled. “Wow. That’s bad.”
“I know. And he’s making me get that kid, Thomas Singletary, kicked out of Lambert.” I looked at Elvis. “That was why Carter brought you in, Elvis. I refused to go after the kid, and he used you to get me to agree.”
Brooke stared at me, then stood. “So you really
did
do the food drive thing? God, you’re an ass.”
“No, no. It’s all a power play. I wouldn’t do it so they did. It’s like a twisted game.”
Elvis listened, his big ears like satellites, and Brooke frowned. “So what do you want to do?”
“Will you sit?” I said, looking around.
She did.
I took out the list of contributors to the school, including the donations to the new wing. “This school is screwed up.” I put the list on the table. “Look, every new member of the Group this year has a parent connected to that contribution list in a big way, including you, Brooke.” I sat back. “Now, look at the general-fund list.”
They did, and saw that there were general-fund donations listed from fifty dollars on up to two hundred thousand dollars. Elvis’s parents had donated fifty-five dollars. Brooke’s mother had donated twenty-five thousand dollars. She saw the comparison and crossed her arms, shifting uncomfortably. Elvis saw his last name and smiled. “My dad worked overtime for that. Pretty cool, huh?”
I nodded, then pulled another list out, one I’d made myself.“Now, look at this list, and what you’ll see is that every single member of the Leadership Group has a parent who has donated at
least
ten thousand dollars … compared to the average donation to Lambert of one hundred fifty-six dollars.”
Brooke read over the lists, then looked up. “So wealthy people can give more. They should. Your dad gave more than my mom. Way more.”
I shook my head. “No. What we’re seeing is that you have to buy a place into the Leadership Group in a school meant for
gifted
students, and you know it. We all know it, but we just put up with it. Don’t you think that a leadership group at a school for gifted students should be full of … gifted students?”
Elvis scratched his head. “What is there to do about it?”
I plopped the school charter on the table. “It’s all in there.”
Brooke frowned. “Explain.”
Elvis nodded. “Yes, please. I’m afraid I don’t do well with abstract thought. Please keep it linear.”
I looked at him like I knew what that meant, then went on. “When this school began, the regular student council voted who would be a part of the Leadership Group, and it was based on one thing. Academics. But for some reason, they took the academic requirements out when the Chamber of Five was formed. Then it ended up being that the Chamber picked who was in the Leadership Group.”
They stared at me.
“So what I’m saying is that in the charter, the regular student council has the power, with a majority vote, to decide who will be in the Youth Leadership Group.
Their
power is higher than the Chamber of Five’s, because as far as thecharter goes”—I looked at both of them—“the Chamber doesn’t exist.”
Brooke sat back. “Oh God.”
Elvis piped in, “So what? You’ll never get the student council to approve a vote on anything. The Chamber rules them.”
I shrugged. “Only if those on the student council let them.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “You, Jason, are crazy.”
Elvis frowned. “What? What’s going on?”
I grinned. “I’m running for president of the student council.”
Brooke shook her head. “Besides being insane, you do realize you need a majority approval from the student council? You can’t pass anything without three other members’ approval.” She eyed me. “And if you think even
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