The world, for Jacob, is truly black and white. Once, when he was younger, his gym teacher called because Jacob had a meltdown during kickball when a kid threw the big red ball at him to tag him out. You don’t throw things at people, Jacob tearfully explained. It’s a rule! Why should a rule that works in one situation not work in another? If a bully taunts him and I tell him it’s all right to reciprocate – because sometimes that’s the only way to get these kids to leave him alone – why shouldn’t he do the same with a teacher who humiliates him in public?
