Question

describe coles first encounter with what appears to be spirit bear.

discussion:

review the four comments made about cole at the circle on page 46 - 50. which comments do you agree with? which ones do you disagree with? justify your answer based on personal experience or examples from the text.

	agree	disagree	explanation for your answer.

| \that boy is dangerous,\ she said.
ext time he might kill someone. this circle justice has its place, but i oppose any plan that does not isolate cole matthews.\ | | | |

\cole must go to jail and get anger counseling,\ somebody said. \hes proved he cant be trusted.\
\cole is a risk to our children and our community,\ another person in the circle said. \we cant risk his release.\
\because of you, i have a son now who...\ her voice broke. \i have a son who has speech and coordination problems. he wakes up at night screaming with nightmares. five years, ten years, even a hundred years of jail cant change that. but never again should any other parent have to worry about this happening to their child. not sending you to jail would be a huge mistake.\

Explanation:

For Cole's first encounter with Spirit Bear:

Cole, while on the Alaskan island for Circle Justice, is wandering in the woods when he spots a large, white bear (Spirit Bear) that shouldn't naturally be in that region. He is immediately filled with anger and defiance, throws a rock at the bear, and shouts threats at it, challenging the bear to attack. The bear does not react and simply walks away, leaving Cole frustrated and enraged at being ignored.

For the Discussion Table:

1. Comment 1: Agree. Cole violently attacked Peter Driscal, showing he is capable of severe harm; isolating him temporarily protects others while he works on his anger.
2. Comment 2: Disagree. Jail alone may not address Cole's root anger issues; the Circle Justice program (with healing and accountability) is more likely to create long-term change than just jail-mandated counseling.
3. Comment 3: Agree. Cole's unprovoked, violent assault on Peter proves he poses a risk to vulnerable community members like children until he addresses his anger.
4. Comment 4: Agree. Cole's actions caused permanent, traumatic harm to Peter and his family; prioritizing community safety by removing Cole from unsupervised contact is a reasonable precaution.

Answer:

Cole's First Encounter with Spirit Bear:

Cole Matthews, exiled to an Alaskan island as part of Circle Justice, is roaming the woods when he spots a rare white Spirit Bear. Overcome with rage and a desire to assert dominance, he hurls a rock at the bear and screams threats at it. The bear remains unresponsive and calmly walks away, leaving Cole seething at being dismissed.

Discussion Table Responses:

Comment Text	Agree	Disagree	Explanation for your answer
"Cole must go to jail and get anger counseling," somebody said. "He's proved he can't be trusted."		X	Jail alone may not fix Cole's core anger issues; Circle Justice offers more holistic healing than jail-based counseling.
"Cole is a risk to our children and our community," another person in the Circle said. "We can't risk his release."	X		Cole's unprovoked assault on a peer shows he is a threat to vulnerable community members until he changes.
"Because of you, I have a son now who..." Her voice broke. "I have a son who has speech and coordination problems. He wakes up at night screaming with nightmares. Five years, ten years, even a hundred years of jail can't change that. But never again should any other parent have to worry about this happening to their child. Not sending you to jail would be a huge mistake."	X		Cole's actions caused permanent trauma to Peter and his family; prioritizing community safety is a reasonable step.