1. Mr. Atkins wants to clean up the area known as "Brown Town" before the news crew films it because he doesn't want any more bad publicity for the school and doesn't want to make the situation worse. 2. There is something ironic about Mr. Atkins' statement that "We don't want this thing blown out of proportion" given that bomb threats were made which could have literally blown things up. 3. Steve's motivations for speaking with Haroon were to get on camera, because he knows Haroon's friend Julian, and maybe to appear like a good guy by being friends with a Muslim kid.

1. BIFOCAL
CHAPTER 14
DECEMBER 2019
M. RIDDELL

2. 1. WHY DOES MR. ATKINS WANT TO CLEAN
UP “BROWN TOWN” BEFORE THE NEWS CREW
FILM IT?
• HE DOESN’T WANT ANYMORE BAD PUBLICITY FOR THE SCHOOL.
• HE ALSO DOESN’T TO MAKE THE SITUATION ANY WORSE.

3. 2. IS THERE ANYTHING IRONIC (THE OPPOSITE OF
WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT) ABOUT MR. ATKINS’
STATEMENT, “WE DON’T WANT THIS THING BLOWN
OUT OF PROPORTION”?
• BOMB THREATS WERE MADE, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SOMEONE OR
THING LITERALLY BEING BLOWN UP, SO IT IS IRONIC THAT HE USES THAT
PHRASE ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

4. 3. WHAT WERE STEVE’S MOTIVATIONS FOR
SPEAKING WITH HAROON?
• TO GET ON CAMERA
• HE KNOWS HAROON’S FRIEND, JULIAN
• MAYBE TO BE SEEN AS A GOOD GUY, APPEARING TO BE FRIENDS WITH A MUSLIM
KID

5. 4. WHY DID HAROON NOT WANT TO TALK
ABOUT AZEEM?
• HE DOESN’T KNOW STEVE AND JAY THAT WELL
• HE MIGHT BE WORRIED ABOUT HOW THEY’LL USE WHAT HE TELLS THEM

6. 5. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAROON DID NOT
AGREE WITH STEVE THAT GETTING ARRESTED WAS
EXCITING?
• HAROON WAS ALMOST ARRESTED TOO, AND IT WAS SCARY NOT EXCITING.

7. 6. WHY DID MS. SINGH CONTINUE TO
QUESTION OR COMMENT ON WHAT THE
PRINCIPAL WAS SAYING?
• MS. SINGH WAS WORRIED THAT THE PRINCIPAL MIGHT TRY TO KEEP THE PRESS
OUT.
• SHE BELIEVES IN THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND DOESN’T WANT TO HIDE
WHAT HAPPENED EVEN IF IT MIGHT MAKE THE SCHOOL LOOK BAD.