Torey teaches special education and the her classroom is referred to by the other teachers as the "garbage class". Her room becomes a dumping ground for all the children that do not fit in or are not wanted in regular classrooms.
On Sheila's first day she exhibits her defiance by taking the goldfish out of the aquarium and plucking their eyes out with a pencil.
In an effort to connect with Sheila and improve the little girl's hygiene, Torey buys Sheila hair barrettes. Every morning, Sheila counts the hair bands and chooses the ones she wants to wear that day. At the end of the day, Sheila replaces the bands that she wore because she doesn't want her father to take them from.....