Mr. Tushman Character Analysis

Mr. Tushman is the principal of Beecher Prep, a private middle school in upper Manhattan. He's an older man with gray hair, and August describes him as perfectly normal-looking. Mr. Tushman also has a sense of humor about his name, which he uses to poke fun at himself and form relationships with his students. He's clearly able to see the nuance of his job, as when he bends the rules to allow Jack to not be expelled for punching Julian. With this, Mr. Tushman shows that he recognizes that it's important to encourage kids like Jack to stand up for their friends whenever possible. Mr. Tushman also stands up to Julian's mom when she raises concerns that August shouldn't be allowed at Beecher Prep. Though August observes that Mr. Tushman has a very minimal presence for much of the school year, Mr. Tushman admits at the end of the year that he was aware of Julian's bullying and could've done something about it had August confided in him. Mr. Tushman's final address at the graduation ceremony for the fifth and sixth graders is built around the idea that kindness is a choice, and it's not always an easy one to make. He encourages his students to choose kind whenever they can and to always be "kinder than necessary."