- Miss Annie Rydell: She was afraid to come home, so I brought her. I know what happened at the high school.
- Rita Claiborne: She doesn't go to high school anymore, Miss Rydell. She starts work at the retarded workshop tomorrow. Some social worker's coming to put her there with all those other unwanted people. She could have had something better for herself and she threw it all away!
- Miss Annie Rydell: She's really hurting right now, Mrs. Claiborne. Look, I know the timing isn't the best, but I was wondering if you'd let Loretta keep Buster.
- Rita Claiborne: That dog? What's that, some sort of consolation prize? I know you're never going to belong Loretta, but you can keep my dog.
- Miss Annie Rydell: I was Loretta's teacher, Mrs. Claiborne, but I think of myself as her friend. And she's struggling right now, and she needs something to give her heart. She's always had this special love for Buster. You give her comfort.
- Rita Claiborne: That's a pretty speech, Miss Rydell, but no. I do not reward bad behavior in my children.
- [Rita heads back inside the house]
- Principal Sloane: It isn't fair, Mrs. Claiborne, and we will see that every penny Loretta raised is reimbursed.
- Rita Claiborne: She just worked like a horse to raise that money.
- Principal Sloane: We can't have violent behavior on school grounds.
- Rita Claiborne: And she cannot go to...
- Coach Nichols: See, Alice's parents will press charges against the school unless we expel Loretta.
- Rita Claiborne: And what am I supposed to do with a kid that ain't in school? I got six children, I work!
- Principal Sloane: We'll have to ask the county to reopen her file, I'm afraid.
- Rita Claiborne: Not the county. The last thing I need is to have some caseworker poking around in my family again.
- [after hearing much of the conversation outside the office, Loretta runs off]
- Mrs. Norman: Mrs. Claiborne, where are you going?
- Rita Claiborne: I'm taking Loretta home so Loretta can tell her brothers and sisters what she learned.
- Mrs. Norman: Mrs. Claiborne, just because Loretta can parrot a word she says, she's far from...
- Rita Claiborne: Mrs. Norman, a month ago, that child couldn't walk, now she walks. Today, she spoke a word. If my child can learn one word, she can learn two. If my child can learn, praise God, she still has a chance in this tough, old world.