Greene: Kids know better than Bruce

Douglas Bruce had something teachy to say after kicking a photographer on the House floor. "I'm glad that he maybe finally learned a lesson," the state rep told reporters following his tirade.

Funny, because some Denver preschoolers reckon it's Bruce, not Rocky Mountain News shooter Javier Manzano, who needs the lesson.

Just as the Colorado Springs Republican was letting loose on Manzano's knee Monday morning, 4-year-olds at the Bright Star Learning Center were reading a "Berenstain Bears" book about forgetting their manners. The story made such an impression that, during circle time Tuesday, they offered advice to the lawmaker 53 years their elder.

"Use your words, not your body," said Madison Dixon.

Kai Labbe suggested Bruce may need "to take five with Freddy Frog." That would entail sitting on a beanbag in the corner of the classroom and discussing his outburst with a stuffed green amphibian.

"And while he's sitting," Kai added, "he shouldn't be able to play with toys, either."

After digressing into chatter about "Cars" characters and a sick baby sister, the kids debated whether Bruce should be "carried away by the police people" or sent home from the Capitol with an "oops form" instead. That's the school's way of notifying parents about aggressive behavior.

"His mom and dad would be really mad, even if he's an old guy," said Reid Kamionka.

The students decided Bruce should be afforded the same second chance their teachers offer — allowing them to rip up their oops forms if they improve their behavior.

Instead, the lawmaker only dug his hole deeper in the sandbox that is the state Capitol by demanding that Manzano apologize for ignoring his warnings by snapping his picture during a prayer.

"Too bad," said little Reid. "He really could have turned his day around."

Across town at Curtis Park's Montessori Academy of Colorado, two students had discussed the blowup over breakfast.

"Oh yeah, my mom and dad know all about that guy," Mateo Dougherty said knowingly.

The 3- to 6-year-olds in the academy's primary class use a "peace rose" to resolve their conflicts.

"You have to work it out with another person if you hitted them or didn't listen," said Ella Freimuth,who demonstrated the ritual with her friend Milan Canby.

"Here goes," began Ella, offering Milan the fake white flower. "Please don't kick me."

"OK," said Milan, accepting the rose. "I'm sorry."

Then both girls held the stem together, pronounced, "We declare peace," and took their places on the rug.

Other classes at the academy take a different tack by ignoring the aggressor and focusing on the victim.

That might be irksome to Bruce, whose name has appeared 853 times on these pages since a computer started counting.

The man who twice has "used his words" to call this columnist a moron described Monday's incident as "more like a nudge, a poke, a prod" than a kick.

"It wasn't like I pulled back and really whacked it," he said.

In his defense, Coloradans should give Bruce the benefit of the doubt when it comes to basic civility.

Offered 4-year-old Cameron Scheller: "Maybe he missed that day in preschool."

Susan Greene writes twice weekly. Reach her at 303-954-1989 or greene@ denverpost.com.

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