Stanley Cunningham (Bruce Norris)

Character Analysis

Stanley Cunningham is Cole's teacher. He and Cole have a notable negative encounter when Cole decides he doesn't like the way the teacher is looking at him and ends up using some of his intel from the spirit world to attack back.

Cole's already in an anxious state after seeing ghosts of people hanged in the building when it was a courthouse back in the day. Apparently, Cole's sixth sense also alerted him to the fact that old Mr. Cunningham used to be "Stuttering Stanley" in his own school days. Since Mr. C is making Cole feel all agitated and angry by his staring, Cole decides to turn that feeling right back around on Teach.

Stanley does not react well. His stutter actually returns in that moment, and after Cole keeps repeating "Stuttering Stanley! Stuttering Stanley!" about a thousand times, he finally loses his temper:

MR. CUNNINGHAM: Shut up, you freak!

Not exactly the most teacherly behavior, eh? To be fair, what's a teacher to do with a student who mysteriously knows your past secrets—have him write a 500-word essay about it?

Anyway, Mr. Cunningham tries to make nice with Cole later. Nothing says "I'm sorry" like casting you as the lead in the elementary school play.