As the penduum swings

[wendyzski]

As if all the second-guessing about the VA Tech shootings wasn't enough .....

Violent School Essay Leads To Arrest

A creative writing essay where the students were specifically instructed to use their imaginations. Got a kid ARRESTED because the teacher felt it was "disturbing and inappropriate".

*headdesk*

Comments

[justphoenix.livejournal.com]

Arrest?! You're fucking kidding me.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

nope. The trib covered it too. Makes me ill.

HELP HELP I'M BEING REPRESSED!

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

Man- I wish this were just a Monty Python skit... ~headdesk~ I posted it on my journal too- thanks for the 'heads-up'

[woody-whistler.livejournal.com]

No doubt an overreaction due to the bad VA Tech situation; maybe there was the fear of a "copycat" crime being contemplated. Even so, there were lots of better ways to treat this other than with an arrest. To quote Stephan Stills (out of context) "Paranoia runs deep...into your lives it will creep."

BTW, one of Melanie's (my daughter) favorite sea songs is "Derilict." Should I be worried?

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

only if she spells it like that :)

Did you actually read the article? I believe that as the document in question was not posted or even read aloud in class, it falls under "protected speech". Also, doesn't "disorderly conduct" require there to actually be some kind of "disordering" going on? The only person who read the essay was the teacher, who then showed it to administrators.

Zero-tolerance run amuck

[woody-whistler.livejournal.com]

She spells better than me in general ; )!

I did read the article and also wondered on what basis the kid was being placed under arrest. The best I could figure, he was being arrested for something he might do. A very spooky thought!

I also just read an article by Michael Crowley of The New Republic about the absurdity of "zero tolerance," including a 13 year who was arrested and sent to school for juvenile offenders for 45 days because he forgot that his Boy Scout pocketknife was in his jacket pocket.

As you said, zero-tolerance gone berzerk. And another sign that fear is a greater threat to our freedom that terrorism or crime.

[petronivs.livejournal.com]

Back in high school, for a history class, I wrote and even performed in front of class a monologue apologetic in the character of Maximilien Robespierre.

In today's climate, I likely would have been drawn and quartered for that...

[starstraf.livejournal.com]

Sigh

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

I hope they sue that district and the police department for a BUNDLE!