Rou

Ah, another national tragedy... another massive overreaction.

Remember Columbine? Of course you do. Remember them banning kids with black trench coats?

Here, we have the Virginia Tech equivalent. This time, they're striking out at kids that right graphic essays. Allen Lee, an 18 year old senior, did his homework. I'm sure he never had a clue the reaction it would get. When asked to write an essay expressing emotions for his creative writing class, he felt up to the challenge. He did the homework and turned it in.

Schools reaction? Oh, they had him arrested for disorderly conduct. The essay was disturbing apparently. You see, despite the fact that the essay contained no threats, and wasn't posted into public view, somehow the teacher and school district decided that the appropriate reaction was to arrest the kid. Oh, and he isn't suspended or expelled, but he is required to attend classes somewhere else. Which kinda sounds like expulsion, but apparently isn't.

I don't get it. Disorderly conduct? That's fire alarms and making too much noise late at night. It's bothering other people in public. The teacher fucking asked him to express his emotions. Maybe you should... you know... expect them to do it?

I get it. It was disturbing. And you're paranoid that you'll miss the next student gunman. But there are appropriate reactions and inappropriate ones. This was the later in case you were wondering. They could have sent him to the school counselor, or talked to his parents (maybe recommend real therapy if the situation called for it) but no no... straight to ye old police department with him.

And what they hell is with the cops here? Seriously? Arrest him? Put charges up against a kid because he did his fucking homework? I'd be slightly more understanding if they had a cop talk to him a little. Maybe tell the kid that sort of essay bothers people, and they'd like him to tone it down a little for homework assignments. Recommend that the parents talk to the kid and discuss it with him. But arrest him?

Over react much?

I mean, look at the precedent here. It means that if anyone writes something that disturbs you, you have the right to have them arrested for it. Doesn't matter that it's non-threatening and doesn't describe injury to himself or others. I offer as a counter example hundred and hundreds of famous authors that made their fortunes with such imagery. Do we take Stephen King out back? Poe? I mean, seriously here. How do we draw a line for fucking disturbing? A is bad, but B is ok?

Disorderly conduct? Fuck you. It's fishing for a charge so you make the kid that bothers you go away. Covering your ass. He's an adult. It goes on his record. You're fucking with his life now. All because you choose to over react.

The school can suck my balls. So can the cops.