'Stab, stab, stab, stab': Teen's essay detailed

News Type: Event — Seeded on Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:26 PM EDT

Article Source: Chicago Tribune

us-news, writing, high-school, virginia-tech, writing-is-not-a-crime, allen-lee, cary-grove-high-school

A Cary-Grove High School student charged with disorderly conduct for writing a violently descriptive class essay had received an assignment that said: "Write whatever comes to your mind. Do not judge or censor what you are writing."

Allen Lee, 18, responded with passages about "shooting everyone" and having "sex with the dead bodies," according to a disorderly conduct complaint filed Thursday by McHenry County prosecutors, Tom Carroll, the first assistant state's attorney, said.

Emling provided a reporter with a copy of the class assignment, which was titled "Free Writing." It advised students to "write non-stop for a set period of time. Do not make corrections as you write. Keep writing, even if you have to write something like, 'I don't know what to write.'
"

Emling said another recent English assignment was to write a 32-page children's book. Lee's book was about Hitler as a baby taking over the playground, Emling said.

Released excerpts have been released by the prosecutor's office, and are not in context.

And, Allen Lee, the student, is scheduled to start Marine boot camp in October.

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7.5

{"commentId":671434,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

More details about the student who was arrested because his teacher was disturbed by his writing.

{"commentId":671434,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

5 votes

#1 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":671454,"authorDomain":"rafterman"}

Bill Rafferty

The assignment was to write whatever comes to mind and not censor it. That part was apparently left up to the teacher and the school administration. Vigilance is one thing, but this was the assignment. And given recent events, why was this a surprise? It's been one everyones mind.

{"commentId":671454,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"rafterman"}

5 votes

#2 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":671478,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

I guess she meant "don't censor it unless what you're going to write might disturb me."

don't censor yourself, within reason, of course. What a bunch of hooey.

{"commentId":671478,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

5 votes

#2.1 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:47 PM EDT

{"commentId":672472,"authorDomain":"jimi"}

jimi

Hey these kind of assignments might be useful in figuring out which people have deep seated emotional/mental issues. I don't know about prosecuting them or throwing them out of school, but this kid probably needs some help.

{"commentId":672472,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"jimi"}

2 votes

#2.2 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 10:12 AM EDT

{"commentId":673182,"authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

jfxgillis

Hellava a good point.

However, if that's the case, twentyish creative writing teachers shouldn't be administering the exercise.

{"commentId":673182,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

1 vote

#2.3 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:20 PM EDT

{"commentId":671461,"authorDomain":"VTEarle"}

VTEarle

Sounds like he was having a particularly bad day. Certainly talking to him about it would have been more appropriate than calling the cops...

{"commentId":671461,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"VTEarle"}

7 votes

#3 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:42 PM EDT

{"commentId":671480,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

I sure wish I knew why they didn't just talk to him. Pull him out of class if you have to, call his parents in, and talk to him.

But have him arrested while walking home from school? Brilliant!

{"commentId":671480,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

9 votes

#3.1 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":672036,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

Brian White

I'm pleasantly surprised that he wasn't subdued with tasers. How sad is that?

{"commentId":672036,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

1 vote

#3.2 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:34 PM EDT

{"commentId":671499,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

Brian White

I hope he finds a publisher for his Hitler children's book, that sounds adorable.

j/k

{"commentId":671499,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

7 votes

#4 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:00 PM EDT

{"commentId":671535,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Doesn't it? Can't you just imagine a cute little cherub-faced, pale boy in a suit with a premature mustache terrorizing children on the playground.

It actually sounds like a bit of genius.

{"commentId":671535,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

7 votes

#4.1 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":671643,"authorDomain":"geejay"}

TheJonesGirl

We can't have original, interesting thought!

{"commentId":671643,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"geejay"}

2 votes

#4.2 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:09 PM EDT

{"commentId":672139,"authorDomain":"noah"}

Noah Bradley

Frankly, that sounds like a friggin' awesome story idea. Nothing like teaching kids about the horrors of WWII by using a playground.

*steal*

*smirk*

{"commentId":672139,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"noah"}

2 votes

#4.3 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:13 AM EDT

{"commentId":672825,"authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

jfxgillis

gwab:

How is "Don't be surprrised if the same thing happens to you" an "original, interesting thought"?

{"commentId":672825,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

1 vote

#4.4 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:07 PM EDT

{"commentId":671552,"authorDomain":"everycoolidistaken"}

Captain Carrot

This was a serious flub on the teachers part, but the appropriate response in cases like this is a bit murky, and has just become way murkier. From the teachers point of view, it is no longer acceptable to just ignore these sorts of signals, but this particular reaction is likely to prevent students from expressing themselves through the only outlet available to them.

I would think that notifying the parents would have been a better reaction. Parents are quite unlikely to ignore signals like this, in light of recent events.

{"commentId":671552,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"everycoolidistaken"}

9 votes

#5 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:20 PM EDT

{"commentId":671586,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

Brian White

As a follow up, when my brother and I were going through all our old elementary school stuff in my parent's basement years ago, we found his old second grade journal. There was one entry where the assignment was to answer this:
"Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. What are you going to do?"

My brother's response:

DIE

...written in giant letters on the page. I thought it was hilarious, but I don't know what his teacher thought.

{"commentId":671586,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

13 votes

#6 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":671722,"authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

Glinda

How is writing an essay disorderly conduct - do they mean disorderly thinking? illegal ideas? Wow! the thought police have officially arrived.

Even presuming the teacher had good intentions related to preventing another school massacre, still it's quite a leap call the cops on a teenager for writing scarey fiction. I sure would expect some intermediary steps in there like talking to the parents. I give her an F.

{"commentId":671722,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

4 votes

#7 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:38 PM EDT

{"commentId":671751,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

I give her an F, her department head an F, and the principal an F as well.

I guess if someone can be arrested for writing something that "disturbs" another person, we're all in a lot of trouble.

{"commentId":671751,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

5 votes

#7.1 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":671821,"authorDomain":"beevine"}

beevine

Stab, stab, stab, stab Die Die Die Kill kill kill

*&ioh t$t^y#@$l^{#)

{"commentId":671821,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"beevine"}

7 votes

#8 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:25 PM EDT

{"commentId":671873,"authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

Glinda

The cops are on their way, Beevine.

{"commentId":671873,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

5 votes

#8.1 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":671939,"authorDomain":"tigerblade"}

tigerblade

Lee's essay, written in class Monday, also refers to lyrics from a song by the band Green Day and violent images from a Super Mario Bros. video game

"He wrote about the dream of killing with P90s, which is a sci-fi gun from the show 'Stargate,'" Emling said. "It's a really cool gun. Top-loaded. And it's in 'GoldenEye,' the Nintendo 64 James Bond game."

The author obviously has never played video games in their life. GoldenEye is not a Super Mario Bros game. Both are by Nintendo, but... that's it.

In any case... this kid is disturbed, to be sure. But in all fairness, he was just following the assignment. He wrote whatever came to mind. Sure, his mind might be troubled, but that's not the point.

{"commentId":671939,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"tigerblade"}

2 votes

#9 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:04 PM EDT

{"commentId":672143,"authorDomain":"noah"}

Noah Bradley

violent images from...Super Mario Bros

I wasn't aware that there were any violent images. But hey, maybe I missed something.

{"commentId":672143,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"noah"}

2 votes

#9.1 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:18 AM EDT

{"commentId":672379,"authorDomain":"JeanCauvin5"}

JeanCauvin5

Umm. . . there's the jumping on turtle-heads thing. Don't know how that really relates, though. Although the thought of someone jumping on someones head really is quite graphic, if you think about it long enough--but a bit humorous too, in a twisted sort of way.

{"commentId":672379,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"JeanCauvin5"}

#9.2 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:39 AM EDT

{"commentId":679565,"authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

J. MacCartney

He may have gotten that from Weird Al's video Weasel Stomping Day. It's very disturbing and I was shocked when I discovered a friend had shown it to my son. But it shows, with great detail, claymation people stomping on the creatures. All he had to do was change it to Turtles. Face it, the kid was not original with his work. He's being punished for other peoples violent ideas..and they got paid for it!

{"commentId":679565,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

#9.3 - Wed May 2, 2007 5:49 AM EDT

{"commentId":672095,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

Brian White

Viki, there's been a follow up, the lawyer for the student has released the full text of the article:
http://wbrianwhite.newsvine.com/_news/2007/04/27/689001-boy-arrested-for-story

Blood sex and Booze. Drugs Drugs Drugs are fun. Stab, Stab, Stab, S…t…a…b…, poke. "So I had this dream last night where I went into a building, pulled out two P90s and started shooting everyone…, then had sex with the dead bodies. Well, not really, but it would be funny if I did."

(emphasis mine)

So not only was it a dream it was a dream that the student didn't even have. How threatening, right?

{"commentId":672095,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

1 vote

#10 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 11:28 PM EDT

{"commentId":672184,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Thank you, Brian!

{"commentId":672184,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

1 vote

#10.1 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:03 AM EDT

{"commentId":672826,"authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

jfxgillis

Do you people read texts or just the art of the texts tendentiously presented to you by self-interested parties?

{"commentId":672826,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

1 vote

#10.2 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:09 PM EDT

{"commentId":674119,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

Brian White

What are you talking about? This is a publication of the entire essay. The prosecutor had previously released just the selected snippets that make it look threatening, without any of the context.

{"commentId":674119,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

#10.3 - Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 PM EDT

{"commentId":672101,"authorDomain":"biggerthebetter"}

biggerthebetter

As I stated in another link, maybe this kid should reexamine his desire to fight and die for a country that imprisons people for thoughts and/or written words. I would never die for such a country; no one should.

{"commentId":672101,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"biggerthebetter"}

2 votes

#11 - Fri Apr 27, 2007 11:31 PM EDT

{"commentId":672185,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

You know what, bigger? That's a very good point.

And I'm amused right now because I called you bigger, and Bigger is the name of the protagonist in Native Son, the amazing novel by Richard Wright.

{"commentId":672185,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

1 vote

#11.1 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:05 AM EDT

{"commentId":672321,"authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

J. MacCartney

I was called to the office in February because my 7 year old used litter to decorate his Valentine's heart (he was showing that the Earth needs to be loved, too). Anyway, they told me it was inappropriate for a first grader and should have had red fluffy stuff on it (I'm paraphrasing). They also asked me how he was around small children and if he was nice to animals...my point? Well, schools no longer tolerate creativity and tend to see gifted students as possible future psychos. How can our children learn if they are not allowed to think openly?

{"commentId":672321,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

4 votes

#12 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:03 AM EDT

{"commentId":672354,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

How can our children learn if they are not allowed to think openly?

Maybe what's being aimed for here is rote memorizers and blind followers, rather than open thinkers.

I just got the shivers.

{"commentId":672354,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

4 votes

#12.1 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:33 AM EDT

{"commentId":672466,"authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

Glinda

Holy crap - are you serious? N/M of course you are.
That's actually a sweet idea if not so aesthetically pleasing. I guess they couldn't just ask him about it.

{"commentId":672466,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

1 vote

#12.2 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 10:05 AM EDT

{"commentId":672968,"authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

J. MacCartney

They asked, but didn't take him seriously, sadly. I thought of it as a wonderful teaching moment for the other students. Shouldn't they be learning about not littering?

Anyway,he is far from a blind follower, and his teacher hates that!

{"commentId":672968,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

1 vote

#12.3 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":673144,"authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

Glinda

Sounds like you raise yours like I did mine - independent and ready to speak his mind. Good for you! They can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but the world doesn't need any more blind followers. Good teachers will appreciate him, no worries.

{"commentId":673144,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"witchofthenorth"}

#12.4 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:24 PM EDT

{"commentId":678757,"authorDomain":"davidmcgirr"}

David Mc Girr

Personally I'd like to hear Celestina's 2 cents on this story.

But I think the kid had a fantastic idea.... ok it's a little hippyish but good for him for thinking outside the box.

Almost anyone can memorize things, but when you get to college, they don't want memorization. They want thought. And if everyone is lumped into standardized tests and homogenous thinking, lots of people are going to flunk college.

And valentine's day was a holiday cooked up by the greeting card companies to sell cards in february. It's a combination of a pagan celebration of beast sex and the name of a saint that I believe was trampelled to death by a horse.

So happy horny werewolf/horse death day.

-Dave

{"commentId":678757,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"davidmcgirr"}

#12.5 - Tue May 1, 2007 6:49 PM EDT

{"commentId":679567,"authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

J. MacCartney

Yeah, he is kind of hippyish...

My worry is that he will do badly in school because he thinks differently, and then no colleges will take him! Or, he'll write something like this kid did and get expelled and arrested. It's sad that I have to worry about my gifted son being too gifted.

And a merry werehorse stomping day to you.

{"commentId":679567,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"MacCartney"}

#12.6 - Wed May 2, 2007 5:54 AM EDT

{"commentId":672406,"authorDomain":"sthig"}

sthig

ah pish posh Vicky, there are plenty of thinkers in our American society

Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Neal Boortz, Rush, BillO...

/sarcasm

{"commentId":672406,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"sthig"}

1 vote

#13 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:16 AM EDT

{"commentId":672536,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

lol, sthig. Now I have the full-blown shakes. Is it too early to start drinking away the pain?

{"commentId":672536,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

1 vote

#13.1 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 11:22 AM EDT

{"commentId":672676,"authorDomain":"ApostleZeruel"}

ApostleZeruel

Obviously calling the cops may have been extreme, but I'm seeing quite a few comments implying the teacher should have done nothing at all. Is that what you guys really think?

{"commentId":672676,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"ApostleZeruel"}

1 vote

#14 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:19 PM EDT

{"commentId":672703,"authorDomain":"tigerblade"}

tigerblade

I think a better thing for this teacher to have done would have been to sit down with the kid, find out what's going on with him, if he's having any troubles, etc.

If after sitting down for a talk, she still felt he posed some sort of danger, then she could have called the cops.

{"commentId":672703,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"tigerblade"}

2 votes

#14.1 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:33 PM EDT

{"commentId":672829,"authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

jfxgillis

We already know what's going on.

He hates school, he hates the class, he hates the teacher and he thinks she'll inspire her getting shot like the people at Va Tech.

Oh yeah, and he wants to go kill people for a living.

{"commentId":672829,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"jfxgillis"}

3 votes

#14.2 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:13 PM EDT

{"commentId":672720,"authorDomain":"graphix"}

graphix

ok, the hitler as a baby taking over the playground....is a family guy episode. Maybe he was watching tv as he was writing it

{"commentId":672720,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"graphix"}

3 votes

#15 - Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":678769,"authorDomain":"davidmcgirr"}

David Mc Girr

So he's not a psycho, he's a plagarist.

Eh... might be a worse thing in some circles.

-Dave

{"commentId":678769,"threadId":"98249","contentId":"688457","authorDomain":"davidmcgirr"}

1 vote

#15.1 - Tue May 1, 2007 6:55 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"98249","isPrivate":false}

Marine Crops Drops Student After Essay	Associated Press	Fri Apr 27	2
The Real Outcome of Virginia Tech: We can stop speculating now	smcgettrick	Sat Apr 28	0
Massacre fallout: Charges for essay	Chicago Tribune	Thu Apr 26	7
Student writes essay, arrested by police \| Chicago Tribune	Chicago Tribune	Thu Apr 26	0
Marines Drop High Schooler After Violent Essay	NBC 5	Mon Apr 30	19

VIKI BABBLES GONIA

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'Stab, stab, stab, stab': Teen's essay detailed

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