"Allen Lee, an 18-year-old straight-A student, went to his creative writing class at Cary-Grove High School on April 23 with a strong case of senioritis. Eager to begin his career with the Marines and bored by his writing teacher, Lee was in no mood to write what his teacher wanted to read. Instead, he was determined to write what he wanted to write.
That day’s assignment encouraged Lee’s determination. Titled “Free Writing,” the assignment instructed 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.’” Moreover, while students previously had been warned not to threaten anyone in their writings, the assignment removed that restriction: “Write whatever comes to your mind. Do not judge or censor what you are writing.”
So Lee wrote. He started with “Blood sex and Booze,” which he later explained was a reference to a song by the band Green Day. Then he wrote, "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.'"
A P90, a friend of Lee’s later told the Chicago Tribune, is a science-fiction gun from the television show “Stargate” that also is used in a James Bond video game. Lee later explained that his reference to drugs was a comment on drug use at the school and that he used quotation marks around the comments about shooting and sex because he thought they were words a story character might say.
Lee then wrote several lines criticizing the school district’s four-year English requirement and the inability of citizens to elect qualified local and national leaders. Then he turned his attention to his writing teacher.
“My current English teacher is a control freak intent on setting a gap between herself and her students like a 63 year old white male fortune 500 company CEO, and a illegal immigrant,” Lee wrote. “And baking brownies and rice crispies does not make up for it, way to try and justify yourself as a good teacher while underhandedly looking for complements on your cooking. No quarrel on you qualifications as a writer, but as a teacher, don’t be surprised on inspiring the first [Cary-Grove] shooting.”
Unnerved by the essay — and particularly the last sentence — Lee’s teacher reported it to her department head and principal. School officials then reported the essay to the Cary police. After determining Lee’s teacher was “alarmed and disturbed” by the essay, police arrested Lee while he was walking to school the next morning and charged him with two counts of disorderly conduct — one count for the statement about shooting with the P90s and one for the statement that the teacher might inspire a shooting at the school. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine.
The criminal charges, however, are not Lee’s only problem. While he has not been expelled or suspended from school, he has not been allowed to return to Cary-Grove for classes. Instead, he’s being tutored at the school district’s administrative offices. More significantly, the Marines have discharged Lee from their enlistment program, although they have said he can reapply if the charges are dropped."
First off the bat, someone should sit this lad down and explain the concept of shouting FIRE in a crowded theater. Do I believe what he did was wrong? No. Exercising his right to express whatever was on his mind was precisely what he was instructed to do. Do I believe the proposed punishment is appropriate? No. Kids do dumb ass things. This was dumb ass. Walking up to a black woman and calling her a stupid nigga ho is dumb ass too. But even worse it is crude. Any teacher or guidance counselor worth his or her salt should have explained to this young man the difference between expression and tactless discourtesy. THIS happens to be the world we now reside upon. People are frightened easily. Forget the nonsense of his paying a fine or serving jail time, he was insensitive and thats that. LEARNING is what school is about and he sure did LEARN. Going beyond a sit-down is ridiculous.
Thanks to Stop The ACLU
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