NationStates Jolt Archive

Now, none of you know me in real life and for all you know I could be some psycho, but I wanted to vent my frustration and see if anyone has encountered a similar situation.

Ok. I am in 8th grade, and we were writing stories for English class. Mine was about a fictional serial killer named "The Angler". He lives in an insane asylum, but is escaping. To do so he is forced to kill the night staff, and eventually succeeds. I did not describe the murders, only the methods used. There was some allusion to his mark, how he made himself known, but no concrete descriptions.

Now, here is why I am venting. As it turns out, my English teacher read my story. And guess what she did next? Sent it to the guidance office.

Now my school thinks I am some emotionally unstable kid who will probably whip out a gun and shoot everybody. They have called my parents, who now want to see the story (I would rather not show them.). Anyone have any advice?

Exactly what were the methods?

Exactly what were the methods?
I didn't even really say. I said he sedated two employees with syringes stolen from another downed worker, and said he would "use his hands", and that might have been over the line, but I figured that that would only be as gross as the reader wanted it to be.

That's BULLSHIT. I was writing bloody ass horror stories when I was like 12 and no one ever gave me that kind of guidance counselor post-Columbine namby pamby crap about it.

Schools are really messed up these days, indeed.

Haha... tell the guidance councilor off and then write a story wherein (s)he dies violently.

Yeah, that's bull. They're stifling your creativity. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, MAN.

:p

Well on the upside, my teacher is probably so scared of me that I'll get A's on everything.

Now, none of you know me in real life and for all you know I could be some psycho, but I wanted to vent my frustration and see if anyone has encountered a similar situation.

Ok. I am in 8th grade, and we were writing stories for English class. Mine was about a fictional serial killer named "The Angler". He lives in an insane asylum, but is escaping. To do so he is forced to kill the night staff, and eventually succeeds. I did not describe the murders, only the methods used. There was some allusion to his mark, how he made himself known, but no concrete descriptions.

Now, here is why I am venting. As it turns out, my English teacher read my story. And guess what she did next? Sent it to the guidance office.

Now my school thinks I am some emotionally unstable kid who will probably whip out a gun and shoot everybody. They have called my parents, who now want to see the story (I would rather not show them.). Anyone have any advice?
Call the ACLU. Please.

Call the ACLU. Please.
I don't actually have a case, do I?

That's BULLSHIT. I was writing bloody ass horror stories when I was like 12 and no one ever gave me that kind of guidance counselor post-Columbine namby pamby crap about it.

Schools are really messed up these days, indeed.
Yea, I've been writing shit like this since post-5th grade. It wasn't even a straight up gory story. It was more about how much I hate politicians.

I don't think it's wrong for your teacher to do that. Your teacher had to weigh the potential problems/harm that could be caused if you were serious vs. your privacy. The potential harm won out.

And if the guidance counselor thought there was a problem, then they should take action. Personally, I think the next action should have been a conference with you, the teacher, and a counselor, not involving your parents.

And honestly, as a minor, I'm not sure your writing is really safe from your parents.

I don't think it's wrong for your teacher to do that. Your teacher had to weigh the potential problems/harm that could be caused if you were serious vs. your privacy. The potential harm won out.

And if the guidance counselor thought there was a problem, then they should take action. Personally, I think the next action should have been a conference with you, the teacher, and a counselor, not involving your parents.

And honestly, as a minor, I'm not sure your writing is really safe from your parents.
I don't really blame my teacher for being concerned. I'm mostly pissed that she didn't approach me and talk about it. Just went straight to guidance like I wasn't her problem.

Different perspective here....

After Columbine and many other similar incidents, anything that smacks of violence IS sent to the guidance office. Just talk to the counselor; they'll see it's just normal bloodthirstiness in teens, and that will be the end of it.

It's basically two-fold; they want to make sure you're not going to snap, and they want to CYA since there are all kinds of lawsuits flying about because school officials "ignored the problem" or "didn't do anything."

I understand your being pissed about being passed on, but the reason for that very likely is that we teachers are not trained to deal with potential emotional problems, whereas guidance counselors are. However, I generally make it my business to inform my student, "This bothers me because of XYZ and I am sending it to your guidance counselor so you two can talk about it."

I don't actually have a case, do I?
No, you don't because no rights have been violated. Minors don't have a right to privacy when it comes to parents.

Also, it's the school's responsibility to investigate any possible Columbine-like events that might be brewing.

Imagine if someone else did this, the school ignored it, and eventually that other studend did indeed commit some atrocity. What would be the outcry against the school then?

No, you don't because no rights have been violated. Minors don't have a right to privacy when it comes to parents.

Also, it's the school's responsibility to investigate any possible Columbine-like events that might be brewing.

Imagine if someone else did this, the school ignored it, and eventually that other studend did indeed commit some atrocity. What would be the outcry against the school then?
Yea, I guess you're right.

But now I have to watch myself so she doesn't do it again. I would hate to have Guidance breathing down my neck.

A friend of mine used to doodle a lot. Always ended up drawing WW2 concentration camps. :D

He had to go to the school couselor too

Different perspective here....

After Columbine and many other similar incidents, anything that smacks of violence IS sent to the guidance office. Just talk to the counselor; they'll see it's just normal bloodthirstiness in teens, and that will be the end of it."
Agreed.

Tellenthion: When you do speak to your parents and/or guidance counselor, just tell them that you understand your teachers concerns*, but that your work of fiction is just that: a work of fiction. It's not terribly uncommon to see such works of fiction in bookstores; indeed, individuals like Stephen King (sp?) make millions writing horror stories.

* From your last post, it sounds like you do understand what viewpoint your teacher is coming from. If not, then please try to take the time to see it from her point-of-view.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

My friend and I were passing notes in class, and it ended up having a swastica on it, and an explination that it was the Nazi's symbol and whatnot. The teacher took it up, made a halarious face, and sent us both to the counsolor. What kind of makes that messed up is we were learning about World War II in the class...

Last year I got a bad grade on my math test and started randomly doodling a head with a gun next to it. (I often draw the mood that I am in) My math teacher came up to me and said that she would "have to report that to the principle," she didn't though.
I hope there would be a way for the teachers to be able to distinguish between potential maniacs/suiciders and ordinary people, because the "school must take action," but it is annoying.

My love for bloody drawings passed, but I would go all out with a red pen, drawing Mortal Combat fighting. No one touched me for that though.

kill them all. it is the only answer

You know, in Catholic High Schools we generally have more rights and aren't sent to guidence, unless we voice intentions of real violence, and even then we usually are told to stop joking around. Take Latin... no one else speaks it and death threats in it sound so nice.... "Gaudium tui caedem spectare cupio"

Pronounce (in classic, anyway): Gaw-dee-um two-e Ki(like sky)-dem spec-tar-ray coup-e-o.

Translated (assuming that I did it right, and if I am wrong please tell me): I want to enjoy watching your murder.

of course I don't mean that, but does that not sound nice.
In addition, I think you should know this:
Papa fidem scit

Pronounced: Papa feed em s**t

Meaning: The Pope knows faith

I wouldn't worry about it too much. You seem like an intelligent guy who writes well. If your story was about politicians and not about killing people, then tell the teacher, counselor, parents that. If you can use a serial killer and his murdurous escape as character and plot to express your point, then next time use sweet bunnies and they should leave you alone. If you can do that, then you are truly a writer because expressing desturbing themes using something which is supposed to be sweet is even more hard-hitting than using evil images and people. Good luck there.

;) Pronunced Papa feedem skeet, you mean.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. You seem like an intelligent guy who writes well. If your story was about politicians and not about killing people, then tell the teacher, counselor, parents that. If you can use a serial killer and his murdurous escape as character and plot to express your point, then next time use sweet bunnies and they should leave you alone. If you can do that, then you are truly a writer because expressing desturbing themes using something which is supposed to be sweet is even more hard-hitting than using evil images and people. Good luck there.
Thank you. I'll try to use that. I'm just scared that I'll put something like "And as the Happy Magical Prancing Rainbow Unicorn stabbed Fluffy the Cuddlerabbit to death with his horn, Larry the Adorable Dancing Gnome took his own life." I don't think that would go over well.

;) Pronunced Papa feedem skeet, you mean.

In classic Latin, yes. In church Latin it is s**t... trust me, my Latin teacher is a religious brother. By the way, is everything else correct?

now that you are in 8th grade you need to understand that there is no freedom of speech in school.

teachers have very poor senses of humor and they are not allowed to have perspective. they are bound by many laws and rules and other BS that can make your school life very difficult.

in the same way that there are writings that you would rather your parents not see, there are writings that your teacher shouldnt see. it has nothing to do with creativity, intent, psychosis. its just keeping yourself out of the system that is expanding every day to try to figure out when kids are dangerous.

a wise but creative person writes "nice" stories that are properly sanitized for the school system. keep your good stuff for posting on online story sites.

if your parents are going to read this story, tell them about it before they get that far. that way it wont be as shocking to them. if you are the oldest, they may not really understand the mind of the teenaged boy. they need a bit of "warning" first.

im not saying that you are wrong to be outraged. current school policies DO suck. it is as if they are contantly looking at kids to see which one (who has never been in trouble before) is going to be the one who comes to school tomorrow with a shotgun. so they jump all over anything that seems a bit too over the top.

just understand that these are school assignments, you dont owe them your best, coolest writings. just give them what they are expecting and you will be fine.

your excuses and explanations:

intro: to make your story reaalistic you haveto come the closet to reality

1) you took examples from tv
2) you took examples from history wars
3) you took examples from books
4) you took some exemples from the internet.

5) you play video games LOL such as hitman2 contracts. =)

conclusion:

if the reason of them lmiting your freedom of expression regarding you eig zealed at studies ad that you gave thebest of yourself to make your sotry so real that it will sucess the reader to brig him into your story then the goal is achieved ad they should sstop complegning.

;)

I didn't even really say. I said he sedated two employees with syringes stolen from another downed worker, and said he would "use his hands", and that might have been over the line, but I figured that that would only be as gross as the reader wanted it to be.

No probs at all, I allways kill my victims like that. :D

I used to draw hangman thingies in in boring lessons too. Just boredom.

As for gory stories, just explain yourself, you just wanted to write some fiction. If they have a problem with that, then, well, ah you were screwed anyway. Explain yourslef fairly and truthfully and you will only be taken for guidnace if you really are twisted, but to be honest all school kids have twisted imaginations and they get worse as you get older. Just google the lyrics for "symphonies of sicknesss" by carcass.. teehee... now thats wrong. THe cover art was changed as it was just a collage of rotting flesh and corpses . the band were, nice, polite, left wing, vegans. They were studying biology at school and equipped with a medical dictionary made gross stuff up. Like I said they were clean living and really harmless, but they made sick stuff up. Dont tell the counciller about this, it wont help matters.

(the music is pretty sick too, pathological grindcore)

Just bear in mind that you are quite beleivable and probably normal, so just be honest (but tactful).

Thank you. I'll try to use that. I'm just scared that I'll put something like "And as the Happy Magical Prancing Rainbow Unicorn stabbed Fluffy the Cuddlerabbit to death with his horn, Larry the Adorable Dancing Gnome took his own life." I don't think that would go over well.

*chuckles*

Actually, that would be outstanding as a satire. It would probably be something I would write were I in your situation. . .although I would add a character with PTSD from his service in 'Nam, just to throw it way over the top.

But more seriously, most of the above posters are correct: your school, like it or not, is less concerned about your rights than it is in a) suffering the consequences in the extremely unlikely possibility that this is a demonstration of your sociopathic tendencies, and b) getting sued by a thousand parents afterwards. In their mindset, avoiding the above problems is worth any cost, and sometimes that means that kids get squished in the bureaucratic treads. That being said, the guidance counselor probably isn't going to do anything drastic, so long as you point out the nature of the paper and what I'm assuming is generally non-violent tendencies on your part.

As far as your parents go, I'm not quite sure how they might react. Assuming they are fairly normal, you just need to explain to them A) that you were just writing a story, not making a narrative for a future school massacre, and B) as a reference, point out how well-adjusted you are (I am of course assuming you've never been to juvie or anything like that. Otherwise, you might have a problem). Point those out, and you may get some more parental attention over the next couple weeks, but all in all they probably won't think that you are the next Dylan Klebold.

a wise but creative person writes "nice" stories that are properly sanitized for the school system. keep your good stuff for posting on online story sites.
A wise person knows better than to kowtow to an authority just because it's stronger than them.

You have my sympathies. The only alternative to grinning and bearing it is standing up to it and fighting back, and that requires more effort and sacrifice than you can imagine.
If nothing else, take comfort in the fact that counselors (usually) will let you go if you don't give them reason to think you're going to kill people. Let me give you an example:
Back when I was in high school, a friend of mine and I spent a lunch period describing in detail the process, from start to finish, of building a nuclear warhead. No one batted an eye. Then we move on to economics, and one of my buddies mentions the impact on industry of the production numbers of the M-16, and the security guards are around us like flies. The next day I took off, and so I was at home when the phone rang and a voice asked for mister [my last name]. Since my father is DOCTOR [my last name], I assumed it was for me. Turns out it was the social worker, who hemmed and hawed for a bit before I finally asked her to cut to the chase.
"Well, you see, we have a few concerns that [my first name] may be, well-" she took a deep breath. "Is he building bombs out in the garage?
"NO!" I shouted, feigning indignation "He is a perfectly respectable young man and he is building his bombs in the basement!" I hung up.

I spent a week in in-school suspension, but it was worth it.

Heh, reminds me of a friend of mine whom used to do the funniest things. Like if they got a really bad grade, they'd grab their head, and pretend to break their neck (purely for laughs, most ridiculuous face ever), or if the teacher said something absolutely bewildering, they'd pretend to pull a gun and blast themself (again for laughs). It wasn't anything violent and that was obvious from its pure comic intent.

However, in this case, I must ask what the assignment was? If it was purely creative writing, I, if I were a teacher, would take a story about a serial killer as a major warning sign. Perhaps if the assignment was to write on a social taboo I might accept it, and even then I'd check the kids record. You want to be sure, and not look past the warning signs.

Now, none of you know me in real life and for all you know I could be some psycho, but I wanted to vent my frustration and see if anyone has encountered a similar situation.

Ok. I am in 8th grade, and we were writing stories for English class. Mine was about a fictional serial killer named "The Angler". He lives in an insane asylum, but is escaping. To do so he is forced to kill the night staff, and eventually succeeds. I did not describe the murders, only the methods used. There was some allusion to his mark, how he made himself known, but no concrete descriptions.

Now, here is why I am venting. As it turns out, my English teacher read my story. And guess what she did next? Sent it to the guidance office.

Now my school thinks I am some emotionally unstable kid who will probably whip out a gun and shoot everybody. They have called my parents, who now want to see the story (I would rather not show them.). Anyone have any advice?

Yeah that's happened to me. Only mine was a politcal manifesto.