The First Amendment Will Now Be Excused Without A Hall Pass
Girl suspended from high school for writing a poem expressing that she understands why Adam Lanza pulls the trigger. Not that she, too, wanted to pull the trigger.
If "grownups" at the school were worried, this would be a talking-to-her moment, but of course, she was suspended.
From The Daily Mail, Jill Reilly writes:
A 17-year old high school student has been suspended for a poem she wrote about the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.Courtni Webb wrote the poem in a personal notebook about Adam Lanza and what she felt were his reasons for the mass murder at the Connecticut school earlier this month.
...The San Francisco Unified School District are currently deciding about Courtni's future at the school and if she poses genuine threat to the safety to her fellow students.
But for now, she is suspended until further notice.
An excerpt of her poem:
They wanna hold me back
I run but still they still attack
My innocence, I won't get back
I used to smile
They took my kindness for weakness
The silence the world will never get
I understand the killing in Conecticut
I know why he pulled the trigger
The government is a shame
Society never wants to take the blame
Society puts these thoughts in our head
Misery loves company
If I can't be loved no one can
Another bit:
Why are we oppressed by a dysfunctional community of haters and blamers?
Jonathan Turley writes:
Once again, I fail to understand why students are punished for expressing their feelings and thoughts. I would rather address such feelings in a teachable moment as opposed to, as here, teaching students about the constant threat of censorship and discipline for free speech.What is particularly problematic is that the student was not glorifying violence but denouncing the bullying and isolation that often comes with high school. Webb insisted that "Never in my life have I heard that you couldn't mention a tragedy that happened. I didn't say that I agree with it, I said I simply understand it."
The lesson from this action is not likely to be received as a matter of responsibility of students as much as the power of authority over students. We should want the students to discuss the massacre, particularly in Connecticut. The students who commit these rare acts of violence tend to be those who did not voice or express their anger and isolation. These disciplinary actions tend to force such students further underground where their feelings of rage and isolation grows. Then there are the much greater number of students like Webb who merely want to discuss the underlying causes for such isolation. They should have not just an opportunity but a right to do so, in my view.
It's easy to act all reactionary about speech, but a looming danger in our society is the erosion of free speech -- always for "good reasons."
You can read the opinion piece by a Constitutional law professor (no, seriously), that we should give up the Constitution (nytimes.com).
I R A Darth Aggie at January 2, 2013 6:30 AM
To quote Chris Rock, this sounds like a case of "I wouldn't DO it...but I understand."
It's surely another "zero tolerance" rule that supposedly protects the administration from culpability. By not having to make judgment calls that might keep a kid from getting a mark on their record for stuff that could/should have been handled by a quick sit-down. Same thing that results in kids getting expelled for breaking the school weapons ban for bringing in a plastic knife or spork for lunch. Far better to over-react to a hundred scenarios than to take the mythical chance that the 101st will be a real threat.
Cause you can see how well that's been doing so far.
Vinnie bartilucci at January 2, 2013 6:59 AM
Right. I get it. Not cool.
However, not surprised in the least that the girl "identifying with the victim" in a sympathetic way - through "art" is from California.
Stockholm weirdness.
Feebie at January 2, 2013 8:07 AM
Should have said "shooting mass murderer" above NOT "victim".
I was born in California. This isnt easy to shake!
Feebie at January 2, 2013 8:09 AM
I didn't see anywhere in the linked articles how the teacher actually discovered Miss Webb's poem in the first place. Cripes, name one teenager who hasn't felt the formless rage she expressed. I bet you couldn't find a single one. While it's easy enough to explain away the school administration's reaction as fear of litigation, the answer's still the same: This girl was punished for expressing the wrong thoughts. Way to educate your kids, folks.
Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com) at January 2, 2013 8:42 AM
I think Ms Webb's poem personally offended the "authorities" and they are lashing out at her. She places blame, but not on guns; doesn't even mention them.
It's a weird poem but I think a very interesting discussion could start from it.
They did her a favor by suspending her. I hope they never let her back in. She'll get a better education without them.
Ken R at January 2, 2013 10:48 AM
This is the perfect way for the school administration to act, if they want another shooting to occur in the future. The irony is overwhelming.
Assholio at January 2, 2013 11:44 AM
I would be seriously, seriously disturbed if my child said she could understand anything -ANYTHING-about killing defenseless 5 year olds. I'd be equally disturbed by my kid attending school with someone who wrote that. Free Speech (and actions) do have limits in certain situations.
momof4 at January 2, 2013 4:49 PM
Re: assholio: Exactly. That was the first thought that crossed my mind too. If someone is truly disturbed enough to shoot up a school, the last thing you want to do is give her a good reason. Assuming this girl IS a risk (which I seriously doubt), I'd be planting her in the guidance office where a trained professional can keep an eye on her, not leaving her at home to simmer in resentment and google homemade bombs.
Shannon at January 2, 2013 4:51 PM
M4,
I'm quite glad that you made it through your school years by hanging out with the jocks, college preppies, the FBLA, druggies, or the techies without ever feeling disaffected by any of them.
I'm also glad that you had a nice stable home life that you can't understand her sentiments.
I was put upon for years by all the above groups. I finally found a hole, by chance, that I could survive it all. I hated my high school years so much that if I could have had my diploma in my October of my senior year -- I would have been gone. I attended graduation only because my mother essentially forced me to. I would have picked up the diploma the next fucking day.
I had a school reunion notice forwarded to me. I almost responded with a letter "Fuck you all and the horses you rode in on." That would have given them too much satisfaction.
I haven't read her full writings. But condemning her because you lack understanding is wrong.
Please find a true threat in all she wrote. Not everyone has had a satisfactory public school experience.
There was a reason that the First Amendment was written. It is not because all speech is agreeable. It is because speech, sometimes, is not agreeable. But everyone has a right to express their thoughts, even if some of it is what you don't like.
Jim P. at January 2, 2013 8:47 PM
Question: Is this poetry prohibited of students, or is its possession prohibited?
If the latter, there are a million iPods/iPhones with "music" on them that need to be searched.
Ice-T, anyone?
Radwaste at January 3, 2013 3:26 AM
As a teen, I was bullied, had a pretty screwed-up home life, and a then-undiagnosed case of clinical depression. I was a cutter, and I wrote about self-harm, suicide, and murder. I wrote a LOT of stuff involving gruesome attacks, described in loving detail. I wrote what I felt, and what I felt was rage, despair, hopelessness. I was about 17 when Columbine happened, and I sympathized with the killers.
I can only imagine what would have happened to me if the person who found what I wrote was an officious ass instead of a good person. I'd probably still be locked up in an asylum somewhere.
The Original Kit at January 3, 2013 5:08 AM
MNomof4 is right we need to crack down on these freaks who ask for help and punish them for not being normal, that this will result in the smarter and truly dangerous ones from seeking help and acctually cause more tradgedies like this to happen is immaterial
It is far better to be seen doing something uneefective than it is to be not seen doing something acctually effective.
I think the TSA has taught us that lesson quite well.
lujlp at January 3, 2013 3:33 PM
I depsised high school to the point I went all day every summer and got out in 3 years and moved on with life. I couldn't tell you the full name of anyone I went to school with. There was a persistant rumor I was a hooker, among other things.
Never felt the need to kill some 5 year olds. Or random people in the library. And yeah, I'd say there's something wrong with someone who does feel that. Kill someone tormenting you? Sure. Kill the world? You need help, and sitting in a pool of desirable victims isn't the place for you to be.
I don't see it as being any different than yelling Fire in a crowded building. Except that someone yelling fire probably doesn't need counseling, and someone doing this does.
momof4 at January 3, 2013 6:18 PM
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