<p>This article has a fascinating assortment of people commenting on the case.
"Lee’s father, Albert Lee, who emigrated from China 32 years ago, said his son has a clean academic and police record. He, too, insisted his son’s essay was not threatening but authorities "drew a conclusion before the investigation. They didn’t want to do the investigation.‘’ </p>
<p>However, the father would not comment on whether he believed authorities acted quickly because his son is of Asian heritage, as was the Virginia Tech campus shooter. </p>
<p>Family therapist Michael Gurian, author of The Minds of Boys, said Allen Lee needs at least good counseling, but "If he was arrested solely based on those words, I don’t see that as the most helpful course.‘’ </p>
<p>Bernardine Dohrn, director of Northwestern University’s Children and Family Justice Center, laughed when she heard the charge. </p>
<p>"You might want to talk to him, talk to his parents, but the criminal justice system seems to be the last thing you’d want,‘’ said Dohrn, a former Weatherman leader who lived for years as a fugitive. </p>
<p>Mike McInerney, former head of the Cook County Public Defender’s Juvenile Court office, said he "wouldn’t be happy’’ if his son wrote such words but "I wouldn’t criminalize free expression. . . . I don’t think it’s going to hold up criminally.‘’</p>
<p>This is WRITING for heaven’s sake…if we arrested every author who wrote disturbing, even sick pieces, our jails wuold be full, but it would be some very interesting company</p>
<p>Princedog, do you watch TV- CSI, Pro Wrestling, Shakespeare, Wiley Coyote- all some pretty warped stuff</p>
<p>Read any mystery books, any Stephen King? Or what about greek myths- sex with corpses is pretty tame stuff in the grand scheme of writing</p>
<p>“This is WRITING for heaven’s sake…if we arrested every author who wrote disturbing, even sick pieces, our jails wuold be full, but it would be some very interesting company”</p>
<p>Citygirlsmom, you have a real way with words. I am LOL!</p>
<p>I dont find citygirlsmom’s comment quite so amusing. Is anything is ever profane or degenerate ? </p>
<p>This time the signs are there, screaming at authorities, parents, the justice system before the underwriters takes another step toward carrying out his obsession. </p>
<p>We shouldn’t ignore the warning signs and dismiss it as teenager fantasy. Maybe the writer does just that - write, who knows. Nobody saw it coming from Cho either.</p>
<p>But do we ARREST him? or anyone for what they put on paper? really? who decides what is dangerous in writing? do you want the police to come to your house because you wrote an angry letter to your insurance company? And so what if it is degenerate and profane…is that enough to put handcuffs on someone? if it is, we are in grave danger of much more that a few scary words some highschooler wrote</p>
<p>This is a pretty slippery slope. Let’s suppose that writing about violence is an criminal offense; do we next decide that reading about violence is actionable? Maybe people who write about dishonesty are dishonest so let’s arrest them before they steal. Let’s just burn all the books - and I guess we’ll start with Ray Bradbury.</p>
<p>I have to say I agree with beruah on this. The same people that called Cho’s plays a massive, flashing, neon, bejeweled warning sign are saying we shouldn’t judge character by writing. Which is it?</p>
<p>As a writer myself, I’m wary of judging people by nonfiction work. I’ve written stories about drug overdoses, and I don’t even drink, much less do ectasy!</p>
<p>Cho’s writings were only one part of the picture of lunacy that he painted. From what I have read, there was really nothing normal about the guy - at least nothing that anyone can remember - from childhood on. I haven’t read the life and times of Mr. Lee, but does he talk? does he look anyone in the eyes? does he stalk women? does he live with people who don’t even recognize him? was he determined to be a danger to himself or others? has he purchased two handguns within the last month? Where does the significance of the writings fall in this list?</p>
<p>I think you can take any conclusion to an extreme end, but it isn’t practical to do so. Obviously legal action was not in the best interest of anyone here. However this situation is not “normal” in many ways and it isn’t Stephen King either, is it? I do think it’s very reasonable that the assignment would be flagged and the student’s family and guidance counselor should have been contacted. Can you all honestly say if your seniors in high school had written this down as their foremost thoughts, and turned it in to a teacher, you would not even be a little concerned? I would be concerned if anyone I know did that because frankly I don’t even know anyone who WOULD do that so it would signal some sort of inconsistency, especially in the wake of a tragedy along the same vein. Just because it was mishandled doesn’t mean it should have been ignored.</p>
<p>Just speculating here, but perhaps the kid meant to disgust the teacher. It would seem that he had sort of an adversarial relationship with her. He may have takent the assignment as a dare to see what kind of tasteless, disgusting, shocking garbage he could come up with to yank her chain. She then felt the need to put him in his place, show him who is boss by calling the authorities. Classic high school power play.</p>
<p>“Do you know if those guidelines are what the teacher wrote up, or if they are from the school curriculum?
These two stand out as being particularly ludicrous:”</p>
<p>These techniques are from the work of Professor Peter Elbow, “Writing With Power” which was pioneered at Harvard for students who found themselves with writers’ block. I have also used it with college students (and business executives) to teach them that writing and (self)-editing are entirely different processes, and delinking them can often make it more possible to actually express what they intend.</p>
<p>But if it was “free writing”, then it should have come with a get out of jail free card.</p>
<p>quote: Said: Don’t judge or censor yourself. Write what you feel!
Meant: Choose from one of three correct emotions! Write that! Anything you write can and will be used against you!</p>
<p>Said: Are you for or against [incendiary topic]? Give your reasons.
Meant: You better agree with me, or a good grade will be nearly impossible.</p>
<p>Said: The way you look doesn’t matter.
Meant: As long as you look like the rest of us.</p>
<p>Said: Write about your biggest challenge and how you overcame it.
Meant: If it doesn’t involve at least an organ transplant, don’t bother.</p>
<p>WashDad, did you take expository writing at Rutgers perchance? that is exactly how that course is graded. Good prep in HS for college…</p>
<p>Yourworld, do YOU decide what can be put on paper> and are you saying the righties have a lock on morals…really? </p>
<p>So you think I don’t have a standard for acceptable BEHAVIOR…when is writing something doing something, guess I can see the difference between pen to paper, while others see that as a punishable office, the writing of words</p>
<p>Considering the adverse relationship between the student and the teacher, I see Lee taking his writing in the direction of mocking the teacher. He is clearly after effect and making a statement by challenging his teacher. Reading his other posts and comments regarding the events and his writings make him seem like a self-aware person capable of parodic commentary. The fact that the teacher and the school board is incapable of that type of commentary should not cast blame on the student.</p>
<p>"CHICAGO - A high school senior arrested for writing a violent essay for an English class can return to school and will be allowed to graduate with his class, his attorney says.</p>
<p>Allen Lee wrote the essay April 23 at Cary-Grove High and was arrested the next day on two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct.</p>
<p>The decision to readmit Lee, an honors student with a 4.2 grade-point average, followed negotiations with school district officials, said attorney Dane Loizzo…</p>
Come now, you don’t really believe that, do you? We’re not talking about an angry/profane letter to an insurance company. We’re talking about writing that says things like the following: