14-year old girl expelled for fiction written in Private Journal

Dyre Straits · Oct 29, 2003, 11:25 AM

The following story has been in the news locally, and generated national headlines recently.

Rachel Boim is a writer in a family of writers. She carried her private journal to school and other students were interested in reading it and writing their own thoughts in it.

The journal was confiscated by her art teacher and subsequently read and reviewed by school personnel.

One fictional story that Rachel wrote in her journal prompted enactment of the 'zero tolerance' policy and resulted in an immediate suspension. Another 'hearing' later resulted in expulsion from the school.

What was the story?

It involved a girl who fell asleep in class and dreamt that she shot her 6th period Math teacher. She then ran from the class and was subsequently shot by the school guard. But, as the dreaming girl was shot, the class bell rang, she woke up, picked up her books and left class.

When news of Rachel's expulsion was made public there was a huge outcry! The Fulton County School officials temporarily relented on the suspension and expulsion and Rachel was allowed to return to class this past Monday.

You can read up on the developments here:

News about Rachel Boim

This kind of response from school authorities is becoming all too common. A couple of years ago a young elementary school student was suspended for having a 'Tweety Bird' keychain. The 10-inch chain that kept it attached to her bookbag was considered a violation of the 'zero tolerance' policy against carrying weapons to school.

There is a public outcry for school officials to apply common sense to these rulings. Sadly, common sense seems to have no place in the public school system.

**Asmoday** · Oct 29, 2003, 11:37 AM

Sometimes Usa is a very weird country....

ZzzombieBunny · Oct 29, 2003, 11:50 AM

Now whats disturbing is that anyone can go out and buy him/herself a gun... but when a kid brings a 'Tweety Bird' keychain to school... they suspect her to commit mass murder?

And as for the diary thing, whatever happend with freedom of speech? Now you cant even write down fiction at school?

Al_Vampyre · Oct 29, 2003, 11:52 AM

Thought crime....we're all guilty!!! This is just another example of beaurocracy gone mad...

No_Style · Oct 29, 2003, 12:02 PM

Do kids even get expelled for bringing in weapons over there int he US? Cuz if bringing "inappropiate" thoughts to school deserves and expulsion, I wonder what bringing a M4 does :O

Oblivious · Oct 29, 2003, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by No_Style
Do kids even get expelled for bringing in weapons over there int he US? Cuz if bringing "inappropiate" thoughts to school deserves and expulsion, I wonder what bringing a M4 does :O

Bringing an M4 to class results in instant death, read your school handbook ... under the section where they call out the SWAT team.

J/K - But anyone here seen bowling for columbine? Remember the scene where the (14 yr old kid) pulls out 15- guns including full length shotguns etc...? That was fscking hilarious...

krazy1 · Oct 29, 2003, 12:54 PM

Next thing you know they will be expelling kids for farting in class... Fear that they are trying to gas everyone to death like a gas chamber...

Trunks0 · Oct 29, 2003, 02:56 PM

omfg. You know things in the schools are totally screwed when freedom of speech gets you kicked out of school.

studbagel9 · Oct 29, 2003, 03:40 PM

At the same time, the next time someone shoots up a school we'll hear nothing but, "Why didn't anyone know? How couldn't you tell?" In order to control something as broad as this type of violence, you need to have a blanket system in which all threats, even some which have been misconstrued as such, are taken very seriously. It would be impossible to carefully disect every bomb and gun threat the schools in America get, but we need SOMETHING... which leads us here.

Judas · Oct 29, 2003, 08:03 PM

...it's a pitiful waste of time for any blanket system to work.... if ANYONE wants to go in and kill someone...they'll do it..... What is a teacher going to do? "hey, mister....put that gun away and you exspelled"... *BLAM*.... "sucker"..... There was a time when going to school with anything was questioned..... but..... just last year... i went to school with a full sized black leather trench coat..... and i did bring a weapon or 2..... nobody knew..... at the time... till i told em....but.... hey..... what are they gonna do if i decided to go beserk...... they realized this.... if someone has a weapon... that is rather very dangerous...... would you ask for it and expelle them all in one breath?..... I know that there should be some kind of a effort made to stop it....but a blanket system just isn't going to do anything but totally screw up and waste time and money......

ToshiroOC · Oct 29, 2003, 10:36 PM

I'd rather see a school full of kids shot than see an entire generation supressed and made to believe that they are not allowed to think for themselves, think creatively, or think well.

JavaFox · Oct 29, 2003, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oblivious
But anyone here seen bowling for columbine?

Yeah, what a bad movie. I can't believe the Academy hasn't revoked his Oscar yet, considering documentaries are supposed to be non-fiction.

But, then, so long as it's expousing leftist views, I suppose they have no beef with it.

Dyre Straits · Oct 29, 2003, 11:02 PM

"....a school full of kids shot...."

That's taking it quite bit too far in the other direction, I think. But, I get the overall gist of what you're trying to say. Yes, our schools should be encouraging individual thinking, creative writing, and even open debate on topics that are of general public concern.

However, I've even read where certain topics can no longer be discussed in a classroom because they may be disturbing to others in the class or stir up emotions that may lead to class disruption. Too many schools are trying to create a 'sterile environment' where no one gets hurt. It just won't happen.

Wretch · Oct 29, 2003, 11:28 PM

Yeah, what a bad movie. I can't believe the Academy hasn't revoked his Oscar yet, considering documentaries are supposed to be non-fiction.

But, then, so long as it's expousing leftist views, I suppose they have no beef with it.

C'mon Mr. Heston, we know that's you. No need to alias. I for one, thought the film was enjoyable. If you would care to divulge which part of the movie was fictional, I'm open to hear another side. It seemed fairly rational and well thought-out to me.

However, if you're an NRA sympathizer, I suppose it was a harsh experience in the undeniable truth.

Guns are bad and we -should- limit the availability of ammunition. Hunt with a bow and arrow. A person should lock his/her doors at night and buy an alarm system if they are that scared of their neighbors.

Personally, I like to listen to both sides of the issue before I weigh-in with commentary. But so far the only defenses I've heard for having a personal stash of ammo and guns is the Constitution (which should be revised) and general paranoia. Oh well, maybe in another 200 years we'll have it figured out that owning a handgun for personal defense is not the answer.

Too bad we in the U.S. can't learn from the examples set forth by the nations that don't kill themselves.

BWX · Oct 30, 2003, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wretch
Guns are bad and we -should- limit the availability of ammunition. Hunt with a bow and arrow. A person should lock his/her doors at night and buy an alarm system if they are that scared of their neighbors.

Whatever- look what happened to the crime rate in Australia when they took away everyone's guns. Went up like 300% or something like that. Criminals will always get the guns if they want - DUH, they are criminals. Banning guns only takes them away from people who obey the laws- think about it.

The same people who think "guns are bad" expel little girls for writing about a dream in her private diary where the bad word "gun" is written.. The school system in the US is out of control, over funded and mismanaged- (kind of like our government) this story is just another example of that.

I DO hunt with a bow and arrow, but if someone breaks in my house and tries to hurt anyone in it, they're getting a 12 gauge slug in the face.

Dyre Straits · Oct 30, 2003, 12:49 AM

Just out of curiosity: Where are these nations that don't kill themselves?

Wretch · Oct 30, 2003, 01:09 AM

I was referring to the nations with low murder rates per capita by way of guns compared to the U.S. (i.e. Canada)

And I was referring to the movie Bowling for Columbine.

Also, I never did say that I was in favor of limiting the freedom of speech or the expulsion of that student based upon what she WROTE. I am totally against that limitation and resent that comparison, BWX.

Guns are bad, and we'd be better off if they'd never been invented.

**Roadee** · Oct 30, 2003, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wretch
Yeah, what a bad movie. I can't believe the Academy hasn't revoked his Oscar yet, considering documentaries are supposed to be non-fiction.

But, then, so long as it's expousing leftist views, I suppose they have no beef with it.

C'mon Mr. Heston, we know that's you. No need to alias. I for one, thought the film was enjoyable. If you would care to divulge which part of the movie was fictional, I'm open to hear another side. It seemed fairly rational and well thought-out to me.

However, if you're an NRA sympathizer, I suppose it was a harsh experience in the undeniable truth.

Guns are bad and we -should- limit the availability of ammunition. Hunt with a bow and arrow. A person should lock his/her doors at night and buy an alarm system if they are that scared of their neighbors.

Personally, I like to listen to both sides of the issue before I weigh-in with commentary. But so far the only defenses I've heard for having a personal stash of ammo and guns is the Constitution (which should be revised) and general paranoia. Oh well, maybe in another 200 years we'll have it figured out that owning a handgun for personal defense is not the answer.

Too bad we in the U.S. can't learn from the examples set forth by the nations that don't kill themselves.

LOL......what a load of shit!!!

What you think you cant be killed with a bow and arrow?? Or a rock?? Or hell......how about a dildo!! It is funny, so many people want to get rid of guns to cut down on crime and killing......taking away the guns WILL NOT STOP IT. You get killed by another person.....not a weapon.....no matter what the weapon is. I have been around guns all my life, never once have I seen one get up and walk on it's own

And the movie was a load of crap as well.......anyone can find some "worse case scenarios" and put them in a film.....but does that make it a factual documentary?? I dont think so when only part of the story is being told.

So here is a story for you.... Zardon went into a store the other night to buy some milk, a guy wearing a mask busted in and had the cashier give him the cash and then shot and killed the cashier with a paint ball gun, rupturing his eye and embedding itself into his brain. He was killed by a paint ball gun. When the police arrived they found Zardon standing above the cashier with blood on his hands from trying to help the guy.

So sticking with basically what the movie did...... "Zardon went into a store the other night, wearing a mask, shot and killed the cashier. When the police arrived, they found Zardon standing above the cashier with blood on his hands.

So I guess in the spirit of "Bowling for Colombine"......the second story is true!!

We need better parents, better school's, a standard fee for lawyer's and present laws enforced......not a state of martial law where no one has rights. Taking away a person's freedoms, isn't the idea in having a free nation.

JavaFox · Oct 30, 2003, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wretch
C'mon Mr. Heston, we know that's you. No need to alias. I for one, thought the film was enjoyable. If you would care to divulge which part of the movie was fictional, I'm open to hear another side. It seemed fairly rational and well thought-out to me.

However, if you're an NRA sympathizer, I suppose it was a harsh experience in the undeniable truth.

Personally, I like to listen to both sides of the issue before I weigh-in with commentary. But so far the only defenses I've heard for having a personal stash of ammo and guns is the Constitution (which should be revised) and general paranoia. Oh well, maybe in another 200 years we'll have it figured out that owning a handgun for personal defense is not the answer.

You haven't listened to both sides if you think the movie was true. The lies, misrepresentations, and "artistic license" that Moore employs to manipulate the facts has been extensively documented on numerous websites all over the 'Net. If you had spent 10 seconds with Google, you'd find one of them. But I think the reason you liked the movie was because you went in anti-gun, heard anti-gun rhetoric, and came out feeling justified. Did you actually look for stuff that refuted Bowling for Columbine?

I don't really care that Moore made a biased documentary. Everything is biased. He is free to have an opinion. But passing this movie off as nonfiction is dishonest at best.

Let me illustrate a few examples. First, Moore suggests that the NRA and the KKK are related in his animated sequence. This is absolutely contradicted by history. The NRA was formed by the New York Legislature at the request of UNION VETERANS (i.e., anti-slavery). Secondly, if the NRA = KKK, why in the world would they elect Ulysess S. Grant as their president? If people that watched this movie knew anything about history, they'd know that Grant was the biggest enemy the KKK has ever had. Grant went to near UNCONSTITUTIONAL lengths to destroy the KKK. He suspended habeus corpus and deployed troops against the KKK. In fact, as recently as the 50s, blacks joined the NRA and acquired rifles to fight the KKK. To even suggest that the NRA and the KKK are linked is to show how ridiculous the movie was.

Moore claims that the US funded the Taliban directly in his film. The fact of the matter is, the USA gave Afghanistan humanitarian aid to relieve famine and clear mines THROUGH THE UN.

Examine Moore's "death figures" regarding how many people have died due to guns in various countries. Try to find these figures ANYWHERE and I guarantee you won't be able to find them. Maybe he made the up. Who can tell? They are unconfirmable.

Look at the Heston speech. Moore doctored that speech incredibly. Everything is taken out of context. Here is how Heston's speech appeared in Bolwing for Columine (taken from Hardy Law):

Quote:

Weeping children outside Columbine;

Cut to Charlton Heston holding a musket and proclaiming "I have only five words for you: 'from my cold, dead, hands'";

Cut to billboard advertising the meeting, while Moore intones "Just ten days after the Columbine killings, despite the pleas of a community in mourning, Charlton Heston came to Denver and held a large pro-gun rally for the National Rifle Association;"

Cut to Heston (supposedly) continuing speech... "I have a message from the Mayor, Mr. Wellington Webb, the Mayor of Denver. He sent me this; it says 'don't come here. We don't want you here.' I say to the Mayor this is our country, as Americans we're free to travel wherever we want in our broad land. Don't come here? We're already here!"

Wow, makes him seem like an asshole, doesn't it?

First of all, that was not an impromtu pro-gun rally, as Moore suggests. It was an annual meeting whose date was fixed years in advance. In fact, the NRA cancelled ALL OF ITS OTHER MEETINGS IN DENVER except for one because they were REQUIRED to by law. Moore didn't say that, did he? Furthermore, HESTON DIDN'T EVEN SAY "FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS" DURING THE DENVER MEETING. THAT WAS FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING.

Here is some of what Heston REALLY said:

Quote:

"I said to the mayor, well, my reply to the mayor is, I volunteered for the war they wanted me to attend when I was 18 years old. Since then, I've run small errands for my country, from Nigeria to Vietnam. I know many of you here in this room could say the same thing."

Quote:

"NRA members are in city hall, Fort Carson, NORAD, the Air Force Academy and the Olympic Training Center. And yes, NRA members are surely among the police and fire and SWAT team heroes who risked their lives to rescue the students at Columbine.

Don't come here? We're already here. This community is our home. Every community in America is our home. We are a 128-year-old fixture of mainstream America. The Second Amendment ethic of lawful, responsible firearm ownership spans the broadest cross section of American life imaginable.

So, we have the same right as all other citizens to be here. To help shoulder the grief and share our sorrow and to offer our respectful, reassured voice to the national discourse that has erupted around this tragedy."

Wow, you get a totally different impression! WHAT A SURPRISE!

If Moore was interested in the truth, he would have included it when Heston said "As you know, we've cancelled the festivities, the fellowship we normally enjoy at our annual gatherings" -- but he didn't. Because he is only interested in demagougery and getting people to believe that the NRA and the KKK are the same thing (which 99% of the people that saw and liked that movie probably believe). The movie is a lie.

Wretch · Oct 30, 2003, 02:58 AM

Sorry, but it's been a few months since I saw the movie and I didn't find it a movie about linking the NRA with the KKK at all. Nor did I ever say anything about that in my statement.

But you have to agree that the moral to the story was to -begin- to limit the availability of weapons/ammo like that. -To begin to reduce the availability- To make it harder for the kids to go into a store and buy the ammo.

Wouldn't you agree the world be a better place without guns? or if they had never invented them at all?

Think of the world 200, 1000, 2000 years from now... do you think we'll need guns then? I would hope not.

As far as I saw, Moore was spouting the statistics for murder (by gun) in each country per capita. I don't see what's so disputable about those facts. Surely, the police force and the governments are keeping track of murders in their respective countries and how they occurred.

I'm sorry Mr. Heston's speech wasn't included in it's entirety for you. I'm sure in Bowling for Columbine 2 there will be more footage to show it in the manner that suits you.

Roadee: I'm not sure what your story was about, or it's point, but maybe it would make a good movie.

JavaFox · Oct 30, 2003, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wretch
But you have to agree that the moral to the story was to -begin- to limit the availability of weapons/ammo like that. -To begin to reduce the availability- To make it harder for the kids to go into a store and buy the ammo.

The movie didn't have that moral at all. Moore was making the argument that the reason the US has dramatically higher gun deaths is because we have a culture of fear. It was not a pro-gun control movie.

Quote:

Wouldn't you agree the world be a better place without guns? or if they had never invented them at all?

No, I totally disagree. Seriously, examine history. If nothing else, the invention of gun powder weapons destroyed feudalism. Was feudalism a good thing?

Quote:

As far as I saw, Moore was spouting the statistics for murder (by gun) in each country per capita. I don't see what's so disputable about those facts. Surely, the police force and the governments are keeping track of murders in their respective countries and how they occurred.

The thing that is disputable about those statistics is that they aren't corroborated anywhere. If you can find ANY place his figures are published, let me know. But compared to FBI stats, Moore's are way too high. Again, if you are really interested in seeing both sides, I challenge you to find a source that supports Moore's numbers. You won't be able to.

The point is, Bowling for Columbine spliced together different Heston speeches, took words out of context, and RADICALLY altered the meaning of Heston's speech. I guess that okay if you are anti-gun though.