Not spooky but.....

wishcat · 05-15-2006, 01:00 PM

WTF?? How can a teacher assign such an essay? That is one freaky dude.

A high school teacher in St. Joseph, Mo., gave a horrifying writing assignment in April to his beginning drafting class. The 30 students, who range in age from freshmen to seniors, were told to write a composition explaining who they would kill and how they would do it.

The Associated Press reports that the Central High School teacher, Michael Maxwell, has apologized, insisting the instruction was only a writing prompt. It's still not clear why he had a beginning drafting class writing such an essay. "I made a horrible mistake that I regret," Maxwell said. "I want to apologize to my students, my colleagues and to the community."

The gruesome assignment came to light when a parent complained to the principal, Barton Albright. He apologized for the teacher's "lapse of judgment," calling him "an exemplary person." Maxwell will likely keep his job.

http://channels.netscape.com/whatsne...=20060515-1337

spookypurple · 05-15-2006, 01:47 PM

I wonder if that was one assignment everyone handed in on time....

Ben Lahnger · 05-15-2006, 02:27 PM

I think I would have been sorely tempted to research an elaborate scheme on how to secretly poison an unsuspecting person over a long period of time ... and then I would have written it up, naming the offensively idiotic teacher as my intended victim, and turning the assignment in.

I might not have passed the class, but I bet I would have screwed up his sleep!

wishcat · 05-15-2006, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

I think I would have been sorely tempted to research an elaborate scheme on how to secretly poison an unsuspecting person over a long period of time ... and then I would have written it up, naming the offensively idiotic teacher as my intended victim, and turning the assignment in.

I might not have passed the class, but I bet I would have screwed up his sleep!

Haha that's too funny.

Crom Crauch · 05-15-2006, 10:25 PM

I dunno... I'd've failed the prompt for going over just one person... one wouldn't just be enough

shattered_likeness · 05-15-2006, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crom Crauch

I dunno... I'd've failed the prompt for going over just one person... one wouldn't just be enough

Agreed, if more people don't start dying,the world is going to become even more over-populated!

As for the prompt, I might have been able to understand if it was put before a college class. But, puuting that kind of assignment to a High School class would have the potencial to induce yet another Columbine incident.

Ben Lahnger · 05-16-2006, 06:33 AM

That is absolutely correct ... and that is the reason I am shocked that this teacher still has his job.

Nocturne · 05-17-2006, 04:55 AM

How old would those pupils be? This kind of assignment could be very disturbing to young teens, I guess, but if they were older, I think this assignment could serve as a very interesting starting point to discuss aggression, violence, dealing with destructive feelings etc.

Morrigan_Dubh · 05-17-2006, 05:15 AM

I agree. If the teacher gave balanced context and background to the assignment, and allowed the pupils to discuss it in class, rather than just handing it 'cold', I suppose it could be a very good lesson examining emotions, psychology, and even taboos.
But it was risky giving it to a new class, of whose members he had no knowledge, regardless of their age.

Nocturne · 05-17-2006, 05:34 AM

This kind of lesson needs a lot of trust, and the teacher needs to know his class really well - I agree. I 'm still wondering about those kids' age, though - unfortunately I know nothing about American High Schools.

Morrigan_Dubh · 05-17-2006, 05:54 AM

I'm guessing that if it was High School (rather than junior high school), and they ranged from freshmen to seniors, then they would have been 16 to 18 years old?

wishcat · 05-17-2006, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morrigan_Dubh

I'm guessing that if it was High School (rather than junior high school), and they ranged from freshmen to seniors, then they would have been 16 to 18 years old?

I thnk freshmens are about 14 yrs old? So maybe they ranged from 14 to 18 years olds.

spookypurple · 05-17-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

I think I would have been sorely tempted to research an elaborate scheme on how to secretly poison an unsuspecting person over a long period of time ... and then I would have written it up, naming the offensively idiotic teacher as my intended victim, and turning the assignment in.

I might not have passed the class, but I bet I would have screwed up his sleep!

Oh! I love the way you think, Ben.

I'd have been drummed out of the profession if I'd done that. Mind you, as the children I taught were only 7, the assignments would have probably just looked like troll love letters....

angel_dark_demon_bright · 05-18-2006, 09:21 AM

This would definitly be a subject i would have wanted to write about when i was in H.S. Why our english teachers all decided to follow the usual lesson plans i dont know. Which is why I took Advanced Composition my second year. Better stuff to write about.

I think that that might be a good idea for a thread maybe. Anyways I think he should have put some restrictions on the topic, like not writing about someone you know personnally. Otherwise you're asking for trouble.

Alaizabel Cray · 07-15-2006, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

I think I would have been sorely tempted to research an elaborate scheme on how to secretly poison an unsuspecting person over a long period of time ... and then I would have written it up, naming the offensively idiotic teacher as my intended victim, and turning the assignment in.

I might not have passed the class, but I bet I would have screwed up his sleep!

Wow, you're awesome, you think like I do.

A teacher at my school gave an essay assignment similar to that one not too long ago. The kids had to write about if they could choose one of their parents to live and one to die, what fate would they choose for each and why. A morbid and insenstive assignment, especially towards the kids who have already lost one parent. I wouldn't mind writing about how I'd kill a hypothetical person, I'd have fun with it actually, but having it be one of my parents would be pretty hard.

bulletsinmyhead · 07-31-2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alaizabel Cray

A teacher at my school gave an essay assignment similar to that one not too long ago. The kids had to write about if they could choose one of their parents to live and one to die, what fate would they choose for each and why. A morbid and insenstive assignment, especially towards the kids who have already lost one parent. I wouldn't mind writing about how I'd kill a hypothetical person, I'd have fun with it actually, but having it be one of my parents would be pretty hard.

That is just terrible! Does he still have his job?

bulletsinmyhead · 07-31-2006, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

I might not have passed the class, but I bet I would have screwed up his sleep!

Too funny! Laughing my ass off!

Alaizabel Cray · 08-02-2006, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulletsinmyhead

That is just terrible! Does he still have his job?

It's a she, and yeah, she's still teaching. I'm going to have her for English my senior year as a matter of fact, unless they switch the AP teachers around again (they do that like, every other year it seems, I think they just get sick of us, haha).

bulletsinmyhead · 08-02-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alaizabel Cray

It's a she, and yeah, she's still teaching.

Sorry about that (I meant, sorry about saying he instead of she). I was tired and not paying attention to my keyboard.

Alaizabel Cray · 08-03-2006, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulletsinmyhead

Sorry about that (I meant, sorry about saying he instead of she). I was tired and not paying attention to my keyboard.

Oh, it's all good, no worries. I never specified a gender in the first place anyways, hah.

Jupetta · 08-20-2006, 12:18 PM

LMAO... This guy seriously has issues assigning an essay like that, and if I did write it I'd probably lie on it as to not give away my secrets. :P

the_ink_bleeds_faster · 08-20-2006, 11:20 PM

I'd want an essay like that. Except the whole essay would be my hit list and explanations on why I'd want to kill those people.

Slap Your Love · 08-25-2006, 05:42 AM

Why can I not have such an assignment?

Delkaetre · 08-25-2006, 06:27 AM

I would like to try it. It's an excellent chance to put yourself into a new mindset, get creative, think things through- it would be much more inventive and difficult than some dull essay like 'in 5000 words or more, explain how and why Ellen Olenska in The Age of Innocence became a social outcast'. Had to do that kind of thing for my A-level English Literature.

transformingfate · 08-25-2006, 08:20 PM

I'm surprised no one killed the teacher...Seriously, if he was going to make them THINK about doing it, then why not?