3rd-Graders Arrested for Their Drawings

[lonewolf0507]

3rd-Graders Arrested for Their Drawings

Two boys ages 9 and 10 in Ocala, Fla., have been arrested and charged with a second-degree felony for making primitive pencil-and-crayon stick figure drawings on scrap paper that depicted a 10-year-old classmate being stabbed and hung, reports The Associated Press. Police took the children, who are special education students, out of school in handcuffs.

The official charge: Making a written threat to kill or harm another person. The two have been suspended from their elementary school. One of the drawings showed the two boys standing on either side of the other boy and "holding knives pointed through" his body, AP says of the police report. They identified each person in the drawing with written names or initials.

I do not have a link

[demnan]

1. They shouldn't be punished, they should be treated

Kids with that kind of anger need psychological help.

[shesemsmom]

9. I agree.

They need help fast

[onenote]

17. who started it?

One thing that the story doesn't indicate is whether the kids that drew the offending picture started this. I'm just speculating, but it wouldn't surprise me if these two special ed kids had been harassed and teased and bullied to the point where they took out their frustration and hostility by fantasizing about revenge on their tormentor. That doesn't justify what they did, but it may explain it. Again...just speculation on my part

onenote

[idiosyncratic]

22. The kid who was a target looked like a mini-geek

I really, really doubt if he started it. He looked like the kind of child who will get picked on because of his small size or looks (ears sticking out).

[DrWeird]

21. Oh, they probably need psychological help.

Being handcuffed and arrested for drawing pictures could really tramuatize kinds.

As for the drawings themselves, perfectly normal.

[Ian David]

2. I did the same things when I was their age

And I never actually killed most of the people in my drawings.

[WildClarySage]

3. most?

:)

[Connie_Corleone]

4. I don't think they should've been arrested...

however, they should be punished with suspension and going thru some kind of counseling. The child that they drew being killed was afraid the 2 boys were going to do something to him.

[RubyDuby in GA]

5. We can't find Osama

but by God, we'll take down the 9 and 10 year olds that draw pictures.

Jesus H. Christ, :wtf: happened to this country???
Overreact much???

[rucky]

6. Special ed students, nonetheless.

This is life in Jeb Bush's state or George Bush's country.

Incarcerating them is tantamount to the violence they're punishing them for portraying.

[neweurope]

7. Let freedom rule... it's really unbelievable. I don't think there's

another country on this planet that arrests 9 year olds for a drawing. America, the beautiful! Set to spread the untamed fire of freedom... :puke: Sometimes I tell people what I'm reading here - and they always think I make things up or at least exaggerate. Now if these kids grow up and really stab somebody it won't be because they drew a stabbing when they where children but because police got them when they were children.


edit: And no, I don't think they need suspension and special counseling either. Kids will be kids, for chrissake! If the girl was frightened then I'd try to explain the matter to the boys. And then I'd try to find out why they dislike her and maybe speak to the girl. I'd also explain to the girl that nobody likes a tell-tale. But any other reaction is just too much. To me it seems more and more as if in the US you try to press people in a certain mold, no individuality allowed; individuality is either "sick" and has to be "treated" (preferably with chemicals) or it's "criminal"! And of course - nowadays tell-tales are loved - "Know your neighbor". Land of the free, indeed...

------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[WildClarySage]

12. "And then I'd try to find out why they dislike her and maybe speak to the

girl"

This sounds a little like blaming the victim. I agree that these kids don't need to be arrested, but their behavior does need addressing, and the little girl needs to be reassured that she has the right to be safe from threats of violence.

[Roxy66]

14. I think it was another boy n/t

[WildClarySage]

15. ah, sorry

was responding to post #7 which identified child as female. My bad.

[ucmike]

8. in other news...

16 kids playing "Kill the carrier" in Ft. Myers have been detained at Guantanamo until they reveal which naval assets they were going to target.

[shesemsmom]

10. If Kids are arrested for drawings

are we safe from being arrested for our thoughts

[DELUSIONAL]

11. movie -- "Minority Report"

people in fact were arrested for their thoughts -- "precogs" could read people's thoughts.

I find I am drawn more and more to science fiction -- sometimes current events and "what would happen if this path is followed to a logical conclusion" can be explored more effectively by the SciFi writers.

[aden_nak]

13. If I might suggest a pair of authors?

Philip K. Dick (who wrote the short story for Minority Report, as well as Paycheck, Blade Runner, Total Recall, and many others in production) does a deeper exploration of the self, of what it means to be who you are, and of the importance of memories in sculpting our lives, than perhaps any other author in any other genre.

And if you want something harder to read (almost headahce inducing) and less philosophical, might I suggest Greg Bear? Bring some Advil, though, unless you have an extensive background in whatever slice of science he is writing about. ;)

[RedSock]

16. break out the tazers! (eom)

[DELUSIONAL]

19. Thanks -- I've added the names to my reading list

After the 2000 election theft I found myself turning to Science Fiction writers to sort out what was happening. I'm a fan of the Dune series.

[jpgray]

18. Apparently some people here have no experience with what young boys draw

Or they were never kids themselves.

[DELUSIONAL]

20. Mike Malloy covered this story last night

and then he told about the pictures he drew when he was their age.

I hope that someone with a bit more knowledge can explain that children do this.

But then psychology and counseling has been thrown out of so many schools -- due to budget cut backs. BUT one would think that childhood psychology would be part of teacher's training????

This should be part of Psy 101 --

The stupidity of the adults running some school systems never ceases to amaze me.

[DrWeird]

23. When I was a kid...

I used to draw pictures of stick figures being attacked by a poorly drawn dragon, who usually won until a fighter jet came along and shot the dragon with pencil dash bullets.

[urbanasaurus]

24. Those pencil-dash bullets

Are pretty dangerous! They were always my weapon of choice at 8 or so...:thumbsup: