Shane Finn, 14, is an autistic eighth grader with the mental capacity of a third grader. He did something not unknown to kids around the world. He drew a stick figure of himself shooting his teacher. He is now an accused terrorist in Georgia.
The childish drawing included the helpful labels “me” for the figure pointing the gun at the other figure, labeled “Hartman.” Hartman was not amused and, despite the fact that Finn has only 75 IQ, Finn was charged with a terrorism felony.
We seem to have become a society where any infraction must be expressed in criminal terms, even when committed by a child (here). Even sketching a gun can get you suspended, here. Once again, the question remains the judgment and professional responsibility of the prosecutors in advancing these charges. If a 14-year-old autistic boy is now considered a terrorist for a drawing, we have lost this fight.
For the full story, click here.
We’ve got to do something to stop these weird and arbitrary terrorism charges. Before 9/11, what would have happened to this kid? Since 9/11, every state and locality has adopted such laws. They are used to wreak terror on the citizenry, making any threat, intended or unintended, veiled or direct, something akin to flying planes into buildings. Sick.
It’s clear this boy is not a terrorist and it should have NEVER BEEN POSSIBLE to charge him with something so ridiculous. Change the law, or at least tighten it up. Terrorism is serious stuff and these laws making it an arbitrary joke.
Finally, any teacher that would react by reporting a child with special needs as a terrorist should not only be fired, they should be ashamed of themseleves. Little, little people that pursue this case.
kids ARE scarey…
COMMON SENSE … COMMON SENSE … Get you Common Sense here! I could make a killing peddling common sense in Georgia. With a little help and a butterfly net I could probably corner the market given the dearth. And the courthouse? Why, that’s my first place to set up shop — maybe outside the prosecutor’s office.
I love the address of this place: 5340 S.Trimble Road, NE. A confused place in multiple ways. A
ctually, in a normal, functional school a teacher would have been a little alarmed, autistic kid or not. But it probably would only have gone as far as a phone call to the parent. Interesting that the child’s name is disclosed (presumably with parental permission), but the school people (?the charter, ?the county school board) aren’t named and there is no review of the process (perhaps the kid’s lawyer suggested not saying). Chareters have such a halo around their rep, but I often wonder if most of them are run by people who really don’t understand basic school practice.
Gyges:
I treat my employees like I would want to be treated. Leave me the f . . . k alone and let me do my job.
Gyges:
become a capitalist and open a brew pub.
It’s about time someone showed this little autistic bastard that actions have consequences. Left to his own autistic devices, he would undoubtedly have turned into this:
http://www.cogsdev.org/cwcki/Christian_Weston_Chandler
You know, in second grade, my friend Aaron and I used to draw pictures non-stop all day of massive armies and then draw lines back and forth between them that was guns/missiles firing. We would then add the explosions and dead soldiers (stick men laying on the ground). We were the ‘smart’ kids so the teachers let us do whatever we wanted, so we just drew these pictures all day everyday. I remember it in vivid detail, and I am very happy I went to school back when people had a shred of common sense.
Byron,
Actually, since the only manager I really have a problem with works opposite shifts from me, it’s not all that bad usually, but I am looking for a new job thanks to a couple of really draconian policies.
Like I’m sure you know, your employees are only as good as you treat them.
Good lord, I’d have been in prison by age 10 if this was a crime.
Our society has gone truly insane.
I see a valid mathmetical expression. Me with gun + teacher = RIP. Perhaps take some points off for not declaring the variables appropriately…
Gyges:
that must be a fun place to work.
I say water board him and throw him in jail for life. Reduce his sentence if he tells us who gave him the pencil and paper.
now there’s an interesting idea!
Sometimes people need to ride motorcycles in Ottawa Hills, OH. Maybe its time for all of these good folks to take a ride.
Obviously, the need for rational discussion between the teacher, the parents and the child is entirely too complicated. Yes, the easy way to resolve an issue such as this is the immediate criminal prosecution of the child.
It makes all the sense in the world. To a mental midget, perhaps.
I work for a fairly small company, not really big enough to have a HR department or anything like that. As a result, my supervisors pretty much get to make up what actions are taken when an employee does something wrong as they go along. Three of the four are fairly reasonable, but the fourth (who unfortunately is the head of the department) gets off on using his power, and makes up bizarre and arbitrary rules as he goes, and often enforces them without telling us about them first.
I wonder if he’s related to Hartman?
Besides, if you look at the drawing, “Hartman’s” foreshortened arm clearly indicates he was reaching behind his back. Possibly for a weapon. Reasonable apprehension and all that. There is an argument to be made for stick figure self-defense here.
Seconded without reservation.
I believe anyone involved in the prosecution of this case should be immediately dismissed from their current position, no matter what title they hold, from the school employees to the prosecution teams, anyone that has been a part of this nonsense needs to go and to be banned from every holding that or any similar position again!