There is a bizarre case out of Maryland where school officials sent teacher and novelist Patrick McLaw, 23, to an emergency medical evaluation for publishing, under a pseudonym, a novel about a school shooting. That’s it. A language-arts eight grade teacher at Lane Middle School writes a book about a school shooting and he is put on leave by the Dorchester County Board of Education, investigated by the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and sent away for evaluation. “The Insurrectionist” happens to be set 900 years in the future but the board couldn’t just wait for the shooting to occur and had to act. What is striking is that all of these steps have been taken and McLaw has been effectively treated as a danger to children but no one has said a thing beyond the novel that is the basis for the actions. Was there something else that raise the danger of a violent act by McLaw? Officials have not been shy about distributing McLaw’s picture, assuring parents that they will protect their children (presumably from McLaw), and generally portraying him as a possible threat to children. Yet, when it comes to the basis for these actions, no one is saying a thing.
Officials have noted that McLaw has used various names. Yet, news reports indicate that he had his original name “Beale” legally changed and he has said common pseudonyms as an author.
McLaw is the author of two books: “The Insurrectionist” and its sequel, “Lillith’s Heir.”
After he was sent for evaluation, the police swept Lane Middle School for bombs and guns. After all, a novelist had been roaming the halls unescorted. His home was also raided by police.
Dorchester County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Wagner (right) assured parents after the novelist was removed that police will be present at the middle school “for as long as we deem it necessary.”
Weirdly, the whereabouts of McLaw is unknown and he is on leave. Dorchester School Superintendent Dr. Henry Wagner said
In response to community inquiries, we are providing the following additional information.
“The concerns regarding Mr. McLaw were originally brought forward by the Wicomico County State’s Attorney last week. They have advised that an investigation is ongoing but the details may not be released, as it may compromise that investigation.
“All appropriate background checks were conducted prior to Mr. McLaw’s employment with DCPS,” Wagner said. “Furthermore, none of the above-mentioned matters took place in conjunction with his employment with DCPS.
“Nevertheless, by way of additional precautions, the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) is providing a presence at MLMS. His photo and the original press release have been issued to all schools. We are working closely with law enforcement (the Dorchester Sheriff’s Department and CPD) to insure that all of our security protocols are followed.”
The 2013-14 school year was McLaw’s first year teaching at Mace’s Lane Middle School but he was one of the nominees for Dorchester County’s First Class Teacher of the Year
this year.
The Insurrectionist includes the following quote:
“On 18 March 2902, a massacre transpired on the campus of Ocean Park High School, claiming the lives of nine hundred forty-seven individuals — the largest school massacre in the nation’s history. And the entire country now begins to ask two daunting questions: How? and Why? After the federal government becomes involved, and after examining the bouquet of black roses that lies in front of the school’s sign, it becomes evident that the hysteria is far from over.”
Unless there is some really chilling evidence that has not been uncovered, McLaw may have an extraordinary lawsuit in the making. Various news sites are reporting that McLaw was put through this nightmare because of his novels. If so, this is a ridiculous and abusive series of actions by both school and police officials. If there is something more, these officials need to be clear that there was some evidence beyond the novels that prompted these actions. No guns or bombs were found in the school or his home. So what is going on? As the novel states, it is “evident that the hysteria is far from over.”
Source: The Atlantic
Kudos: Don Clarke
“Letter penned by teacher placed on leave a point of contention for lawyers”
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bs-md-teacher-folo-20140903,0,102429.story
UPDATE: Suspended Teacher Speaks Out; New Info From Sheriff
Posted: Sep 03, 2014 6:39 PM EST
http://www.wboc.com/story/26442042/update-suspended-teacher-speaks-out-new-info-from-sheriff
Anon- The story goes on to state, “McLaw’s letter was of primary concern to healthcare officials, Maciarello says. It, combined with complaints of alleged harassment and an alleged possible crime from various jurisdictions led to his suspension.
Shakingmyhead – who was harassing who? Was he complaining of being harassed and being the target of criminal activities and the authorities responded in their customary manner and accused him of harassment and alleged crimes, and to completely close scrutiny slapped a mental health accusation on him, and desperately looking for evidence to back this up held up his books as evidence? The writing of books otherwise being evidence of a person completely in control of their senses.
But on this precedent virtually all creative writers and film makers could be classed as insane.
Roll on the Soviet state.
In this case however, we need to know the particulars to determine if there was abuse of power, or the First Amendment. At least the police didn’t shoot first and ask questions later.
While we slept, our Police Departments were becoming the military with unbridled power and we Americans, the ‘enemy’.
When are the criminal cops going to jail? We need Nuernberg II trials for these criminals in uniform…..
BREAK TEACHERS UNIONS STRANGLEHOLD.
STOP MYSTICAL/LIBERAL/COLLECTIVIST/MINORITY/PERVERSION/ RELIGIOUS INDOCTRINATION CURRICULA.
Make teachers unions illegal and terminate all employee contracts.
Teach only basic education such as reading, writing and arithmetic.
Conduct public school only through the highest grade of effectiveness for all students, quantifiable through grades and achievement, as general welfare.
Compel advanced education students to obtain and fund as individuals.
Compel parents to pay for basic education as they pay for their utilities of water, electricity, natural gas, telephone, mail, Internet, etc.
I wonder if Bob Geldof is on the run for this?
Perhaps the day will yet arrive when humanity has evolved enough to have a scientifically accurate grasp of the structure of human society and the relationship of said structure with trauma, with moral injury, with imprisonment of the mind, and with the efforts of those humans who strive to escape from the ongoing terrors of mental imprisonment as a socially-mandated norm.
There is another book, (I find that there are several more) with the title, “The Insurrectionist.” One that I read before reading the one by Patrick McLaw, was written by Mahima Martel.
What if insurrection, in diverse forms, is essential for the eventual development of accurate (by which I intend to mean biologically/scientifically accurate) understanding of the processes of the human condition?
Who, if anyone, amongst the whole of existing humanity, has genuine access to such truthfully accurate scientific objectivity as to be absolutely and truthfully honest about anything whatsoever?
Perhaps I can restate that… Who, among all presently living human people, is totally, perfectly, and absolutely without the distortions of reality that form the neurological basis of all psychological defenses, given the definition of psychological defenses as mental mechanisms which distort reality in the service of the socialization-generated self-image (or imago?) that is sometimes, in the Freudian psychology sense, called the Ego?
Welcome to the USSR of Amerika!
Interesting how many people assumed that this was about the evil government and his books when it’s really about a letter he wrote that caused mental health professionals to become concerned.
Public education today is a training ground for minimum security prison. The incompetence within government today is staggering. Something will give eventually. My money is on the people in mass.
its funny how those on here and immediately jumping on the mental health issue, ASSUMING WITH NO EVIDENCE that it is true. unless and until we the people are allowed to read a UNDOCTORED version of the letter then why assume? it says he alleged harassment along with crimes that involved multiple agencies. and yet no one has accepted those allegations as if harassment is something THAT DOESNT happen.
ex. because he did write those books and someone took offense and began making false charges against him in order of fact to get him fired from said job. need i go on? judging by the comments i would say i probably do need to go on. but why should i it appears that many minds are already made up. adrian schoolcraft was institutionalized. serpico was personally demonized for blowing the whistle. lets not even think about what happened to snowden and manning for whistleblowing i mean all the corporation said was right and exact and they all turned out to be liars… HELL NO unreal the propaganda most here are willing to believe with the bs. stories the so called AUTHORITIES are now putting out to cover their behinds….
but hey go right ahead and believe this man has a mental health issue with NO PROOF AT ALL