Teacher Suspended, Incarcerated For Science Fiction Story

[Nazi Flower Power]

More like a nuclear-powered flaming hand, but appearances can be deceiving.

Well, the only answer I can give is this: "The world may never know".

Also, atomic-powered flaming metal horns tyvm

Sorry, we swastikas are not experts on metal iconography... Hitler does not like us listening to metal.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

Well, the only answer I can give is this: "The world may never know".

Also, atomic-powered flaming metal horns tyvm

Sorry, we swastikas are not experts on metal iconography... Hitler does not like us listening to metal.

Hitler was more of an Oi! fan.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

I'm suspicious of the statement from the authorities--If it wasn't the books that set them off, then what gave people that idea?--but I'll withhold judgement for now in the light of this new information.

[Gigaverse]

rabble rabble rabble

Stop believing everything you read.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy ... story.html

It's just that there are so many incidents I've read about the police force in the U.S.; and now suddenly another incident in the UK (though this one is justified); which is disappointing for me.

[Nazi Flower Power]

If it wasn't the books that set them off, then what gave people that idea?

Maybe the fact that the books' existence was more public than a letter he wrote to the school...

Or the fact that the news media suck balls and will publish anything to attract readers. Why did people think Sunil Tripathi was responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing? Because people tend to latch onto the first vaguely plausible theory that someone suggests to them, even if it's not true and there is no real evidence to support it. Why was there a series of alarmist stories a while back about a surge of sales of Mein Kampf, even though there had not been any such thing? Because it attracts readers if you can stir up a controversy.

Some of these problems arise because the media wants to report news while it's still new, which means they don't have time to really get to the bottom of every story before they start reporting on it. Taking the time to investigate it thoroughly from every angle would take too long and give their competitors the opportunity to break the story first.

[Ganos Lao]

I would be freaked out if I was his student. People often write stories about their dreams and fantasies. Maybe he hated his students and it was some kind of self-insert wish fulfillment story for him. Even if it wasn't it was in very bad taste.

I remember hearing about a teacher who was so disturbed by the bullying that went on in his school that he used it as inspiration for his first novel, a story about a young woman who is so horribly scarred by her dysfunctional home and school life that when she's the victim of a cruel prank at a school function, her response is to kill off a good part of the student body. Alarming, right?

The book was Carrie. The author was Stephen King. As far as I know, none of his students died at his hands.

Don't forget when he helped his old pal Bachman publish that one story of his too.

On a serious note, though, King has said:

"Certainly in this sensitized day and age, my own college writing—including a short story called 'Cain Rose Up' and the novel Rage—would have raised red flags, and I'm certain someone would have tabbed me as mentally ill because of them..."

Most likely he'd have tabbed Carrie as a definitive red flag raiser.

[AiliailiA]

Maybe it's just me. When I read the word's "Lilith's Heir" I thought "Hitler's Lair" and hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

On topic, I think teachers should be permitted a private life, and all authors should be permitted the anonymity of a pseudonym. Maybe some exceptions — government officials and security service employees — but we definitely should not be treating all government employees (eg teachers) as though they are privy to national secrets. Quite the opposite: government should be the paradigm employer, and hold itself to a high standard of respecting employee privacy.

To what's on this page: I have no problem with suspending a government employee for "mental health concerns". Of course he will be paid while suspended, and if ultimately sacked will receive a pension. If he's reinstated it will be with a full explanation and apology. Government should be the paradigm employer.

And obviously, it is an occupational hazard of teaching that a teacher may become mentally ill. Bitch of a job.

[AiliailiA]

As to Stephen King's early writing under a pseudonym, there is obviously no privacy issue to consider. He outed himself.

Can an author invoke copyright to prevent publication of something they wrote and deliberately published? Well legally they can, but I think it is absurd. The whole justification of copyright is to ensure the author (publisher, distributor, publicist etc) get monetory or other rewards for the popularity of what they wrote (published, distributed etc). When they specifically refuse to take such reward, surely they renounce any other claim to the work. Trying to 'unpublish' it to avoid negative popularity should not be protected by copyright law.

Rage should be considered Out Of Copyright. It should be considered Public Domain.

[Lavan Tiri]

Well, the only answer I can give is this: "The world may never know".

Also, atomic-powered flaming metal horns tyvm

Sorry, we swastikas are not experts on metal iconography... Hitler does not like us listening to metal.

LIES!! It's a histrorilal fact that Duke Hitler of Lundun was a miner.