Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-stick-figure-arrest,0,7524344.story

This is one of the most slowed, totalitarian things I have ever seen. It's a blatant abuse of power. If an adult did this, the police wouldn't have any authority to make an arrest.

Now compare this with the Turner Diaries. The author of that was never arrested, and it's far more dangerous than fething stick figure drawings that are ordered by a therapist.

I got detention in school for writing "I hate myself and i wish I was dead" in my diary. True story.

The page is loading really slowly. Could you copy the story onto Dakka?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Just seen the article...

Please don't try and bypass the swear filter like this. Thanks.Reds8n did I just read?

Really? Doing something your therapist tells you to do can get you arrested?

Now I'm angry.

You don't know the steps that were taken that led to the police being called. Yes the school were apparently aware of his condition but a teacher sees these threatening pictures and sends him to the headteacher. They send them back to class but probably have to make a report and inform the child protection officer in the school. They see an issue with violence and have to report it outside to someone in the local authority and it eventually gets to social services. They then think there's a risk involved and over a few hours something a bit dodgy drawn by an aggressive child in a classroom results in the police being called in the evening. Police who didn't know about the kids background and treatment.

This happens because everyone has to cover their own arses, you have a child drawing threatening images in a country were you do get school violence. If these were ignored and something happened there would be blame and lawsuits all over the place so everyone passes it on up to the next level of seniority.

Who actually called the police? It's not clear. Was it the school, because according to text on that page the school didn't want to press charges until the police called them. Which is a bit odd if they were the ones calling the police. Who persuaded who to do what?

Oh look, a non-story.

Lets rage.

Over a year old, if I'm not mistaken.

 d-usa wrote:
Oh look, a non-story.

Lets rage.

Rabble rabble rabble!


I think someone is aiming for Whembly's crown as "Poster of Non Stories".

I almost got suspended for drawing firearms in middle school, that was a good decade ago now so it's unsurprising the system's gotten worse. Funnily it's my career now, so I think I can safely say that school was stifling my creativity and natural interests,

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
You don't know the steps that were taken that led to the police being called. Yes the school were apparently aware of his condition but a teacher sees these threatening pictures and sends him to the headteacher. They send them back to class but probably have to make a report and inform the child protection officer in the school. They see an issue with violence and have to report it outside to someone in the local authority and it eventually gets to social services. They then think there's a risk involved and over a few hours something a bit dodgy drawn by an aggressive child in a classroom results in the police being called in the evening. Police who didn't know about the kids background and treatment.

This happens because everyone has to cover their own arses, you have a child drawing threatening images in a country were you do get school violence. If these were ignored and something happened there would be blame and lawsuits all over the place so everyone passes it on up to the next level of seniority.

Who actually called the police? It's not clear. Was it the school, because according to text on that page the school didn't want to press charges until the police called them. Which is a bit odd if they were the ones calling the police. Who persuaded who to do what?

Good post. My thoughts:

Except making a huge deal about sth this minor is uncalled for. Flipping out and going to social services is totally paranoid and insane. Anyone who would look at this picture and think ZOMFG A SCHOOL SHOOTER should be evaluated for extreme paranoia. Let's also not forget that people who publish racist cartoons of racist degenerates killing black people never get arrested. And this is when the racists actually have the intent to incite violence.

Anyone who sees a threat in this and not the Turner Diaries has a sever priority disfunction, or has secretive political views.

I think it was more likely they would call social services to make them aware of possible problems more than anything else.

Dont arrest, Get every teacher he has to monitor his behavior like a hawk.
I remember there are some stupid cops out there when it comes to kids.
Cops are trained to deal vwith adults, can we please not let cops anywhere near anyone under 13? They have totally different issues.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Dont arrest, Get every teacher he has to monitor his behavior like a hawk.
I remember there are some stupid cops out there when it comes to kids.
Cops are trained to deal vwith adults, can we please not let cops anywhere near anyone under 13? They have totally different issues.

Agreed. And you also have Autistic people who function like people that age, who have very bad experiences. I suspect that a great deal of these Autistic developmental problems are not caused by being severely disabled, but are caused by people sheltering them.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I'd really like to point out that this whole thing reads like an Onion article. Kid gets arrested for scary stick figure drawing of violence.

There's totally a very real danger that someone who draws violent stick figure pictures might actually shoot someone.

How did the police even get wind of this in the first place?

His therapist determined it was not a threat, and actually encouraged the drawing, and the school determined he was not a threat.

WTF?

 Testify wrote:
I got detention in school for writing "I hate myself and i wish I was dead" in my diary. True story.

I would have given you an A!

I got in trouble for drawing a T-rex eating my brother.

Also, I slightly freaked out my cousin by finding his journal and drawing an axe murderer with the words "I will find you" underneath. I stayed quiet about that one.

Amazingly, this happened in the USA.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Amazingly, this happened in the USA.

I assume this is sarcasm? Is it really necessary, considering the way two threads have happened with the whole "free speech" angle?


Anyways, back to the topic at hand:
It's likely that the teacher reported this to social services or the school system proper rather than the school's administration having done it. While arresting the child was certainly much, there likely was a sense of "what if something DID happen and we didn't make take it seriously?" on the part of the school system/social service which pressed for the police and school to get involved.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Amazingly, this happened in the USA.

I assume this is sarcasm? Is it really necessary, considering the way two threads have happened with the whole "free speech" angle?


Anyways, back to the topic at hand:
It's likely that the teacher reported this to social services or the school system proper rather than the school's administration having done it. While arresting the child was certainly much, there likely was a sense of "what if something DID happen and we didn't make take it seriously?" on the part of the school system/social service which pressed for the police and school to get involved.

There's always the risk that something might happen. Claiming well dur sth could happens! doesn't justify anything.

 Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Amazingly, this happened in the USA.

I assume this is sarcasm? Is it really necessary, considering the way two threads have happened with the whole "free speech" angle?


Anyways, back to the topic at hand:
It's likely that the teacher reported this to social services or the school system proper rather than the school's administration having done it. While arresting the child was certainly much, there likely was a sense of "what if something DID happen and we didn't make take it seriously?" on the part of the school system/social service which pressed for the police and school to get involved.

There's always the risk that something might happen. Claiming well dur sth could happens! doesn't justify anything.

You understand how reactionary institutions like school systems and police departments are, right?

Because if they don't and it bites them in the arse it really damages their reputation more than if they did take action

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:
I almost got suspended for drawing firearms in middle school, that was a good decade ago now so it's unsurprising the system's gotten worse. Funnily it's my career now, so I think I can safely say that school was stifling my creativity and natural interests,

Shortly after Columbine my school called my Mom in to discuss the stack of books I had out. Firearms, a couple of old Janes, etc.
My generally anti-gun (and also deadly shot) Mom none too politely told the Principle and AP to feth off and respect my right to privacy. While I waited in the hall I heard one of the most fluently explitve laden diatribes I have ever heard.

Yeah, that reminds me of the 'chat' my parents had with the principal immediately after Columbine. Apparently trenchcoats were a victim of bad timing at that time in history. They had a hard time appreciating that I dug the whole "film noir" thing, and not the whole "shoot up the school" thing.

My parents just laughed themselves out of the office, and life went on. Things are funny nowadays.

 Albatross wrote:

 Testify wrote:
I got detention in school for writing "I hate myself and i wish I was dead" in my diary. True story.

I would have given you an A!

My mate did something similar, he knew he failed a chem test, so spent the rest of the test drawing himself hanging from his school tie. hilarious to us, got even better when he got sent to the counsellor. Ha

What the school should have is a counselor on hand for stuff like this.
When in middle school i would threaten to kill someone(anger issues, im over it) the school didn't send me to the police. I want sent to the counselor with the guy to work it out.
But they got rid of it that year too(No the Counselor went to become a Principle at my high school)

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
What the school should have is a counselor on hand for stuff like this.
When in middle school i would threaten to kill someone(anger issues, im over it) the school didn't send me to the police. I want sent to the counselor with the guy to work it out.
But they got rid of it that year too(No the Counselor went to become a Principle at my high school)

FUnny, if you threeten to kill me in Jr. High, my family would have treated it like that and you might have disappeared into multiple bayous. Alternatively I would have beat hell out of you. So I guess counselors worked out for you.

Really? Frazz? Im having trouble believing that. Is this more of the "Texan tough man" talk i always hear? I would like to think texans are rational enough to not take the talk of an 11 year old seriously.

Frazz is still a little hyper from his Lucky Charms breakfast

@sauce, when you say that you "would threaten to kill someone", you make it sound like it was a regular thing.

I don't think this kind of stuff should be taken lightly, but arresting an 11 year old over a drawing? Sad.

I know its not be be taken lightly, thats why i was sent to the counselor.
Even that, Studies have shown that those under 20 still do not always fully comprehend death and the consequences of it. They know what it is, but not what it truly entails.
and 11 year old may not fully understand what he is drawing.

Thats exactly why it should be taken seriously(although not going so far as to arrest anyone)

What if the individual carries out this horrible act? The child is less likely to comprehend the severity of his actions, and thus is more dangerous then an adult.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Really? Frazz? Im having trouble believing that. Is this more of the "Texan tough man" talk i always hear? I would like to think texans are rational enough to not take the talk of an 11 year old seriously.

Maybe you shouldn't threaten people in school?