What Allen Lee Actually Wrote

Here it is, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. (I've broken it into paragraphs because otherwise it's fairly illegible.)

Blood sex and Booze. Drugs Drugs Drugs are fun. Stab, Stab, Stab, S.-T.-A.-B., poke. "So I had this dream last night where I went into a building, pulled out two P90s and started shooting everyone?, then had sex with the dead bodies. Well, not really, but it would be funny if I did."

Umm, yeah, what to wright about?? I'm leaving to join the Marines and I really don't give a (obscenity) about my academics, so why does the only class that's complete Bull Shit, happen to be the only required class?enough said. The model citizen would stay around to vote in new board member to change the 4 years of English policy, but no one really stays around to vote for that kind of local crap, so whoever gets there name on the Ballet with a pretty face gets to do what the (obscenity) ever they want with local ordinance.

A person is smart, but people are dumb selfish animals. We can't make rules for ourselves so we vote others to do it for us, but we can't even do that right, I meen seriously, Bush for President? And our other option was John Kerry who claimed to parktake in Vietnam Special Forces missions that haven't been declassified?.(obscenity) Bull Shit. So Power Flower Super Mario. Pudge, hook, rot, dismember "Fresh Meat."

Mostly new/young teachers are laid back, and cooperative with students as feedback and input into the curriculum and atmosphere. My current English teacher is a control freak intent on setting a gap between herself and her students like a 63 year old white male fortune 500 company CEO, and a illegal immigrant. If CG was a private catholic school, I could understand, but wtf is her problem. And baking brownies and rice crispies does not make up for it, way to try and justify yourself as a good teacher while underhandedly looking for complements on your cooking. No quarrel on you qualifications as a writer, but as a teacher, don't be surprised on inspiring the first cg shooting.

And here's Lee's "Author's Note," as suggested/approved by his lawyer:

Authors Note: This production of writing is done in the most accurate manner I can depict of the original writing. Grammar and spelling mistakes are included at the best accuracy possible. The first phrase in questions is in fact a Green Day song. The second reference to drugs is in relation to the schools history of drug problems. I am personally clean of all controlled substances.

The statement in quotes is done so as a non personal statement as I would have done in reference to a character for a story. The reference to the gun P90 is from a video game, combined with a reference to necrophilia as a comment regarding a seriously messed up situation. A situation such as the rape of villagers during a raid by U.S. troops in Vietnam.

I really do not care too much about by continuing academia as in relation to grades. I do however believe on continuing my personal education, and I am actually still working for my classes. My views on the graduation requirements explain themselves. The reference to Mario and Pudge( a DOTA character) are completely random as is this essay. The reference to a person being smart and people being dumb is based on a quote from "Men in Black." I generally do believe the public opinion is best.

The rest of the essay is rather self explanatory, the main statement in question I have already released a comment online about. I request that all information I have released is read together, and nothing given separately or as an excerpt as the administration has seen fit to do.

On an additional note, I have completed the MEPS (Military Entry Processing Station) examinations, and yes a psychiatric evaluation is included in the process. If I'm qualified to defend the country, I believe I'm qualified to attend school.

(As the Chicago Tribune notes, the Marines have withdrawn Lee's acceptance.)

So... what do we think of this essay? Looks like my suspicion that it was going to be "well-written" was off the mark. I am surprised that the original articles stated that Lee made no direct statements or threats towards anyone, as the last sentence seems fairly obviously directed at English teacher Nora Capron, and, though not necessarily a threat, is a strong insinuation and an inappropriate statement for a student to make under any circumstances.

The rest of the essay... pretty much garbage. He makes a few shock value statements about drugs, violence, and sex; gives a minor political rant; and denigrates his teacher. Not worth being arrested over.

I could easily have taken the grading ax to the story, on the grounds that it is inappropriate to directly accuse one's teacher in this manner, and I could even have sent him to the counselor, or, more likely, the principal's office for a quick talk about respect.

However, it looks like Capron painted herself into a corner with that one, as -- if you click on the Tribune sidebar and read Capron's assignment -- she clearly states that "you cannot fail this free writing exercise!"

I suppose it makes me wonder what grade the paper got. ^__^

My guess is that the charges will be dropped, and although Lee won't ever become a Marine he will have a nice time hanging out with Kaavya Viswanathan on the island where young, publicly humiliated authors go to wait out their time until they can work their way back into everyday society. Maybe Allen and Kaavya can hook up.

(And there, Ennis, is your desi connection. *__^)