Demolition High

Scott Hardie | August 30, 2003
Since Columbine and other school shootings, we've heard all kinds of tales of students facing inappropriately harsh punishments for innocent actions. The one I remember most was the student who was suspended for "terrorist threats" after a teacher assigned him an essay of how he would improve the school and he wrote "First I would blow up the school as it is, then I would rebuild it to include..."

Now a young man in Oklahoma has had his life ruined by a similar incident, or so the article claims. The cops were right to investigate the young man when they first found his story, and I'm glad his mother acknowledges that, but this is carrying it too far. I faced this kind of misunderstanding over a "bomb threat" myself in high school; I'm glad it happened ten years ago instead of in the hyper-vigilant and hyper-reactionary environment today. What do you think?

Anna Gregoline | September 3, 2003
Did someone question your writing, Scott? Or are you talking about someone else?

Scott Hardie | September 3, 2003
It wasn't my writing really; they found a note in my car that they thought was a bomb threat. But they let me off the hook at my word that it was just a misunderstanding, which definitely would not happen today.