student expelled from UVAWise

**sup-rbeast** · March 12th, 2008, 11:19 AM

...and I reckon schools condemn students over CREATIVE WRITING if they deem the subject matter eerie...lol...what a joke. UVAW is over stocked with a$$ clowns.

**imported_elp6n** · March 12th, 2008, 11:26 AM

Only because of what has happened in the recent past.

As I've said before it's sad that freedoms are slowly being stripped but it's getting the point where no one is safe anywhere (mall...school...). Someone gets pissed and starts shooting. If it's possible someone can be stopped before they get to that point, more power to them.

**sup-rbeast** · March 12th, 2008, 11:27 AM

Pack some heat if it makes ya feel safer...I for one don't feel threatened by a creative writing assignment or someone having guns they have been deemed worthy by a judge to conceal and carry.

**imported_elp6n** · March 12th, 2008, 11:31 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Pack some heat if it makes ya feel safer...I for one don't feel threatened by a creative writing assignment or someone having guns they have been deemed worthy by a judge to conceal and carry.</div></div>

Wouldn't necessarily do any good - if you get shot first by surprise you're not necessarily going to be able to shoot back. You can't go around shooting at suspicious-looking or -acting people.

**imported_VTgal** · March 12th, 2008, 11:35 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The matter began in a creative writing class taught by assistant professor Christopher Scalia, Barber said. Barber turned in copies of the story Feb. 28 to Scalia and the other students.</div></div>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The professor who the narrator briefly contemplates killing is named "Mr. Christopher."</div></div>

That would kinda make me feel strange if a student of mine turned in a paper that talked about "maybe" killing me.

**sup-rbeast** · March 12th, 2008, 11:35 AM

That response is typical of the overall mentality of our citizens. I guess in this day and age of being wired to every newscast from here to Somalia paranoia just runs wild.

**imported_elp6n** · March 12th, 2008, 11:39 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That response is typical of the overall mentality of our citizens. I guess in this day and age of being wired to every newscast from here to Somalia paranoia just runs wild.</div></div>
That the concept of carrying a gun doesn't necessarily mean you're safe? I dont have a problem with guns. I'm just saying there's no guarantee that carrying one will keep anyone from killing you.Sure there may be situations where a gun would be of benefit, but also some where it wouldn't matter at all if you had one.

**CoeburnCane** · March 12th, 2008, 11:52 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dr_coach</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The matter began in a creative writing class taught by assistant professor Christopher Scalia, Barber said. Barber turned in copies of the story Feb. 28 to Scalia and the other students.</div></div>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The professor who the narrator briefly contemplates killing is named "Mr. Christopher."</div></div>

That would kinda make me feel strange if a student of mine turned in a paper that talked about "maybe" killing me.</div></div>

There we go assuming again.

Mr. Christopher may or may not have been Prof. Scalia...but the question was never asked...it was assumed that was the case.

Maybe it was a smart piece of writing on Barber's part--he knew his audience, and he knew the story would have more of an emotional impact on Scalia if he named the teacher "Mr. Christopher". It could have been merely a literary technique, not a derranged fantasy spilled out on paper.

Also--he said he wrote the story about a "crazy drug addict". If Barber's proven to be a drug addict and off his rocker all at once...then sure--that's him. But nothing's been said that has linked Barber to drugs, and his evaluation allowed him to be released back into the general public which means mental health professionals didn't think he was crazy. So--how can we come, realistically, to the assumption that Barber is this "crazy drug addict" in the story? We can't--but societal conditions that came from the VT shootings have set our minds to think that he is when he may not be.

In other words, just because you write in first person doesn't mean that you, the author actually ARE the narrator. It means that you're taking on a first person persona of your main character and writing from their POV. If I wrote a first person narrative as a black woman saying she was going to kill Mr. Whitey because he's racist, does that make me in reality a homicidal black woman? Of course not.

The next thing you'll be telling me is that the guy up the road that owns a van and a rifle w/a scope on it needs to be committed b/c he's the next DC Sniper. Parts of Scott/Wise/Dickenson Counties will be left abandoned if we did that. Unreal.

Don't be sheep, people--think about this!!! Take VT out of the equation and think about this on your own and for it's own merits.

**pvfan** · March 12th, 2008, 12:14 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The college upheld the expulsion...looks like UVA-WISE is run by a bunch of split tails whether they were born that way or not. Liberal Arts College my a$$...stuff like this makes me ashamed that my BA came from that hole in the ground. </div></div>

Please turn it back in then, if you really feel that way we don't want you or need you. To defend this guy is borderline insane. What message would you be sending to the students, community, etc if you didn't punish a student who was found in possession of weapons on campus?

**sup-rbeast** · March 12th, 2008, 12:20 PM

I guess the same message you'd be sending by expelling a student for a piece of creative writing. If they want to sanction him for the guns, OK. If they want to expel him over writing it's not OK. I highly doubt you know the guy...so all you are doing is assuming he's deranged, which isn't the case. He went to war for your right to run your mouth, and you want him to be punished for his right to bear arms. Won't you just go suit up and head to Iraq to defend your own rights.