Weird Homework

I can't believe that this teacher isn't being fired.

ST. JOSEPH, MO (AP) -- A high school teacher has apologized for asking students to write about who they would kill and how they would do it, and officials said he will likely keep his job.

Michael Maxwell, who teaches industrial technology at Central High School, said his request that students in his beginning drafting class describe how they would carry out a murder was merely a writing prompt. It was not clear why he asked the drafting class to write fiction.

"I made a horrible mistake that I regret," Maxwell said. "I want to apologize to my students, my colleagues and to the community."

The April 21 writing request, which Maxwell said was not a formal assignment, came to the attention of administrators when a parent of one of the students filed a complaint with Principal Barton Albright.

Albright expressed regret and apologized for Maxwell's "lapse of judgment."

"He's an exemplary person ... this is very out of character," the principal said.

St. Joseph School District spokesman Steve Huff declined to discuss possible disciplinary measures because the matter is considered a personnel issue. But he said the incident probably isn't serious enough to cost Maxwell his job.

Maxwell has issues.

I think they're serious enough to cost him his job.

What's so inconsistent about the fact that Maxwell will probably keep his teaching position even after such a massive "lapse of judgment" is that a student would not be granted the same slack.

If a student scribbled in a notebook something about killing someone and it was discovered, the school would go into lockdown, police would be on the scene, and the kid would be expelled.

Why is it that this teacher can be forgiven for encouraging his students to write about who they would kill and how?

If a student did the exact same thing on his own, there is no way that the matter would be framed as a creative expression. The student would not be commended for taking the initiative in a writing exercise.

I'm not defending students who issue death threats. The threats most definitely need to be taken seriously and examined. Too many kids and teachers have been injured or killed by students run amok.

I have a problem with the double standard here. I doubt a student who did something so "out of character" would be given the leeway that Maxwell is getting.

There should be some consistency. This teacher suggested that his students do precisely what schools forbid students to do!

Nonetheless, Maxwell gets a mulligan. He gets to apologize and everything is all better.

Why are Maxwell's actions being excused as an "exemplary person" doing something "out of character"?

The guy should be out of a job.