Students get in trouble for Death Note, part II: Alabama Edition

[livingfruitvirus]

This show sure is popular. Who said its timeslot sucks?

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20080403/NEWS/402500537/1016/NEWS


Two West End Elementary students arrested after notebook found

By Kenneth A. Hobson Jr. and Lisa Rogers, Times Staff Writers
Published April 3, 2008


Two 12-year-old sixth-grade boys at West End Elementary near Walnut Grove were arrested today after the discovery of a notebook containing what authorities said were terrorist threats.

The notebook was discovered Wednesday afternoon by school personnel. It was turned over to the principal, who turned it over to law enforcement authorities.

Etowah County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Lanny Handy, supervisor for school resource officers, said the notebook contained lists of school faculty members, school personnel and students.

Handy said nothing was found to indicate the students planned to carry out any type of attacks. He said the students thought of it as a joke.

The boys told officers they got the idea from a cartoon, “Death Note,” Handy said.

“Death Note” is on the Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim,” a block of animated programming geared to adults. The show is about a notebook in which if a person’s name is written the person will die.

Etowah County Superintendent of Education Mike Bailey said in a news release that Handy and an officer from the juvenile probation office met with school officials, parents and students involved this morning.

Bailey said the students have been suspended from Etowah County schools indefinitely pending orders through juvenile court.

Threats like this are taken very seriously by law enforcement, Sheriff Todd Entrekin said.

“No matter what age the students are, in light of what has happened recently in Georgia and other incidents around the country, we consider all threats to be a very serious matter,” he said.

Entrekin said it’s important for parents to be aware of what their children watch on television.While I don't like their baiting use of the word "terrorist," I'd think kids wouldn't be dumb enough to bring something to school that looks like a legitimate death list.

[Marinite]

Entrekin said it’s important for parents to be aware of what their children watch on television. Parents don't think so, apparently.

[Antiyonder]

Parents don't think so, apparently.

So their acts of intimacy brought the said kid into the world. That doesn't mean that they need to take responsibility for their children do they?:D

[Sketch]

Death Note's 12-17 ratings must be freak'n great.

[Beat]

*Insert witty Death Note belongs on Toonami statement here*

They downloaded it. Betcha anything they downloaded it.

[StellaMagic]

Personallt, I think they are overreacting. People write angry letters about someone who made them mad. The Death Note writing is a good way to write something nasty without actually doing violence.

[Daxdiv]

For some reason, every time I hear a story like that I can't help but stop thinking about some parody I saw on YT in which Ryuk, Light, and L comment on a similar incident.

[Beat]

If people actually knew what the hell Death Note was, this would make a great Robot Chicken skit.

[Matt Hazuda]

Thos kids should've been out looking for the leprechaun's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8) gold (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZfyrIPw3wY) and not messing around a silly Death Note. They could've paid people to do the dirty work for them after they find it :p

[herbkir]

Does no one here recall a little school-shooting incident known as Columbine? School authorities have to take any kind of hit list very seriously these days. And that is what the notebook probably looked like to them, a hit list.

Yes, it's most likely a couple of very stupid kids playing a really dumb prank. But it also could be a couple of very disturbed kids working themselves up to a killing rampage. Who knows? The school was right to not take a chance.

Kids need to learn that there are some things you just can't joke about anymore. And anything that implies a death threat in a school situation is one of them.

Death Note is an adult-level show playing at an hour when kids are supposed to be asleep. But kids do stay up late, and DN episodes can be found for downloading at any hour.

This is the third incident in recent weeks of kids getting in trouble for playing around with Death Note notebooks. Unless there's an incident where kids act to make their Death Notes come true, though, this fad will run its course quickly.

On the good side, Adult Swim got confirmation that there actually are people watching Death Note. (^_*)

[XOMiss_Samantha]

Wow.
This reminds me of the kids who brought handcuffs to schools and wanted to beat up their teacher with a paperweight.
I don't know any parents who have ever 'monitored' what their children watched on Tv. But come on. At that age you should at least have a little sense what the effects of bring a Death Note 'notebook' to school could be. Especially since September 11th, I'm sure most schools try to make it somewhat clear that certain things are no longer acceptable. Squirt guns- even joking around about 'blowing this and that up' aren't allowed.

[FinnMacCool]

Does no one here recall a little school-shooting incident known as Columbine? School authorities have to take any kind of hit list very seriously these days. And that is what the notebook probably looked like to them, a hit list.

Yes, it's most likely a couple of very stupid kids playing a really dumb prank. But it also could be a couple of very disturbed kids working themselves up to a killing rampage. Who knows? The school was right to not take a chance.

Kids need to learn that there are some things you just can't joke about anymore. And anything that implies a death threat in a school situation is one of them.

While I agree that this certainly required the school's attention (though not necessarily legal action), I would like to point out that, at least according to the professor from this website: http://www.courttv.com/chat/transcripts/2006/1004schoolshootings-cornell.html
School violence in the United States has been on the decline for the past decade. Student-on-student violence accounts for fewer than 10 deaths a year in this country, out of 2000 child murders each year and 119,000 public schools. I'm not saying it's not something to worry about, but it's not nearly as huge or as recent a problem as the media might indicate.

My advice to future kids who try to make their own Death Note is to include highly improbably causes of death: hit by satellite, trampled by elephant, struck by lightning 127 times, etc. If it seems too outlandish for anyone to actually pull off, people are less likely to take it as a serious hit list.

[Movie06]

Are those people dense? Just because they watch Death Note and made a "joke book" out of it, does not make them a terrorist.

[Megaman X]

Looks like everyone wants justice just like Light:D! Emo kids unite!!

*cough* anyways.. yeah I am not surprised at all by this.

[Zenze14]

so if I buy a death note notbookand took it to school will my teachers think I am a Terriors?

[Movie06]

so if I buy a death note notbookand took it to school will my teachers think I am a Terriors?

Very. Schools will probably ban anything Death Note-related.

[HG Revolution]

Are those people dense? Just because they watch Death Note and made a "joke book" out of it, does not make them a terrorist.

It doesn't make them a terrorist automatically, but it does look suspicious if they make it look too much like a hitlist as opposed to a joke.

[Racattack!Force]

Interesting. Not as interesting as those third-graders nearly stabbing their teacher to death with steak knives, but interesting nonetheless.

[DarthGonzo]

Are those people dense? Just because they watch Death Note and made a "joke book" out of it, does not make them a terrorist.

Dude, you never know. Things happen and unfortunately school shootings are not an unusual trend these days. School officials need to take this stuff very, very seriously because you never know what people are capable of.

Look, I'm a teacher. I don't watch this Death Note show but even if I did I'd take a student writing up a hit list very seriously, regardless whether or not they're just imitating a show. There's a lot of unbalanced people out there who don't care where they get their ideas from. And unfortunately I'm sure there are kids out there who have vendettas against classmates and would naturally think what they've seen on a show like Death Note would be an excellent jumping off point to plan some sort of rampage.

For some people there's no line between reality and fiction. So to say that people should stop taking these incidents so seriously and to "relax" because it's just some cartoon is asinine.

Things happen. Columbine...the Virginia Tech shootings...why should anyone take chances. Any student ballsy enough to write "hit lists" in school (regardless if their copying a cartoon) needs to be dealt with immediately. Because you never know. It's a scary thought and saying "oh whatever, these teachers are just fun killers" (as someone said in the last thread about this topic) is completely ridiculous.

[jbanks97]

2 Things

1. I'd be willing to bet this was just kids being fans of the show rather than anything sinister involved, but when the show is about murdering others.........I don't blame schools for overreacting in the rare case they stop someone who is seriously disturbed.

2. If anything I wouldn't be suprised if the ratings for Death note with the 12-17 crowd are much better than 18-24. I recall the one time they posted ratings for anime it seemed to pull respectable numbers with the younger crowd. (Having never seen Death Note I can't really speak for it's content)..........but maybe they should embrace this, and develop some sort of hybrid Toonami/Adult swim anime block, (I don't think that's what they're interested in but I'm sure it would pull decent ratings).

[Ishtar]

Again? Come on, this is just getting out of hand. Imagine how much more heated this situation would have been if Death Note had aired on Toonami rather than Adult Swim...

[Movie06]

Dude, you never know. Things happen and unfortunately school shootings are not an unusual trend these days. School officials need to take this stuff very, very seriously because you never know what people are capable of.

Look, I'm a teacher. I don't watch this Death Note show but even if I did I'd take a student writing up a hit list very seriously, regardless whether or not they're just imitating a show. There's a lot of unbalanced people out there who don't care where they get their ideas from. And unfortunately I'm sure there are kids out there who have vendettas against classmates and would naturally think what they've seen on a show like Death Note would be an excellent jumping off point to plan some sort of rampage.

For some people there's no line between reality and fiction. So to say that people should stop taking these incidents so seriously and to "relax" because it's just some cartoon is asinine.

Things happen. Columbine...the Virginia Tech shootings...why should anyone take chances. Any student ballsy enough to write "hit lists" in school (regardless if their copying a cartoon) needs to be dealt with immediately. Because you never know. It's a scary thought and saying "oh whatever, these teachers are just fun killers" (as someone said in the last thread about this topic) is completely ridiculous.

But this is different, some stupid kids were making a joke book. I mean jesus, George Carlin is right about the concept of kids playing dying.

[DarthGonzo]

But this is different, some stupid kids were making a joke book. I mean jesus, George Carlin is right about the concept of kids playing dying.

What?

When school shootings are an undeniably real threat something like this needs to be taken seriously, even if it is "some stupid kids making a joke book."

If I had students who were doing the same thing (even if I knew the show and understood what they were doing) I'd still put a stop to it. Like I said earlier, you never know.

[Movie06]

When school shootings are an undeniably real threat something like this needs to be taken seriously, even if it is "some stupid kids making a joke book."

If I had students who were doing the same thing (even if I knew the show and understood what they were doing) I'd still put a stop to it. Like I said earlier, you never know.

Then the parents should be arrested. They're responsible for allowing what their children watch.

But again, it was just stupid kids who made a "jokebook" out of the show. Nothing wrong with that. Even five year olds can tell the difference between reality and fiction.

You know, I think George Carlin will use that whole incident for his stand-up routine.

[warnerbroman]

wait so kids watch death note and we have to see edited anime like one piece ?!?!?!?!


censorship is so stupid!!

[Sketch]

2 Things

1. I'd be willing to bet this was just kids being fans of the show rather than anything sinister involved, but when the show is about murdering others.........I don't blame schools for overreacting in the rare case they stop someone who is seriously disturbed.

2. If anything I wouldn't be suprised if the ratings for Death note with the 12-17 crowd are much better than 18-24. I recall the one time they posted ratings for anime it seemed to pull respectable numbers with the younger crowd. (Having never seen Death Note I can't really speak for it's content)..........but maybe they should embrace this, and develop some sort of hybrid Toonami/Adult swim anime block, (I don't think that's what they're interested in but I'm sure it would pull decent ratings).

Yes they absolutely should. Seeing as teens are watching anyway. The 12-17 ratings for a block with Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Death Note and Geass would be much better than the 9-14 of Toonami or the 18-34 of Adult Swim. Both blocks are in terrible shape with little to live for anyway, the time is ripe for combining their strength into a block that will actually get some dang ratings.

[Tenku]

My question is... it happened in Alabama? (not to mention, a county that's kinda sorta near me)

That just strikes me as, oh I dunno, odd.

[Joe]

Then the parents should be arrested. They're responsible for allowing what their children watch.

Schools also run a strong risk for being taken to court if a violent incident arises. They can easily be blamed for not taking enough security measures. That's why many schools have zero tolerance for such behavior.

But again, it was just stupid kids who made a "jokebook" out of the show. Nothing wrong with that. Even five year olds can tell the difference between reality and fiction.

While it may be true for most, there are mentally and emotionally disturbed individuals that do have trouble percieving reality and some acts of violence have been linked to depictions in fictional material.

[Movie06]

While it may be true for most, there are mentally and emotionally disturbed individuals that do have trouble percieving reality and some acts of violence have been linked to depictions in fictional material.

True, very true but then again, the parents did a poor job raising their kids anyway.

[DarthGonzo]

True, very true but then again, the parents did a poor job raising their kids anyway.

You know Movie06, sometimes the craziest things happen. You can't automatically blame bad parenting as a reason that some kids have these problems. It's an easy thing to say but it's not always true.

You'll understand this stuff better when you get a little older. I'm sure of it.

[Movie06]

You know Movie06, sometimes the craziest things happen. You can't automatically blame bad parenting as a reason that some kids have these problems. It's an easy thing to say but it's not always true.

Really? Then why do parents use television as a scapegoat for their screw-ups?

[Megaman X]

Really? Then why do parents use television as a scapegoat for their screw-ups?

Because parents think blaming tv is the smartest thing to do or something >_> that or video games. Parents hate to be wrong for some reason..

[Movie06]

Because parents think blaming tv is the smartest thing to do or something >_> that or video games. Parents hate to be wrong for some reason..

They're ignorant and in denial that's why.

[HG Revolution]

You know, it's not even the parents blaming Death Note. It's the kids.

[Movie06]

You know, it's not even the parents blaming Death Note. It's the kids.

The kids too? Dang it, society has gone to hell. Son of a *****!

[DarthGonzo]

They're ignorant and in denial that's why.

I'm not even going try to explain the other side of things anymore. You can't win when you have to argue with people half your age.

When you grow up and look at things with an adult perspective you'll see all the things that are wrong with the point of view you have now. This is coming from someone with an MA in education and ten years of child care experience.

That said, I'm done with this thread. Sometimes you just can't explain anything to some people.

[Rolling Cloud]

Really? Then why do parents use television as a scapegoat for their screw-ups?

becasue they refuse to take responsibility for their actions?

Take for example that group of third graders who wanted to attack their teacher, a week ago. The parents blamed it on a cartoon, when there could have been some other cause in effect.

[Movie06]

I'm not even going try to explain the other side of things anymore. You can't win when you have to argue with people half your age.

When you grow up and look at things with an adult perspective you'll see all the things that are wrong with the point of view you have now. This is coming from someone with an MA in education and ten years of child care experience.

That said, I'm done with this thread. Sometimes you just can't explain anything to some people.

For pete's sake, you don't understand ignorant parenting. Parents always use television or other violent media as a scapegoat for their screw-ups. Just because you have a MA in education doesn't make you automatically right.

becasue they refuse to take responsibility for their actions.

Take for example that group of third graders who wanted to attack their teacher, a week ago. The parents blamed it on a cartoon, when there could have been some other cause in effect.

Exactly my point.

[DarthGonzo]

For pete's sake, you don't understand ignorant parenting. Parents always use television or other violent media as a scapegoat for their screw-ups. Just because you have a MA in education doesn't make you automatically right.

Of course I understand ignorant parenting. I see it all the time where I work. I'm probably more familiar with it than you are.

All I'm saying is that you can't always blame the parent in every single situation. Yes, lots of parents scapegoat TV, but just as many are actually good parents who try their best but end up with messed up kids regardless. Parents can only do so much. There's lots of outside influences that parents simply can't control. IMHO parenting is one of the hardest jobs a person can do. Even the best of us, with the best intentions, make mistakes.

And who said I'm automatically right? One has to look at both sides of things, and your not doing that.

[Movie06]

Of course I understand ignorant parenting. I see it all the time where I work. I'm probably more familiar with it than you are.

All I'm saying is that you can't always blame the parent in every single situation. Yes, lots of parents scapegoat TV, but just as many are actually good parents who try their best but end up with messed up kids regardless. Parents can only do so much. There's lots of outside influences that parents simply can't control. IMHO parenting is one of the hardest jobs a person can do. Even the best of us, with the best intentions, make mistakes.

And who said I'm automatically right? One has to look at both sides of things, and your not doing that.

Still, it's the parents responsibility. They have to take responsibility for how they raise their kids.

[Sketch]

Yes parents blame the TV too often. And they even more often use the TV to raise their kids. That is wrong and it will never be an adequate substitute. I was brought up in a good household with the neccessary rules but plenty of freedom. But I couldn't stay up late enough to watch stuff at 12:30AM on a Saturday night until I was in my late teens. Parents do need to be more responsible but that's not the only problem with how kids are growing up these days.

Kids cannot always be held responsible for their actions because when they're young they don't know any better and need to be taught right and wrong. But teenagers with Death Notes? They should know better. They've lived long enough to know that you shouldn't even think of about killing another person. It's possible some bad parenting enfluenced them towards those actions and they no doubt use shows like Death Note as escapsim from their real problems.

But a teenager actually making their own Death Note is probably not the fault of the series or their parents. It's a lack of good judgement on their part. That could stem back to not only watch they watch and who they were raised by but also to what they did and did not learn in the educational system (which is in poor shape) and also who they choose to spend their time around. Bad influences are everywhere. I do believe the choices parents make in raising their kids do effect them as the grow up, you can't just blame them. They are typically the start of the problem, but not where it ends.

Everyone needs to be more responsible and make better choices. The parents, the kids, educational organizations and entertainment industry. Our country is going to crap because people aren't taking responsibility for their own actions. Everyone is looking out for number one and in doing so are making choices that effect all of us (and unforutnately they are not often enough a good choice).

Personally, I wouldn't let someone without a firm understanding of what they believe in read or watch a series like Death Note. But that can be said about just about any mature form of animation and a lot of the "kids shows" in Japan. But I'm more conservative that some people. But these kids certainly don't understand the series nor what Light considers to be "justice". But more importantly, they need a better understanding of what is reality and what is fiction.

I think teenagers that make their own Death Notes are being pretty stupid. That could be because of a bad home life, bad social life, bad education, hanging out with a bad crowd, etc. Or it could be they're just making a poor decision all on their own and they are responsible for their own actions. I hated High School, but I got over it. You just have to be comfortable being who you are and not worry about what other people think of you. Because if you understood yourself, you'd never have the malice to even considering killing another person.

[Speedy Boris]

Don't mean to stifle discussion here, but let's please leave the "Who's to blame?" debate out of this, because it's clearly going nowhere, and it varies with every single child anyway.

The main point is, there's a reason why schools have adopted zero tolerance policies. It's because of past tragedies in numerous schools, and they don't want to risk another. They don't know who's only joking and who's only letting off steam and who would actually serious about wanting others to die, so they have to treat everything as if it were a worst case scenario.

[DarthGonzo]

I think teenagers that make their own Death Notes are being pretty stupid. That could be because of a bad home life, bad social life, bad education, hanging out with a bad crowd, etc. Or it could be they're just making a poor decision all on their own and they are responsible for their own actions. I hated High School, but I got over it. You just have to be comfortable being who you are and not worry about what other people think of you. Because if you understood yourself, you'd never have the malice to even considering killing another person.

Well said.

[Zenze14]

You called the teenagers who write death note stupid, not being mean or nothing but dude they write death notes because they want to end there life so dont called teenagers who write death note stupid.

[TyUnlimited]

You called the teenagers who write death note stupid, not being mean or nothing but dude they write death notes because they want to end there life so dont called teenagers who write death note stupid.

Umm....dude...no offense to you..but i didn't understand a word you typed.


Well.....I, being a teen in this current world, gotta say, I know quite a few morons who would attempt something like this. One of my friends said that if he could he would write everyone he didn't like in a Death Note if he had one.I told him he had problems....then he said my name would be the first one.:ack:

Either way, It's not the show. The show is something you watch. Light can't get out of the TV set and say, "Help me create a better world." and hand you a Death Note. It's impossible, until something like that happens.... the show or manga cannot be blamed.

Now, me, I'm not an adult, and my parents want to know EVERYTHING I watch on TV. I DVR Death Note. They know about it, they have seen an episode or two. They say they don't care if I watch it...I just can't turn phsyco on them. So basically, are they doing their job as parents?

So...are Death Note's 12-17 ratings really that good? I hear that it is bombing bad in 18+.

[FinnMacCool]

I don't see the problem in making your own Death Note. It's the equivalent of putting someone's picture on a dart board. It's just a way of expressing your dislike of them.

[silverfox1027]

Don't you mean part III? iirc, this is the third time. It's kind of annoying. :shrug:

[Master Moron]

Dude, you never know. Things happen and unfortunately school shootings are not an unusual trend these days. School officials need to take this stuff very, very seriously because you never know what people are capable of.

Look, I'm a teacher. I don't watch this Death Note show but even if I did I'd take a student writing up a hit list very seriously, regardless whether or not they're just imitating a show. There's a lot of unbalanced people out there who don't care where they get their ideas from. And unfortunately I'm sure there are kids out there who have vendettas against classmates and would naturally think what they've seen on a show like Death Note would be an excellent jumping off point to plan some sort of rampage.

For some people there's no line between reality and fiction. So to say that people should stop taking these incidents so seriously and to "relax" because it's just some cartoon is asinine.

Things happen. Columbine...the Virginia Tech shootings...why should anyone take chances. Any student ballsy enough to write "hit lists" in school (regardless if their copying a cartoon) needs to be dealt with immediately. Because you never know. It's a scary thought and saying "oh whatever, these teachers are just fun killers" (as someone said in the last thread about this topic) is completely ridiculous.

Just to clarify, a Death Note is not a hit list. You write a person's name and cause of death in the notebook and it comes true. For instance, the owner of a Death Note could write "Darth Gonzo, hit by a bus" in the notebook and you would get hit by a bus. It's not really the type of things that kids could actually enact in real life.

You called the teenagers who write death note stupid, not being mean or nothing but dude they write death notes because they want to end there life so dont called teenagers who write death note stupid.

A Death Note isn't a suicide note, either.

[Movie06]

Just to clarify, a Death Note is not a hit list. You write a person's name and cause of death in the notebook and it comes true. For instance, the owner of a Death Note could write "Darth Gonzo, hit by a bus" in the notebook and you would get hit by a bus. It's not really the type of things that kids could actually enact in real life.



A Death Note isn't a suicide note, either.

Somehow, the most simplist things in Death Note are misinterpeted.

[Sketch]

You called the teenagers who write death note stupid, not being mean or nothing but dude they write death notes because they want to end there life so dont called teenagers who write death note stupid.

Writing down a name in a Death Note means you want someone else to die. Murder is a sin. Contemplating it is just as much a sin as commiting the crime.

And trying end your own life is also a poor choice. To put it in laymens terms... it's a stupid thing to do.

[Movie06]

Writing down a name in a Death Note means you want someone else to die. Murder is a sin. Contemplating it is just as much a sin as commiting the crime.

And trying end your own life is also a poor choice. To put it in laymens terms... it's a stupid thing to do.

Ok that's true but I think the students were only trying to put their own anger out on a notebook.

[Master Moron]

Writing down a name in a Death Note means you want someone else to die. Murder is a sin. Contemplating it is just as much a sin as commiting the crime.


No, it's not. Haven't you ever seen Minority Report?

[Sketch]

Ok that's true but I think the students were only trying to put their own anger out on a notebook.

Well I've never been a fan of the "dart board" tactic to begin with but making a hit list can be considered a serious issue in schools after Columbine. So even if they didn't mean anything by it having grown up in today's age they should have understood that writing a hit list of any kind wouldn't be taken lightly.

It's bad enough to let anger fester but they should at least have the common sense not to ever carry their hit list with them around school premises. That's what one might call "asking for trouble".

[Sketch]

No, it's not. Haven't you ever seen Minority Report?

Pardon me if I believe what the good book says about murder rather than a work of fiction.

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Pardon me if I believe what the good book says about murder rather than a work of fiction.

I am highly inclined to agree.

[kaine23]

This is the third incident in recent weeks of kids getting in trouble for playing around with Death Note notebooks. Unless there's an incident where kids act to make their Death Notes come true, though, this fad will run its course quickly.

On the good side, Adult Swim got confirmation that there actually are people watching Death Note. (^_*)

Be semi-humerous if there's an incident like this when Geass begins...

[Movie06]

Well I've never been a fan of the "dart board" tactic to begin with but making a hit list can be considered a serious issue in schools after Columbine. So even if they didn't mean anything by it having grown up in today's age they should have understood that writing a hit list of any kind wouldn't be taken lightly.

It's bad enough to let anger fester but they should at least have the common sense not to ever carry their hit list with them around school premises. That's what one might call "asking for trouble".

Well, they took a risk anyway what did you expect? People are stupid in general. Ever watch Borat by any chance? It shows that.

[Sketch]

Well, they took a risk anyway what did you expect? People are stupid in general. Ever watch Borat by any chance? It shows that.

That's really no excuse. And it's a card people play too often. Baring an illness or condition effecting the brain, we all have the mental capacity to make better decisions than that. People who choose not to do so have no excuse. Usually it's easier to make the right decision.

[Movie06]

That's really no excuse. And it's a card people play too often. Baring an illness or condition effecting the brain, we all have the mental capacity to make better decisions than that. People who choose not to do so have no excuse. Usually it's easier to make the right decision.

But sometimes or usually it's the total opposite.

[Desensitized]

Bringing a Death Note to school is a dumb idea no matter how you slice it. It doesn't matter who you blame, the student shouldn't have brought it to school. Hell, I wouldn't bring my game boy to school because I was afraid of it getting confiscated, why would I bring a book to school that details how I want people to die? That's just idiotic.

[Movie06]

Bringing a Death Note to school is a dumb idea no matter how you slice it. It doesn't matter who you blame, the student shouldn't have brought it to school. Hell, I wouldn't bring my game boy to school because I was afraid of it getting confiscated, why would I bring a book to school that details how I want people to die? That's just idiotic.

But you know that's not new, kids risk bringing stuff that schools would usually whether it's Power Rangers, Pokemon or even Bart Simpson.

[DarthGonzo]

But you know that's not new, kids risk bringing stuff that schools would usually whether it's Power Rangers, Pokemon or even Bart Simpson.

This isn't the same and you know it. Please stop tying to counter each and every member's posts in this thread. Kids acting out a silly Japanese superhero show, or cursing like Bart Simpson is in a completely different ballpark than what the "Death Note" fans are doing.

As has been said, unless there's something seriously wrong with you in the first place, you'd have to be out of your mind to do what these kids are doing in today's environment.

[Jimmy Kudo]

Hmm..., so bringing a Death Note to school is a dumb idea no matter what, eh? Heh, well then... let's say I took a fake Death Note to school, but instead of writing names, I simply use it write down notes the professor wrote on the board. :yawn:

Now, let's say I get caught with the Death Note...

I can just imagine what the college dean would say:

"You're a terrorist because you wrote in the Death Note that word groups describing nouns or pronouns are restrictive or nonrestrictive!! And because you drew a small....what is this? Is it a lion? Well, because you drew it with an angry expression on its face!!!" (the drawing would be Kon :yawn: )

Seriously though, just because the notebook is black and it says "Death Note" in crazy writing, I'm not allowed to take it to class and use it to innocently jot down notes which I will eventually use to study for my final exam? ;)

[Movie06]

This isn't the same and you know it. Please stop tying to counter each and every member's posts in this thread. Kids acting out a silly Japanese superhero show, or cursing like Bart Simpson is in a completely different ballpark than what the "Death Note" fans are doing.

As has been said, unless there's something seriously wrong with you in the first place, you'd have to be out of your mind to do what these kids are doing in today's environment.

But it's still the same. Heck, some kid got suspended just for reading a Johnny the Homicidal Maniac comic book.

[Desensitized]

Hmm..., so bringing a Death Note to school is a dumb idea no matter what, eh? Heh, well then... let's say I took a fake Death Note to school, but instead of writing names, I simply use it write down notes the professor wrote on the board. :yawn:

Now, let's say I get caught with the Death Note...

I can just imagine what the college dean would say:

"You're a terrorist because you wrote in the Death Note that word groups describing nouns or pronouns are restrictive or nonrestrictive!! And because you drew a small....what is this? Is it a lion? Well, because you drew it with an angry expression on its face!!!" (the drawing would be Kon :yawn: )

Seriously though, just because the notebook is black and it says "Death Note" in crazy writing, I'm not allowed to take it to class and use it to innocently jot down notes which I will eventually use to study for my final exam? ;)Yeah, it really is a bad idea no matter what.

See, I wouldn't bring a book that looks like a Death Note to class even to take notes. Why take the risk?

[Movie06]

Yeah, it really is a bad idea no matter what.

See, I wouldn't bring a book that looks like a Death Note to class even to take notes. Why take the risk?

Don't look at me. I never did something like that. And I still haven't done it. But I think the two students should answer that.

[Master Moron]

Pardon me if I believe what the good book says about murder rather than a work of fiction.

The bible says thinking about murder is as bad as going through with it? I guess that means there's no point in second guessing yourself. If someone pisses you off and you think about killing them, you might as well go through with it, since in your mind thinking about it is as bad as going through with it.

Hmm..., so bringing a Death Note to school is a dumb idea no matter what, eh? Heh, well then... let's say I took a fake Death Note to school, but instead of writing names, I simply use it write down notes the professor wrote on the board. :yawn:

Now, let's say I get caught with the Death Note...

I can just imagine what the college dean would say:

"You're a terrorist because you wrote in the Death Note that word groups describing nouns or pronouns are restrictive or nonrestrictive!! And because you drew a small....what is this? Is it a lion? Well, because you drew it with an angry expression on its face!!!" (the drawing would be Kon :yawn: )

Seriously though, just because the notebook is black and it says "Death Note" in crazy writing, I'm not allowed to take it to class and use it to innocently jot down notes which I will eventually use to study for my final exam? ;)

Do they actually sell licensed Death Note notebooks in the U.S.?

[Movie06]

Do they actually sell licensed Death Note notebooks in the U.S.?

Isn't ViZ Media making those?

[herbkir]

I'm surprised at the defenses some folks are coming up with for what these kids did. But I think those defenses provide a clue to why these dumb kids acted as they did.

The defenders of the Death Notes seem to think that any restraint on what they do is bad. They think they should be able to express themselves about anything they want, anyplace they want, any time they want, in any fashion they choose. And that no one has a right to object.

It's like they have this overwhelming sense that they are entitled to whatever they want, when they want it, and won't ever have to answer to anyone for what they say or do.

I hate to sound like an old fart, but I'm seeing more and more of that attitude in the kids I meet. I think the majority of youth still are decent and sensible people, but there's a growing minority of self-important fools who are oblivious to the rights of others or the fact their words and actions will have consequences. (^_*)

[HG Revolution]

But it's still the same. Heck, some kid got suspended just for reading a Johnny the Homicidal Maniac comic book.

There's a huge difference between reading something dark (because let's face it, the stuff they assign in the average high school is pretty dark) and writing something which looks like a hit list with real people's names on it.

There's no point in defending these kids. If they got in trouble for, say, writing Death Note fanfiction, yeah, then I'd think the schools were going a bit crazy, but writing a Death Note only makes the kids look crazy.

[Antiyonder]

The defenders of the Death Notes seem to think that any restraint on what they do is bad. They think they should be able to express themselves about anything they want, anyplace they want, any time they want, in any fashion they choose. And that no one has a right to object.

It's like they have this overwhelming sense that they are entitled to whatever they want, when they want it, and won't ever have to answer to anyone for what they say or do.

They have a reason to think that way. Freedom Of Speech. But the thing that many people conveniently forget is that Freedom of any kind require responsibility. Ignorance or selective on what they remember, you make the call. I mean for one, FOS doesn't allow for people to yell "Fire" in a public theater or "Rat" in a fancy restatraunt (any restaraunt for that matter).

I mean many people on the internet who get incivil with their comments pass it off as saying "Freedom Of Speech" makes my actions ok.

[Jave]

The bible says thinking about murder is as bad as going through with it? I guess that means there's no point in second guessing yourself. If someone pisses you off and you think about killing them, you might as well go through with it, since in your mind thinking about it is as bad as going through with it.The Bible also says that those who regret their actions shall be forgiven. Having second thoughts may be ground for forgiveness, since you're probably regretting what you once considered.

And no, they're not just as bad. There are different "levels" of sins, and killing someone is far worse than just consider killing him.

Plus, while considering murder is a sin, murdering is a sin AND a crime. So if you don't mind years of jail (if not Death Penalty), I guess you might as well go through with it.

[FinnMacCool]

I'm surprised at the defenses some folks are coming up with for what these kids did. But I think those defenses provide a clue to why these dumb kids acted as they did.

The defenders of the Death Notes seem to think that any restraint on what they do is bad. They think they should be able to express themselves about anything they want, anyplace they want, any time they want, in any fashion they choose. And that no one has a right to object.

It's like they have this overwhelming sense that they are entitled to whatever they want, when they want it, and won't ever have to answer to anyone for what they say or do.

I hate to sound like an old fart, but I'm seeing more and more of that attitude in the kids I meet. I think the majority of youth still are decent and sensible people, but there's a growing minority of self-important fools who are oblivious to the rights of others or the fact their words and actions will have consequences. (^_*)
Maybe it's just me, but I think what people right in their own, private notebook is their business, and not anyone else's.

[Sergeant343]

Because of stuff like this I'm surprised Death Note didn't get canceled by angry parents.

[Master Moron]

Because of stuff like this I'm surprised Death Note didn't get canceled by angry parents.

Angry parents have no influence on whether a show gets cancelled. If they did, Family Guy and American Dad would both have been cancelled by now.

[Xoie]

School shootings are actually rather rare, just very publicized when they happen, much like airplane crashes. Anyway, I see the argument about today's climate being thrown around: they shouldn't do things like that because of the way we are today, 9-11, columbine, etc. Of course they should have factored that in to their decision because duh they'll arrest you. But on the other hand, I disagree with the climate so to me there's nothing wrong with doing this. Thought and action are separate. They'll pull you out of class for an unsubstantiated rumor you know..

The point of the Death Note is that you don't have to go out and kill those people, the notebook does it for you. And since magic isn't real, its of no concern. If they do believe in things that lack evidence, then yeah, maybe the police should arrest people for potential wizardry and such. But unfortunately for fiction, the world is governed by absolute physical laws which prevent any kind of magical or spiritual stuff, period.

I'm trying to say, if someone yells kamehameha at someone, that actually is a greater threat since usually you also physically attack in addition to energy blasts. This is how you would logically think about this if you understood the elements. How people that are supposed to be working with kids don't know anything about what young people do I'm surprised. I guess they think little boys like baseball and little girls play with barbie. I think this is one of the more significant failures of parenting.

The country should have a Death Note day where everyone in school is given a death note and can write down who they wish died. Then we could actually have a discussion about WHY they have those feelings and get somewhere.

[Sergeant343]

That is actually a good idea. it can help out people who feel that way and settle grudges.

[Megaman X]

The country should have a Death Note day where everyone in school is given a death note and can write down who they wish died. Then we could actually have a discussion about WHY they have those feelings and get somewhere.

I'm sure Light Yagami would approve. Seriously I don't no about you but I don't want someone writing my name in a death note book even if it was a holiday. >_> Seriously lets just get through school ignoring the bad people and live are lives.

[Jtaylor1]

It makes the parents want to write a petition to ban anime and manga from the United States. Not the fake petition that's on PetitionOnline, I mean an actual petition.

All they got to do is get enough signatures and send it to Congress. Congress will introduce a bill to ban all forms of anime and manga, pass it through House and Senate, and signed by the president. The penalty for owning anime and manga will be fined, imprisoned, and forced to burn them. Everyone has to turn in all forms of anime and manga in exchange for copies of the King James Bible.

But, I don't think it will happen in our lifetime. The state of Alabama may decide to ban all forms of anime and manga but not the entire nation.

[Master Moron]

It makes the parents want to write a petition to ban anime and manga from the United States. Not the fake petition that's on PetitionOnline, I mean an actual petition.

All they got to do is get enough signatures and send it to Congress. Congress will introduce a bill to ban all forms of anime and manga, pass it through House and Senate, and signed by the president. The penalty for owning anime and manga will be fined, imprisoned, and forced to burn them. Everyone has to turn in all forms of anime and manga in exchange for copies of the King James Bible.

But, I don't think it will happen in our lifetime. The state of Alabama may decide to ban all forms of anime and manga but not the entire nation.

No state can ban anime because it would violate the First Amendment.

[Draft]

What they should do is sign the kid up for some therapy/guidance sessions. Suspending him was the right choice, and probably a school transfer would be a good idea. Some kids are more impressionable than others, and this kid is really impressionable, or really retarded.

[another_InuYasha]

Hmm..., so bringing a Death Note to school is a dumb idea no matter what, eh? Heh, well then... let's say I took a fake Death Note to school, but instead of writing names, I simply use it write down notes the professor wrote on the board. :yawn:

Now, let's say I get caught with the Death Note...

I can just imagine what the college dean would say:

"You're a terrorist because you wrote in the Death Note that word groups describing nouns or pronouns are restrictive or nonrestrictive!! And because you drew a small....what is this? Is it a lion? Well, because you drew it with an angry expression on its face!!!" (the drawing would be Kon :yawn: )

Seriously though, just because the notebook is black and it says "Death Note" in crazy writing, I'm not allowed to take it to class and use it to innocently jot down notes which I will eventually use to study for my final exam? ;)

I myself had a similar experience... I had a black, hard-back sketchbook that I had for a while. I usually took it to school with me. Then one night after reading and watching Death Note, I thought about that book... And decided to make a Death Note cover. I printed out the black front that said Death Note and the instructions from the inside, and taped them to the book. It almost looked like I had bought it.

Anyway... The next dae I went to school with it and was carrying it around. I hadn't written any names or anything, it was still just a sketchbook.

Then my theology teacher [at a catholic school] sees it, and asks if he could see it. He took a look at the inside cover and said "This is magic." and took it. I tried to explain that I had gotten the idea from the show, and it was just the same sketchbook that I carried the dae before.... But he wouldn't listen and took it anyway.

Later that dae I had a chat with a guidance councilor about it. He understood when I explained it, and that I didn't actually write any names.

He gave it back to me and suggested that I didn't carry it anymore, which I agreed with...

But the teacher who took it over-reacted... Right? Like I said, I hadn't written any names or anything, I just had sketches, nothing depicting death, nothing like that...

So was I wrong to make a harmless cover for a book with no writing?

And what if I had had a notebook and done that, just like Jimmy said?

[SSJPabs]

Heh, in first grade a long time ago, I was in the Book-It program and the first month I lost barely to some kid in terms of pages read. Believing myself clearly better I began to write out a list that said "Ways to kill _____." The teacher did not actually do anything to stop me, instead she told my parents (as this was the 80s) and we had a little talk. To make a long story short I never, ever wrote that kind of incriminating thing down ever again. He remained my friend for many years despite that, as I did not actually want to kill him out of the heat of the moment.

To comment on the theology teacher's actions: one of the first things that bothered me about Christianity when I was growing up (heavy indoctrination but I was always too much of a critical thinker to just go with it) was their poor use of the word "magic." And so it proves here.