Autistic Boy Charged With Making Terrorist Threats Over Stick-Figure Sketch

[John81]

(Another good reason why we should all be slow to support things dealing with "anti-terrorism")

Autistic Boy Charged With Making Terrorist Threats Over Stick-Figure Sketch
Updated: Thursday, 13 May 2010, 11:32 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 13 May 2010, 10:06 AM EDT

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - A fourteen-year-old autistic boy is facing terrorist charges after a sketch he made in school.

The sketch shows two stick-figures. One of them is labeled ‘Me’ and is shown shooting a gun at another with a teacher’s name above it.

Karen Finn says that her son, 8th grader Shane Finn, doesn’t understand why he is in trouble. She says the boy is autistic and has the mental capacity of a 3rd grader.

Officials at Ridgeview Charter School say the student will face a tribunal and is being charged with making terrorist threats.

Finn says she plans to fight the charges.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/autistic-boy-charged-with-making-terrorist-threats-over-stick-figure-sketch-051310

[CPR]

This is both sad and ridiculous. That poor child and family. Autistic children usually lack the ability to verbalize and express their emotions. He was merely trying to express anger/frustration the best way he knew how. Perhaps something could have been done in light of this to find out what was bothering him and address it, but criminal charges let alone terrorist charges are overly extreme. Too bad the teacher, school and district were not trained on how to deal with these situations.

[JerryNumbers]

I had read the article. Please let me ask a what-if question.

What it the school completely dismissed this, saying he is autistic and has the mind of a 3rd grader and knows not what he is doing, them in a few weeks or so this young man did something violent and other children are harmed and or even killed?

Them would not everyone be wanting the ones in charge to be fired plus prosecuted?

Perhaps after the investigation they will come to the conclusion that the mother has stated.

[CPR]

I had read the article. Please let me ask a what-if question.

What it the school completely dismissed this, saying he is autistic and has the mind of a 3rd grader and knows not what he is doing, them in a few weeks or so this young man did something violent and other children are harmed and or even killed?

Them would not everyone be wanting the ones in charge to be fired plus prosecuted?

Perhaps after the investigation they will come to the conclusion that the mother has stated.

I thought of this too. The reason that I still think it is ridiculous is because this is a common way for autistic children to express emotions that they lack the other outlets to explain. I do not think that it should have been brushed off, but charging the child with terrorist threats is extreme to say the least. Granted, this is a brief article so we prOBably do not have all the information on this case, but I would imagine that a few sessions with a counselor who is trained to deal with autistic children and understand how they express themselves would prOBably get to the bottom of whatever is going on. I think there need to be more levels before we automatically jump to "terrorist." It is most likely that the child was having a bad day and expressing that frustration in the best way he knew how. It seems like we should be able to discern that with out a terrorist tribunal! Edited May 18, 2010 by CPR

[John81]

I had read the article. Please let me ask a what-if question.

What it the school completely dismissed this, saying he is autistic and has the mind of a 3rd grader and knows not what he is doing, them in a few weeks or so this young man did something violent and other children are harmed and or even killed?

Them would not everyone be wanting the ones in charge to be fired plus prosecuted?

Perhaps after the investigation they will come to the conclusion that the mother has stated.

The autistic child could have easily been put on watch and the matter could have been discussed among the faculty so all would be informed, as well as with the parents.

To call such "terrorism" totally distorts that term, cheapens and belittles it, and perhaps worse of all, if the government can get people to accept the use of terrorist/terrorism to include things such as this, it will be very easy for them to one day declare all KJB Christians to be terrorists and preaching from the KJB an act of terrorism.

[JerryNumbers]

Yes, but those in position of authority, do they know the exact state of this young man? I don't know.

Yet if they had not investigate it, passed it off as nothing, them something bad happened, everyone would want the heads of all in authority. How do I know this, for that is human nature.

We need to give those in authority the opportunity to look this over carefully.

But its OBvious, none of us knows one thing for sure about this young man, only what the mother stated, and of course she is more than likely very prejudice.

[HappyChristian]

If he's got the mind of a 3rd grader, he knows full well why he's in trouble! And it depends on his level of autism (and the kind) as to how expressive he can be. I don't think he should be charged with terrorism, but he should definitely be watched.

[JerryNumbers]

I just fail to understand why anyone feels its wrong for those who be in authority to investigate? After all they be the ones who are responsible for those who are caring for this young boy's safety as well as the boys safety.


Perhaps the use of the words "terrorist threats" should not have been used in connection with this autistic 14 year old boy. In fact I think that was a poor choice of words. The use of the words "terrorist threats" is prOBably the reason it made national headlines.

PrOBably some of you have heard of those who are mentally challenged who have been violent, even to the point of causing bodily harm to those who take care of them. Perhaps that is rightly the point of this investigation.

My daughter sets such people in school, the wife and I both have expressed that when one of the young boys she sets gets older it may be dangerous for such a person as our daughter, 5' 5" weighting a bit over 100 pounds soaking wet, to be around him. For he will have the strong body of a grown man, but will not have the mature mind to control his strength, emotions, and actions.

[John81]

I have no prOBlem with the school authorities monitoring this child, alerting the staff, speaking with the parents and taking cautionary actions.

What I do have a prOBlem with is calling a 3rd grade boy a terrorist for drawing a picture. If such can be deemed a terrorist and we know anti-terrorism laws are already out of whack and likely to get worse, it's one small step from this to declaring Bible-believing Christians to be terrorists with possibly little to no right of a fair hearing.

[CPR]

I just fail to understand why anyone feels its wrong for those who be in authority to investigate? After all they be the ones who are responsible for those who are caring for this young boy's safety as well as the boys safety.


Perhaps the use of the words "terrorist threats" should not have been used in connection with this autistic 14 year old boy. In fact I think that was a poor choice of words. The use of the words "terrorist threats" is prOBably the reason it made national headlines.

PrOBably some of you have heard of those who are mentally challenged who have been violent, even to the point of causing bodily harm to those who take care of them. Perhaps that is rightly the point of this investigation.

My daughter sets such people in school, the wife and I both have expressed that when one of the young boys she sets gets older it may be dangerous for such a person as our daughter, 5' 5" weighting a bit over 100 pounds soaking wet, to be around him. For he will have the strong body of a grown man, but will not have the mature mind to control his strength, emotions, and actions.

I don't think any of us are saying that it's wrong for this to raise a red flag, in fact in the interest of the safety and well being of all involved it should raise a red flag. There is just no reason for this to go to a terrorist tribunal. I just feel like there should be some sort of middle ground and some steps that the school administration can take when an issue like this arises, especially with a special needs child.