So I found out I'm on my schools "Shooting Watch List"

[Wicky_42]

So I was called into the office of my high school today to talk to my guidance counselor about college stuff (I'm a senior) and she had all my files and stuff on her desk. There was one folder she never looked at though during the meeting. I asked her about it and she said it wasn't important.

The bell rang and we both got up to leave. I went back to her office once she had left and picked up the folder.

I like your style

Comments: Staff are urged to act nicer to NAME to keep him at a stable emotional level.

You should TOTALLY exploit this If they don't know that you know that you have that label you could play some serious mind-games with them... though that could always backfired

Which is weird, because I don't have any interest in goth subculture or a death fascination. I do like metal, but so?

and this is what everyone should remember next time they casually assume that people in authority are infallible and have your best intentions at heart. If this is the sort of profiling that a mere school gets up to, just imagine what the government might get into its head to do?

Anyone else think this is a bit weird?

Yes. And worrying. Does the school have any right to profile you like that? Should they be able to make such assumptions about your personality? Would they share these groundless assumptions with your subsequent place of work or study, labelling you as a death-obsessed, heartless atheist with a predilection for mass slaughter unless you're treated with care and smiles.

Honestly, I'd have half a mind to confront the school about it if it were me, especially if they're wrong. Though I might be inclined to have a bit of fun first...

 

[emeraldrafael]

That's pretty weird, are they even allowed to do that?

The only thing it says is for staff to "act nicer", around him. It's not like they're asking for him to be treated like a leper or pushing him out of classes. Anyone who thinks that extra smiles is grounds for a lawsuit is out of their minds.

Its not about that, its just that he's being targeted and profiled.

 

[biggles1]

That's pretty weird, are they even allowed to do that?

The only thing it instructs staff to do is to "act nicer", around him. It's not like they're asking for him to be treated like a leper or pushing him out of classes. Anyone who thinks that extra smiles is grounds for a lawsuit is out of their minds.

I was talking more about the procurement of information and labelling of certain beliefs/likes/skills as certain things, Surely labelling atheists as lacking empathy is pretty discriminatory?

 

[MaVeN1337]

It's called being judged. Principals and teachers do it very well, because they are scumbags.

 

[Drago-Morph]

So I was called into the office of my high school today to talk to my guidance counselor about college stuff (I'm a senior) and she had all my files and stuff on her desk. There was one folder she never looked at though during the meeting. I asked her about it and she said it wasn't important.

The bell rang and we both got up to leave. I went back to her office once she had left and picked up the folder. It was a report about my "school shooting potential". At my school, apparently, the SSP is based on grades, interests, music choice, and religion. It said this (from what I can recall, I skimmed it)

"Grades: Excellent, excels in science.
Interests: Shows an interest in death and goth culture.
Music Choice: Heavy metal, shows interest in death.
Religion: Atheist, shows lack of empathy.

Comments: Staff are urged to act nicer to NAME to keep him at a stable emotional level."

Which is weird, because I don't have any interest in goth subculture or a death fascination. I do like metal, but so? Also the part about me being an atheist is ridiculous (the school is in a Protestant/Catholic town).

Anyone else think this is a bit weird?

I think it's prejudiced to peg people for shooting potential based on religion. Unless you're into some sort of satanic cult, being an athiest (and I'll go out on a limb here and say that your small catholic town is watching the Muslims too) doesn't make you any more likely to go on a shooting spree.

 

[Tim Cr810]

oh, one important question? what's your Rogue Class level? with those moves I have to assume you're level 5 at least

 

[kannibus]

Atheism = Lack of Empathy eh?

Learn something new every day...

 

[Jake Martinez]

Also, since when does interest in science, metal and a lack of caring for religion make you a psychopath?

The first two, not so much - but the last one is damn near the definition. Actually, that's probably not true - I doubt they're looking for "psychopaths" because I'm not positive that's an actual medical term. They're probably looking for people with anti social disorder or borderline personality, which (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong) has symptoms like lack of empathy and extreme narcissism.

Personally I find the most troubling thing here is that school administrators would be compiling these reports without the guidance of a clinical psychologist and direct interviews with the subjects. It's basically a laughable worthless effort when done incorrectly - but that echos a lot of policies that our schools implement.

 

[Shining_Pyrelight]

I can guarantee I was on some kind of list like that.

I remember being called into guidance one day to explain a piece of art I had did. For fun I added a quote from an HP Lovecraft story to make it creepier...it worked...though not in the way I intended since no one (apprently) had even heard of Lovecraft >.<

Ah, looking back there were so many reasons I could be placed a list like that. It also explains why my teachers were oddly nice to me... Now I want to read it, see what they wrote -_-

 

[CyanLink]

Be proud of the fact that you now know how retarded the system is.

 

[Aris Khandr]

When I was in high school, most of the student body and a fair percentage of the faculty actually, truly believed that I was the daughter of the devil. So at least it's not that bad for you, yet.

 

[spacewalker]

well, the US does have a relatively large amount of school shootings. This kind of clueless guessing is possibly the only thing they could do.

 

[steampunk42]

don't sweat it, everyone thought i was odd and should be treated nicer because i constantly argued how annoying it was about how the jocks at my school could get away with anything and nobody would bat an eye...i got labeled some sort of rebel....people are stupid mate....dont sweat it

 

[BanthaFodder]

they have files like that?!
...
everyone's against me... they all think I'm just gonna SNAP one day... it's all a lie... all some sick game... better shoot em all, just to be safe...
o___o

 

[Fetzenfisch]

That school definatly needs some people who do know at least how to write pedagogics and psychology.

 

[Sacman]

"Grades: Excellent, excels in science.
Interests: Shows an interest in death and goth culture.
Music Choice: Heavy metal, shows interest in death.
Religion: Atheist, shows lack of empathy.

Comments: Staff are urged to act nicer to NAME to keep him at a stable emotional level."

I saw mine the year I left, my counselor was nice enough to show it to me... I don't remember exactly what it said but it had the same format except instead of religion it said, "Emotional State" or "Mental State"... or something like that...

it was something like...

Grades: Generally very poor, but excels in History...
Interests: Shows interest in music theory and technology...
Music Choice: Nirvana and music expressing similar themes...
Mental/Emotional State: Possibly unstable...

And than it had an essay I didn't read...

Comments: It was a fairly long description so I didn't read the entire thing... but the end it described me as, "Potentially Dangerous, but showing no signs of violent behavior."

 

[Dags90]

Its not about that, its just that he's being targeted and profiled.

Targeted for what though? They aren't treating him any differently.

I was talking more about the procurement of information and labeling of certain beliefs/likes/skills as certain things, Surely labeling atheists as lacking empathy is pretty discriminatory?

Actions are discriminatory. He's not being barred from activity, he isn't being frisked by school security or followed in the hallways.

It's stupid and possibly a waste of resources (but really, are high school guidance counselors that pressed for time?) but it's probably not illegal.