Watch out, he's got a MAP!!!

[Axxon]

Teen punished over violent video game
Scene set as school campus
KTRK By Gene Apodaca

(5/01/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - A senior at Clements High School isn't in his normal classroom. The district removed him for playing a violent computer game that looks a lot like his school.
Also on ABC13.com:
Send news tips | RSS | ABC13 E-lert | Info mentioned on air | Search abc13.com
The student created a video game from his home computer. But when word got out at school, among other students and subsequently their parents, that's when school district officials took some action.

At Clements High School, student Jordan Schlafer is appalled and shocked to learn her school was used as a backdrop for a violent video game.

She said, "If somebody can make a map like that of the whole school, I mean, it does kind of scare me a little bit, and make me wonder, you know, what else they could do."

The game is called Counter Strike a popular online game where the user, either as a terrorist or anti-terrorist, kills his or her targets. One of the features is that the player can create their own location. A 12th grader who got in trouble apparently made the Clements campus the scene of his game.

"It was the exact replication of the campus," said Fort Bend ISD spokesperson Mary Ann Simpson. "There were players in the game that were armed and the purpose of the game was to shoot and kill."

What made the situation even worse is that the video game was discovered by a fellow student days after the Virginia Tech shootings. School officials immediately removed the teen from school, placing him in an alternative education campus. They called the situation a 'terroristic threat.'

Allan Cease, the teen's attorney, disagreed, "Looking at the criminal definition of terroristic threat, we're not even close to that definition. There was no criminal intent, there was no intent to harm anybody."

Cease says in no way did the teenager attempt to replicate the game. He's fighting on behalf of the teen and his parents to have the student placed back in school.

In the meantime, students we talked to are torn as to whether the game was a real threat or not.

"I think he just did it for fun," said student Maaria Faoqi. "I mean, he goes here. He probably didn't mean anything."

Schlafer said, "I do think some measures needed to be taken, about making him out for the school. So, if they thought that the alternative school was the best for him, then, yeah."

The Fort Bend ISD police searched the boy's home. No charges have been filed.

The teen's parents are appealing the decision. They'll need to go through a four-step process before any action is taken.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

This is my favorite quote:

She said, "If somebody can make a map like that of the whole school, I mean, it does kind of scare me a little bit, and make me wonder, you know, what else they could do."

Jeez, he could, you know, circumnavigate the globe or something maybe.

hxxp://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=5263782

[cthomer5000]

Quite exciting, this computer magic!

[Axxon]

You know, if maps are forbidden it must suck trying to get around that school.

"Hey, Steve, know where the chemistry lab is?"

"Nope. Been looking for it since first semester."

[Axxon]

Here's another article which says it was the actual map making that was the problem. This is simply bizarre if true.

Student transferred for making Counter-strike map based on school

A senior at Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas was transferred to an alternative education center last month after it was learned that the student had created a map of his school in the online game Counter-Strike, according to a report on the community-focused site Fort Bend Now.

The student wasn't arrested or charged with any crimes, but police were called in to search his home, where they found five swords. Police also ordered the student to erase the game and maps from his computer.

Between the game's violent content, the discovery of the swords (which Fort Bend Now reports may have been decorative), and other as-yet-unrevealed information, officials with the Fort Bend Independent School District labeled the situation "level 3," which mandated the transfer to the alternative school. According to Fort Bend Now, "level 3" is code for a student who "engages in conduct relating to a false alarm or report (including a bomb threat) or a terroristic threat involving a public school."

Currently there is a split on the school district's board of trustees, with a pair of trustees publicly suggesting the transfer was an overreaction and pushing for a public meeting at which the disciplinary issue might be resolved. However, some of their fellow trustees and the school board administration are standing by the move.

"Ever since Columbine, anything that remotely looks like a threat has to be taken very seriously," Fort Bend Now quotes FBISD spokesperson Mary Ann Simpson as saying. "The minute we don't, something serious is going to happen."

hxxp://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=25605076&sid=6170016&action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;4

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I love this line: "I mean, he goes here. He probably didn't mean anything."

Yeah... School spirit is what keeps these students in check. I mean, other than the ones who kill their classmates...

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Axxon

You know, if maps are forbidden it must suck trying to get around that school.

"Hey, Steve, know where the chemistry lab is?"

"Nope. Been looking for it since first semester."

"There is a legend that a senior knew once, but he was kicked out."

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

"There is a legend that a senior knew once, but he was kicked out."

Very well played sir!

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

I love this line: "I mean, he goes here. He probably didn't mean anything."

Yeah... School spirit is what keeps these students in check. I mean, other than the ones who kill their classmates...

So the students there range from completely paranoid about a map, to naive beyond belief?

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

So the students there range from completely paranoid about a map, to naive beyond belief?

Hey, they're lead by someone who clearly is both.

"Ever since Columbine, anything that remotely looks like a threat has to be taken very seriously," Fort Bend Now quotes FBISD spokesperson Mary Ann Simpson as saying. "The minute we don't, something serious is going to happen."

[Lathum]

If this kid shot a bunch of his classmates and this info came out after the fact people would be screaming negligence.

It sucks we live in times like these but I can;t fault the school

[SirFozzie]

Then the stupid will inherit the earth.

The good thing is they won't be able to do much with it.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Lathum

If this kid shot a bunch of his classmates and this info came out after the fact people would be screaming negligence.

It sucks we live in times like these but I can;t fault the school

Hoo, boy, just found this story with a piece of the puzzle that has an interesting twist.

Student arrested for making a map of his school

Posted May 2nd 2007 7:30AM by John Bardinelli
Filed under: Culture
A Chinese student was removed from Clements High School in Fort Bend, Texas after parents complained he had re-created the school grounds in a game and uploaded the map for his friends to play. The boy was placed in the district's alternate education school and later arrested, as the police considered him a "terroristic threat". The Chinese community and the boy's mother have rallied behind him, saying the school has acted too harshly in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings. No charges were filed, though the boy won't be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies.

We don't have to point out how ridiculous this is to our Joystiq readers. How many people have created familiar surroundings using in-game editors? We once made a partial re-creation of our college in Dr. Lunatic Supreme With Cheese. Good thing nobody found out, otherwise we'd be blogging from a soft and squishy padded room right now.

Those asians you know. How much you want to bet that this wasn't done simply because he was asian?
Can you blame the school if this is simple racial profiling?

[almost forgot the linkie]
hxxp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/student-arrested-for-making-a-map-of-his-school/

[MrBigglesworth]

What if he wanted to be on the anti-terrorist team, and his dream was to be the hero that defended the school from terrorists?

1933: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
2007: BE AFRAID!

Way to go, America.

[JeeberD]

I say we lock that Yao Ming up. After all, he's HUGE into that WOW game. I'm sure he's gonna kill someone sooner or late...

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by MrBigglesworth

What if he wanted to be on the anti-terrorist team, and his dream was to be the hero that defended the school from terrorists?

1933: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
2007: BE AFRAID!

Way to go, America.

Then the terrorists win.

I'm not sure if it's before or after the stupid inherit the earth which quite frankly Fozzie, I think has already happened.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

I say we lock that Yao Ming up. After all, he's HUGE into that WOW game. I'm sure he's gonna kill someone sooner or late...

Jeeber?

Oh noes, I just saw a big ass asian running out of his house.

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Then the terrorists win.

I'm not sure if it's before or after the stupid inherit the earth which quite frankly Fozzie, I think has already happened.

First we had the Greatest Generation
Then we had the Baby Boomer Generation
Then We had Generations, X and Y
Now we have the Stupid Generation

[cthomer5000]

I belong to the blank generation and

I can take it or leave it each time

I belong to the ______ generation but

I can take it or leave it each time

[flounder]

Holy crap! I once worked at a DOE Laboratory back when Duke Nukem first came out and a friend of mine and I talked about making a map of the lab to play on. If we had gone through with it, we'd probably still be in Gitmo.

[gstelmack]

This isn't the "Stupid Generation" reacting like this. It's the Generation X parents that are reacting like this.

[MJ4H]

I made maps of my college dorm, the fine arts building, the library, and the student union in doom 2 back in college. I will choose firing squad as my method of execution.

[Ksyrup]

At the risk of taking the contrary position, I see nothing wrong with the school investigating this for the possibility that it is something more than simply a normal, well-adjusted kid playing a violent video game containing a map of his school. Absent anything else, he should not be punished, transferred to another school, or made to erase the map from his computer.

From the article above, though, it appears that there were additional circumstances above and beyond the map that the school district believed warranted transferring this particular kid to an alternative school. We don't know the specifics, and it's certainly possible that this is an unfortunate over-reaction. But unlike most of you, I see the potential that this is a precursor to something problematic, not much different than finding a list of "hits" or overhearing talk of "doing something." It's indictive, although certainly not dispositive without any further corroborating information, of planning activities which, at the very least, deserve to be investigated. If my kid was at that school, I would be pissed if the school dismissed it without at least looking into it.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

I say we lock that Yao Ming up. After all, he's HUGE into that WOW game. I'm sure he's gonna kill someone sooner or late...

Does Yao really play World of Warcraft?

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by MrBigglesworth

What if he wanted to be on the anti-terrorist team, and his dream was to be the hero that defended the school from terrorists?

That was my first thought, too. I played Counter-Strike for about 5 years, much of it competitively. While I'm sure there are some people who habitually pick one of the two sides (Terrorist or Counter-Terrorist), most people just randomly pick a side when joining an ongoing game.

Furthermore, having known lots of people who have created custom levels (i.e. "maps") for the game, almost all were drawn to do it because it was neat.

Now, if the kid's unstable in other ways then sure, maybe check it out. But here's merely one amongst hundreds, if not thousands, of other people creating custom levels out there (not just for CS) that replicate real-world locations. Heck, one of the "out-of-the-box" levels is a 747! And half of the people playing the game are trying to rescue hostages from the 747! Yes, let's blanket-label that mentality "bad".

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

First we had the Greatest Generation
Then we had the Baby Boomer Generation
Then We had Generations, X and Y
Now we have the Stupid Generation

The current young generation may or may not be stupid, but it's the Boomers who are in power now. Yep, the same people who gave you the free love 60s are now driving the country towards Orwell.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Does Yao really play World of Warcraft?

If he plays as a gnome, I'll be really amused.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Does Yao really play World of Warcraft?

Yup...

http://nba.aolsportsblog.com/2007/04...d-of-warcraft/

[flere-imsaho]

That clip is awesome. Sadly, he's probably not a gnome, but could be a dwarf (Alliance Hunters are limited to Night Elf & Dwarf, if I remember correctly).

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Yup...

http://nba.aolsportsblog.com/2007/04...d-of-warcraft/

Haha, that's awesome!

[ISiddiqui]

Police also ordered the student to erase the game and maps from his computer.

Say wha? So now a legally obtained game is a threat?

[Ryche]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

That clip is awesome. Sadly, he's probably not a gnome, but could be a dwarf (Alliance Hunters are limited to Night Elf & Dwarf, if I remember correctly).

Probably a night elf hunter. That is half the alliance population after all.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Ryche

Probably a night elf hunter. That is half the alliance population after all.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Does Yao really play World of Warcraft?

Gold farmer?

[JediKooter]

Asian+Alternative Education Center=Relocation Camp.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Lathum

If this kid shot a bunch of his classmates and this info came out after the fact people would be screaming negligence.

It sucks we live in times like these but I can;t fault the school

Stop using common sense.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Stop using common sense.

This opinion strays pretty far from your signature and stated political leanings, you know, the protecting civil liberties and all. I guess that value defies common sense to you and if it does, why quote it?

More bluntly, don't civil liberties cover being able to legally own and use a product that has no illegal purpose, that the citizen has shown no intention, no plan nor any previous record of using illegally? Just as a preventive measure.

I mean, if so, lets do away with everything, and I mean everything that can be used lethally otherwise, this isn't common sense at all.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Lathum

If this kid shot a bunch of his classmates and this info came out after the fact people would be screaming negligence.

Just because people would over-react and confuse hindsight with foresight doesn't mean anything.

[Tigercat]

Wouldn't negligence be, oh I don't know, if they ignored this and the kid had FIREARMS? Or he made attempts to purchase firearms? Or money amounts stashed away in his room for firearms? Or boxes of bullets?

If the school hears about this sorta thing, calls the police, and they all want to investigate more power to them.

When will schools and police learn though, that just because they are concerned about the connection of something fake that is associated with violence and a possible action of violence, does not mean they have to kick a kid to the curb after the investigation? Era of no child left behind indeed.

[rkmsuf]

So it's ok if he goes bezerk and kills all the people at the other school then. Just not at the school that he has a map of.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Wouldn't negligence be, oh I don't know, if they ignored this and the kid had FIREARMS? Or he made attempts to purchase firearms? Or money amounts stashed away in his room for firearms? Or boxes of bullets?

If the school hears about this sorta thing, calls the police, and they all want to investigate more power to them.

When will schools and police learn though, that just because they are concerned about the connection of something fake that is associated with violence and a possible action of violence, does not mean they have to kick a kid to the curb after the investigation? Era of no child left behind indeed.

That's my point. It isn't investigating him that's the problem it's the fact that they didn't find anything to charge him with or arrest him but because he made a map in a game he was using as intended which is legally and they threw him under the bus. The dude is a senior, he's almost finished school and he can't now and he did nothing wrong.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Axxon

That's my point. It isn't investigating him that's the problem it's the fact that they didn't find anything to charge him with or arrest him but because he made a map in a game he was using as intended which is legally and they threw him under the bus. The dude is a senior, he's almost finished school and he can't now and he did nothing wrong.

If he wasn't pissed off before he is now.

So like what since he is kicked out of the school he can't show up there and blow people away. There's like some magic force field now.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Axxon

This opinion strays pretty far from your signature and stated political leanings, you know, the protecting civil liberties and all. I guess that value defies common sense to you and if it does, why quote it?

More bluntly, don't civil liberties cover being able to legally own and use a product that has no illegal purpose, that the citizen has shown no intention, no plan nor any previous record of using illegally? Just as a preventive measure.

I mean, if so, lets do away with everything, and I mean everything that can be used lethally otherwise, this isn't common sense at all.

Ah, but it is common sense but that is exactly what would have happened. Just take a look at all of the hand-wringing, legislative responses and the blame game that happened after 9/11 and to some extent, after Columbine and VT. The general population wants freedom and liberty (but they don't what they hell those mean) but also wants nothing bad to happen. They don't know the difference between being preventative and being pro-active; therefore, they will always blame someone for not stopping a tragedy from happening and will always cry to make sure it will never, ever happen again. Human history has and will always prove otherwise.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Axxon

That's my point. It isn't investigating him that's the problem it's the fact that they didn't find anything to charge him with or arrest him but because he made a map in a game he was using as intended which is legally and they threw him under the bus. The dude is a senior, he's almost finished school and he can't now and he did nothing wrong.

Um, if you read the article they make it pretty clear that there are other issues which lead to the school district's action:

"Between the game's violent content, the discovery of the swords (which Fort Bend Now reports may have been decorative), and other as-yet-unrevealed information, officials with the Fort Bend Independent School District labeled the situation "level 3," which mandated the transfer to the alternative school."

I don't think any of us know what they did or didn't have and whether it justifies their actions. But let's stop talking about this case and pretending the only facts we have are what some journalist put in the headline to shock us into reading it - "Kid gets expelled for having a map!" Despite the shocking headline, the substantive facts are decidedly less outrageous.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Stop using common sense.

When he does start using common sense, you can ask him to stop (no offense to Lathum here, btw.. i know some idiots would be yelling) .

You can investigate without going totally nucking futs.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

When he does start using common sense, you can ask him to stop (no offense to Lathum here, btw.. i know some idiots would be yelling) .

You can investigate without going totally nucking futs.

Except when you get the lawyers involved.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

If he wasn't pissed off before he is now.

So like what since he is kicked out of the school he can't show up there and blow people away. There's like some magic force field now.

It sounds like we're saying the same thing. You are saying it was stupid to kick him out right? Right?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Axxon

It sounds like we're saying the same thing. You are saying it was stupid to kick him out right? Right?

Yes. I still don't get putting him in another school. It's ok if he goes apeshit on them. Or is he magically not a threat over there because it's too difficult to map that place. Maybe the swords don't work over there.

Maybe he's afraid to come near his original school now because they said mean, awful things to him.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Yes. I still don't get putting him in another school. It's ok if he goes apeshit on them. Or is he magically not a threat over there because it's too difficult to map that place. Maybe the swords don't work over there.

Maybe he's afraid to come near his original school now because they said mean, awful things to him.

Or maybe they have people specially trained to deal with whatever mental/psychological problems they uncovered. You know, after they found the map and swords and actually started asking questions.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Ah, but it is common sense but that is exactly what would have happened. Just take a look at all of the hand-wringing, legislative responses and the blame game that happened after 9/11 and to some extent, after Columbine and VT. The general population wants freedom and liberty (but they don't what they hell those mean) but also wants nothing bad to happen. They don't know the difference between being preventative and being pro-active; therefore, they will always blame someone for not stopping a tragedy from happening and will always cry to make sure it will never, ever happen again. Human history has and will always prove otherwise.

Ok, I agree. It sounded to me like you agree with the decision ideologically when you are talking pragmatically. I agree that the easy way out is as you mentioned but it's not common sense if you actually care about the future IMHO.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Or maybe they have people specially trained to deal with whatever mental/psychological problems they uncovered. You know, after they found the map and swords and actually started asking questions.

Terming the situation a "terroristic threat" doesn't inspire me with confidence here. Doesn't sound like they are too concerned with this kid's well being.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Or maybe they have people specially trained to deal with whatever mental/psychological problems they uncovered. You know, after they found the map and swords and actually started asking questions.

Simple conjecture. Nowhere in any of these articles does it mention any mental/psychological problems uncovered. I'm also pretty sure that they wouldn't just turn the kid loose and send him to another school to shoot up if they had uncovered mental/psychological problems. That would make no sense.